Who does PfA represent?

There is a spectrum of views about archaeology and human remains among Pagans. Paganisms are not dogmatic, so individual Pagans are free to make up their own minds about issues. It is possible to generalise about some Pagan beliefs, but even then one can only safely say, "Most Pagans believe..." (and Pagans are uncomfortable with the word "belief" as it implies dogmatism and an unwillingness to change one's mind in the face of new evidence).

Pagans for Archaeology is a group of people who have signed up to this statement. Whatever I write that is additional to that statement can only be taken as my personal view; it does not represent the views of all members, and certainly not all Pagans. In practice, I find that most members of PfA, and many other Pagans, do agree with the stuff I write; but that cannot be taken for granted unless they have explicitly assented to it.

That is why, when I am asked for the views of Pagans for Archaeology on a particular topic, I write to the members to ask them for their views on it; and when there is a consultation on an archaeological matter, I inform members so that they can respond to it personally.

The other parts of the spectrum are represented by HAD and CoBDO.

CoBDO want all remains reburied after they have been studied.

HAD is an attempt to build a consensus around the issue of human remains. Many of its members want reburial, but they are about compromise and negotiation, and want to be able to perform ritual around the disinterment and re-interment of remains, and to be consulted about museum displays of remains.

Pagans for Archaeology is opposed to reburial (this opposition was part of the statement signed up to by members) but many of its members want to see better displays in museums.

The other aim in setting up PfA was to make links with archaeologists and heritage and help them understand that not all Pagans want reburial and there is a spectrum of opinion, of which CoBDO is definitely not representative.

new logo

I have designed a logo for Pagans for Archaeology.

An underworld goddess seemed appropriate, but the pomegranate, attribute of Persephone, was already taken. So then I thought of Vanth, Etruscan underworld goddess, and looked her up. Apparently she had eyes on her wings, which reminded me of the owl butterfly. So I chose the eye in the wing of an owl butterfly as the logo, to represent Vanth.

I haven't been HAD

I am not a member of HAD, I never have been a member of HAD, and I never will be a member of HAD (Honouring the Ancient Dead).

I applaud their moderate stance on the issue of reburial, their attempts to reach a consensus, and their efforts to get Pagan ritual recognised as a valid way of interacting with the landscape.

But HAD (or at least some of them) would like reburial for most ancient dead in principle, though they know this isn't practically possible. They are not for automatic blanket reburial in all cases, but they are broadly in favour of reburial. Therefore I do not feel represented by HAD (although they were kind enough to host my article about compromise on their website).

I'm not having a go at HAD, they just do not represent my position, and I want to show that there are a large number of Pagans who feel the same way about this as I do.

I attended the Respect conference at Manchester Museum in Nov 2006, heard Emma setting out her views in detail, and I do not feel in any way represented by her views. Nor do I see how an organisation with the aims of HAD can ever represent Pagans who feel that respect for the ancient dead is better served by memory and archaeology.

You can hear my views on reburial in a podcast about the issue of human remains via the History News Network blog, in which I rant extensively about compromise and why it's such a good idea.

Why we love archaeology

Archaeology matters to us because:

Archaeology means the difference between fantasy ideas and facts to me, okay they don't always get it right, but they do try.
History is something we need to learn things from, in my opinion, not because I have this vision of some sort of golden age of yore, but that there are skills and mistakes that we need to learn from.
Many of the basic skills we all once would have had are gone and are now only known to a few, fire-making for one instance. Society might not require those skills right now, not with all the technology we have, but that does not mean they should be lost totally and that's what archaeology means to me, the saving and keeping of our past, because one day we may need that knowledge again.
~ Blu, PFA member

I find archaeology fascinating, like a little kid in a candy shop discovering new and exciting pieces of our evolution and our history.

Whilst I haven't formally studied archaeology at university, I have always found it interesting and particularly in high school studying art my interest was piqued by Ancient Egyptian and Roman crafts and ideals, and now especially as a Witch and a Pagan the Gods and Goddesses and the beliefs of the Ancient Egyptians.

It is amazing to see how we have developed from those times in each little piece we discover. I am in awe of prehistoric times and little pieces of skeletons of dinosaurs that form the now extinct creatures.
The evolution and growth of plant life and animals, and of humans...

I love hearing about medieval times and the discovery of beautiful pieces of silverware, pottery and jewellery which ties into the history of the Celts and Avalonian times, a magical period that really resonates with me.

History is an important part of our development, our past, our present and the future in both advancing technology and in terms of our spiritual development as we can call on our history, our Gods and Goddesses to help with our present and our future...
~ Kali Cox, PFA member

Part of my Pagan outlook is a respect for the wisdom of the past, and the people of the past, so I think we need to know the real stories of past people. Not the history that was written by the winners. The only way we can do that is through archaeology, because ordinary people did not often leave written records (the exciting exceptions being the Paston letters, the Vindolanda Letters, the Book of Margery Kempe, and not much else that I can think of).

I also think that as Pagans we draw on the cultures of the past, and archaeology can really help us make sense of those cultures.
~ Yvonne, PFA member

For me, it adds to my understanding of the present. By studying the past I get a better sense of why and how we came to be as we are now.
~ Kim Hunter, PFA member

What do we mean, "for" archaeology?

I mean we are in favour of the activity of archaeology, as in discovery of the past by looking at material culture; it doesn't necessarily mean we agree with everything archaeologists do all the time. They don't always agree with each other, so we'd have to be schizoid to agree with all of them all the time.

But it is worthwhile and meaningful to try to understand past cultures; it gives us a sense of where we come from, where we have been, and perhaps even where we are going.

Our days are ended. Think, then, of us.
Do not erase us from your memory, nor forget us.

Popol Vuh, sacred book of the Quiché Maya

What we stand for

We're Pagans who love archaeology and believe that it has contributed hugely to our knowledge of our ancestors and the religions of the past.

Without archaeology, people would still think ancient peoples were fur-clad smelly cannibals and that ancient paganism involved frequent human sacrifice.

In addition, we are opposed to the reburial of ancient human remains, and want them to be preserved so that the memory of the ancestors can be perpetuated and rescued from oblivion, and the remains can be studied scientifically for the benefit of everyone.

Of course we want human remains to be treated with respect, but respect does not automatically mean reburial. Respect should mean memory, which involves recovering the stories of past people.

We also believe that the excavation of Seahenge was a good thing, contributing hugely to our knowledge of Bronze Age religious practices.

We are also vehemently opposed to people leaving tealights, candles, crystals and other non-biodegradable "offerings" at sacred sites. Take only photographs, leave only footprints. Follow the Country Code.

We have a Facebook group and a Yahoo group - please join these to show your support.