Polish Archaeology in Retrospective

Abstract

The 1989/1990 systemic transition in Eastern Europe prompted my interest in the condition of the social sciences and especially archaeology under the communist rule and the newly emerging socioeconomic and political regimes. The goal of this study is to evaluate the status of archaeology in Poland, its theory, practice, and structure in the period from 1945 to 1990, marked by two milestone historical events: the end of WWII, which brought about a new social, economic, and political constellation, and the social revolution of 1989–1990, which complicated the region’s socioeconomics and politics even more. The larger problem examined is how archaeology relates to socioeconomic and political settings in general. I conclude that despite certain attempts, archaeological theory and methodology have not changed after 1990, while the practice and structure of archaeology include new elements.