ABSTRACT

As is important in syncretism, both sides are in the process of remythologizing, that is, making their belief systems seem as if they were not exactly what they earlier seemed to be. This is an important and positive process that is generally neither intentional, nor conspiratorial, nor planned. It is a necessary step toward reconciliation. Although some will see this paper as a criticism of archaeology, that is not my intent. Rather, my interest is in exploring how people process the past and trying to understand what seem to be ironical and sometimes paradoxical actions and statements of archaeologists.