Women's Network in Archaeology

Netzwerk archäologisch arbeitender Frauen

Address of the Network

Goals of the Network:

The Network wishes to ...

• Create contact between women who are envolved with archaeology and its related fields.
• Prevent the isolation of female archaeologists.
• Encourage the exchange of experiences between women.
• Improve the employment situation of female archaeologists.
• Promote the discussion between archaeologists and other academics involved in Women's and Gender studies.
• Establish an interdisciplinary approach between female archaeologists, scientists of other fields and interested amateurs.
• Expand the theoretical foundations for Feminist Archaeology.
• Open Feminist Archaeology to the public and to all women.
• Establish Feminist Archaeology and Gender studies as themes and methods in archaeology.

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History of the Network: How it began ...

In Germany archaeology Women's and Gender Studies are completely neglected. Hardly any scholarly work is being produced, in which the gender roles in the past and present are articulated, or gender related approaches scientifically attempted. Women who study these topics often feel isolated and not taken seriously.

Therefore several students of archaeology founded in May, 1991 the Network of Women in Archaeology. Previously there had only been local groups and one Symposium in Jan. 1991, with the title: "Feminism & Archaeology."

The model for our network was the German "Network of Women in History". This form allows a wide exchange of information and needs little organisational structures. Meanwhile about 200 women and institutions are members of our Network. Four Conferences have taken place in Kiel, Tübingen and Stralsund. The newsletter is sent quarterly to all members. The list of members allows specific contacts between the women.

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Archaeology and Gender: What does it mean?

Gender is an important category within each group, culture, social class and period of time. For understanding and describing prehistoric cultures properly one needs to examine all possible gender roles within each group. However this is not done in traditional archaeology; some academics even deny the existence of gender roles or insist that there is no possibility of identifying them in the past. Moreover, the majority of scholars project, consciously or unconsciously, the gender roles and stereotypes from today onto the past. Women and women's topics are studied rarely or interpreted only in relation to a "male" backdrop. This is dramatically demonstrated in archaeological illustrations and exhibitions.

Feminist archaeology responds to these tendencies with the demand: to first become conscious of one's own role & gender biases, and then to avoid them as far as possible.

Feminist Archaeology means:

• To examine gender roles and open a new dimension of discussion in our field of archaeology and towards the public's perception of prehistoric culture.
• To portray women and men of past societies both as individuals and within their respective groups.
• To revaluate traditionally held methods and concepts within archeaology and related fields; with the aim to redefine modern scholarship.

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Publications of the Network

The members themselves design the Network's quarterly newsletter by means of submitting to the editors self-written articles and information about exhibitions, articles, book reviews, jokes, etc.

The following conference readers can be ordered by e-mail or at the network address:

Sibylle Kästner, Sigrun M. Karlisch (Hrsg): Reader zum Symposium Feminismus und Archäologie?! vom 05.-06.01.1991 in Tübingen. Tübingen, 1991, DM 15,00.
Helga Brandt, Julia K. Koch (Hrsg): Königin, Klosterfrau, Bäuerin. Frauen im Frühmittelalter. agenda Verlag Münster, 1996, DM 19,80.
Sigrun M. Karlisch, Sibylle Kästner, Eva-Maria Mertens (Hrsg): Vom Knochenmann zur Menschenfrau. Feministische Theorie und archäologische Praxis. agenda Verlag Münster, 1997, DM 24,80.
Julia K. Koch, Eva-Maria Mertens (Hrsg.): Eine Dame zwischen 500 Herren. Johanna Mestorf - Werk und Wirkung. [Internationales Symposium der Christian-Albrechts-Universität Kiel vom 15.-17. April 1999 in Bad Bramstedt]. Münster, 2002, Waxmann Verlag.
Sylvie Bergmann, Sibylle Kästner, Eva-Maria Mertens (Hrsg.): Göttinnen, Gräberinnen und Gelehrte Frauen. [Jubiläumstagung zum 10jährigen Bestehen des Netzwerks archäologisch arbeitender Frauen in Berlin 2001]. Münster, 2004, Waxmann Verlag. (14,90 €) Waxmann Verlag
Jana Esther Fries und Julia K. Koch (Hrsg.): Ausgegraben zwischen Materialclustern und Zeitscheiben. Perspektiven der archäologischen Geschlechterforschung. Frauen - Forschung - Archäologie 6. Münster, 2005, Waxmann Verlag. (14,90 €) Waxmann Verlag

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Membership and ordering Information

Women and women's organizations can become members of the Network of Women in Archaeology. To apply, just send an E-Mail or a short message to the address below and the yearly membership fee onto the below mentioned bank account. You can also order the newsletter without becoming a full member.

We appreciate all contributions to the newsletter such as articles (found or self-written), information about exhibitions or publications regarding Feminist Archaeology. We also welcome contributions on subjects outside of archaeology, but related to women's issues.

All help for the preparation for Conferences and organizational needs is very welcome.

Fees:

Yearly 20 Euro for women with lower incomes; 30 Euro for women with middle incomes; 40 Euro for women with good incomes; 50 Euro for organizations (not including postage). Donations of any amount are welcome and contribute greatly towards our work.

Bank account:
Netzwerk archäologisch arbeitender Frauen FemArc e.V., Sparkasse Hannover,
Konto 900 165 561, BLZ 250 501 80.

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