 |
archaeology
is a source of information about the past; our own past, “the here and then” so to say. Who do we want to have been? And how do we “know” that? Archaeology provides us with information about |
| the daily life of the past, of ordinary people, but as well about the very high and very low class people. It is a kind of “monkey watching” and as well: “how did people live back then without electricity, without all the comforts we now have? Were they smarter because they were more inventive with the simple means they had? Or were people back then more backward because they hadn’t invented yet all those things we now ...?” |
| “Who do we want to have been” also counts for the public. We can understand each other better if we know our own backgrounds, also those of our parents and ancestors. Of course we live in the present and not in the past. We can’t relive the past at all, but we can learn from it. Often this is even fun, both for the young and old. The public is very often quite interested, because the past is something personal, something very near. And a presentation with a low threshold is in that case an excellent means to bring the past closer by. |
|
|
The association EXARC counts almost 100 members who are either involved in archaeological open air museums or in experimental archaeology. Ropeland Paardekooper was one of the co-founders of this network in 2001 and has been active as coordinator of it ever since.
The association publishes an English language journal, the EXARC Journal Paardekooper is its briefing editor, responsible for scouting new articles and advertisements; exactly these activities require an extensive network of contacts. |
| In the years 2006-2009, the EU project liveARCH was running, written by Archeo Interface, Geir Sør-Reime (the EXARC advisor for EU projects) and the Historisch OpenluchtMuseum Eindhoven. It was a chance for eight archaeological open air museums, by cooperating intensively, to exchange experience and become more professional. LiveARCH was responsible for the EXARC minimum definition of what an archaeological open air museum is. Partly thanks to liveARCH, EXARC gained the status of ICOM Affiliated Organisation in 2009. Ever since, EXARC is doing its best to be more active outside Europe. |
| In 2011, the next EU project started, written by Archeo Interface in cooperation with Geir Sør-Reime and Clara Masriera. Paardekooper is operational manager of OpenArch which is under leadership of the Ciutadella Iberica in Calafell from Catalonia. EXARC is one of the 11 partners, the other 10 are member of EXARC. |
|
|
