Eric Larsen

Background

About Eric Larsen

Over the last 30+ years, I have worked for various governmental agencies – at the federal, state, and local levels – identifying and protecting cultural resources. I have experience and familiarity with the field work, lab work, analyses, and report writing that are part of archaeological experiences with cultural resource management. I have designed and taught archaeological field schools for SUNY, Brockport and the University of Maryland, College Park, developed and taught "Introduction to Archaeology" courses at the Univ. of MD, College Park, and directed several archaeological projects in urban environments. Throughout my career, I have found great satisfaction in sharing the process with interested stake holders, students, and visitors to sites. I’ve found that activity at an archaeological site creates an event – a spectacle that stirs people to visit and ask questions. This “attraction” is a remarkable tool that can be a catalyst for public discussion of the past and its importance to us today. In this way archaeology has the potential to help people to “care” more about the cultural resources around them. I have also noticed that when excavations come to an end, the excitement fades. In recent years I find myself wanting to explore the possibility of sustaining the “event” beyond the fieldwork. Another way of thinking of this is moving archaeology beyond the finding, describing, and defining of sites to adding our voice in the continuing discussions of the "meanings" of sites. To this end, I find myself exploring different possibilities and venues. I look to the display of archaeology in museums and traveling exhibits (museum studies). I explore Interpretation and what practitioners of that profession have to offer (finding efforts toward “civic engagement” to be promising). I am also interested in the potential of various online resources (social networking, blogs, podcasts, etc.).