ABSTRACT
It is only fitting that I dedicate this chapter to Peter Ucko, with whom I discussed the content when I was offered a position at the Institute of Archaeology at University College London (UCL). At that time, Peter was a dean at Southampton. Since then I have had many occasions to share my ideas with him whenever his overtaxing schedule allowed. The gist of this chapter is I hope in the spirit of Peter’s quest in archaeology – to place archaeology well within the domain of contemporary society. His commitment to a comparative approach, to an inclusive world archaeology and to the political and social issues of managing archaeological heritage are worthwhile goals in a world upset by divisive national and sectarian pursuits, dehumanising inequities and the plunder and misuse of the archaeological past.
