ABSTRACT
One often hears archaeology described as being primarily concerned with a study of the unknown, of what has been lost or buried (e.g., Bourbon 2000; O'Connor 1995). The "lost" pasts that archaeologists seek to uncover are often distanced from them by time, culture, or both. In studying the past, archaeologists utilize the contemporary lens of their time to study "others." Thus, from its earliest beginnings, there has been a sense of "othering" involved in archaeological research that is based upon a quest for knowledge and understanding about those distanced from the present day by time (e.g., studying people and cultures from prehistoric times, who are worthy of study because their lifeways are different and unknown).
