International Cooperative Research: An Introduction

Abstract

Archaeology has been transformed in recent decades. One change is the increasing international collaboration between professionals from different institutions and countries that share archaeological interests. However, the nature of collaborations has changed dramatically—and for the better—from the types of relationships between researchers, institutions, and fieldwork relationships with many non- Western countries as conducted in the first half of the twentieth century. First, the regulations and laws related to the protection of archaeological heritage in many countries have changed drastically in the last few decades. New regulations frequently prohibit the export of artifacts and other materials, as home countries exert greater control over all aspects of cultural patrimony. More importantly, they often stipulate that foreign researchers have local or governmental archaeologists as codirectors, defining a new era in collaborative research. The nature of these mandated relationships, of course, varies with the individuals involved, but these are increasingly truly cooperative.