Exploring Archaeological Disciplines

Exploring Archaeological Disciplines – A Comic-Style Illustration Series

This project is a comic art–style illustration series designed to explore the diversity of disciplines within archaeology, with the aim of breaking the stereotype that archaeology is solely a humanities or social studies field. Each illustration highlights a specific branch of archaeology, presenting it in a fun, accessible manner that appeals to a broad audience.

Objectives

The primary objective of this series is to inform and educate the public about the various specialised areas of archaeology, using a comic-style approach to simplify complex academic disciplines. The goal is to demonstrate that archaeology intersects with various fields such as science, technology, and interdisciplinary studies.

• Public Engagement: To reach a general audience unfamiliar with the broader aspects of archaeology.
• Education: To provide a visual tool that can be used in classrooms or educational environments, making complex subjects more approachable.
• Social Media Outreach: To share and grow awareness through platforms like Instagram, making archaeology more accessible through engaging visual content.

Challenges

This project faces the challenge of simplifying highly technical and academic topics without diluting the accuracy or importance of the disciplines:

• Balancing Simplicity and Accuracy: The illustrations must communicate key ideas without losing scientific integrity.
• Audience Reach: Ensuring the content is engaging enough to capture both academic and non-academic audiences, particularly through platforms like Instagram.
• Visual Consistency: Creating a consistent, recognisable style that can be easily associated with each archaeological discipline while maintaining clarity in the information being presented.

Target Group & Pain Points

This project is designed for a wide range of audiences:

• General Public: People interested in archaeology but often unaware of its interdisciplinary nature and the scientific methods used.
• Students: Those studying archaeology or history who benefit from visual aids to better understand specialised fields.
• Science Communicators: Looking for simplified ways to present technical topics to a broader audience.
• Illustrators: Artists seeking inspiration or interested in combining illustration with educational content, particularly in archaeology.

Comic-Style Illustrations

The illustrations in this series highlight different branches of archaeology:

1. Archaeobotany: The study of plant remains from archaeological sites. Archaeobotanists identify ancient crop varieties by examining pollen and seeds.
2. Forensic Archaeology: Applies archaeological methods to modern and historical crime scene investigations. Forensic archaeologists often collaborate with law enforcement to locate and excavate human remains.
3. Kurgan Archaeology: Focuses on burial mounds (kurgans) found across the Eurasian steppes, associated with early Indo-European cultures.
4. Jōmon Archaeology: Focuses on the Jōmon period in Japan, known for its distinctive pottery and early sedentary communities.