ABSTRACT
There is a fascination for me in the archaeology of the modern age (or the ‘supermodern’, Gonzalez-Ruibal 2008): a direct connection to my life and those of others I know; there is a strong sense of ownership and belonging and of the familiar. By denition the deeper past is a long way from such personal experiences and memory. It is still important that we understand this deeper past, how it shaped us as a society and as individuals within it, and how in the past we responded to challenges such as climate change and food shortages. But for me the modern age has greater interest and appeal. It is where I think the value of archaeology to society can be most keenly felt.
