Editor's Corner
One of the most enjoyable aspects of editing SAA Bulletin has been the
development of new columns, and one of my favorites is Insights, which reports
on technological advances applied to archaeological problems. I recently had
the pleasure of hearing a paper at the Institute of Andean Studies meeting at
Berkeley by John Rick, who has contributed two columns to the series, one on
laser transits and the other on laser leveling and measuring devices. John's
theme at the meeting was the use of these technologies at the spectacular
Andean site of Chavín de Huantar to better understand how the site was
constructed and how it has been changed through time. While his graphics were
stunning, he reminded the audience that his goal was to be able to "bring
Chavín home" through the use of these technologies; he could literally
recreate the site in a number of highly innovative, and above all, useful
ways. That is, he has been able to create a research tool, not simply a
series of pretty pictures.
The Insights column in this issue by Dan Larson and Elizabeth Ambos is another
example of how technological tools have the potential to revolutionize
archaeological research. Their emphasis on the integration of theory, method,
and research expectations parallels John Rick's desire to create an integrated
research tool, and the outcome of the application of the methods are the same:
the creation of a body of useful empirical data that can be used to explore
questions of both culture history and theory in new and unexpected ways.
Technology all too often gets in the way of solving problems, but I think that
in both examples, these technologies point the way to exciting research futures
our discipline has only dimly begun to perceive. We hope to provide similar
examples in future Insights, and we welcome your opinions.