death colonisation misinterpretation archaeological research Rebecca Lucia Martínková application/pdf http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/ Text Masterarbeit Virgil Widrich This thesis critically examines the field of Archaeology, highlighting its problems and showcasing its shortcomings. By pointing to the flawed history, it prompts the reader to consider whether the same issues and mistakes can be repeated and what problems persist that have never truly been resolved. It delves into the legacy of colonialism and its direct correlation with early archaeological research and the “Golden Age of Archaeology”. With a foundation in case studies and personal experiences, this thesis criticises museums for their lack of action and exploitation of cultural property, as well as their morally questionable handling of human remains. These remains, in many cases, are disregarded only as artefacts for display and study, with no consideration for their past lives. Furthermore, the paper addresses the efforts of present-day archaeologists and researchers to address and deal with the problematics, including the repatriation of both artefacts and human remains and the ethical challenges bestowed upon institutions, to own up to and address and remedy the mistakes made during their colonial past, to ensure the cultural heritage is treated with dignity and care. The artistic component of this thesis involves creating a fictional narrative centred on the author’s death and the subsequent discovery and documentation of their grave by an archaeologist. This fictional burial site is recorded and analysed in the same manner as an actual grave to examine how much information can be derived from it and how accurate or plausible the resulting interpretations may be. The artwork itself comprises collections of X-ray images obtained through various techniques, each depicting different anatomical parts of the author. eng Text Master thesis Lost Humanity of the Dead : Influence of Modern Social Standard and Personal Biases on Archaeological Research Testo Tesi di master https://phaidra.bibliothek.uni-ak.ac.at/o:74319