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Learning from Las Vegas: Archaeology in the Experience Economy

Holtorf, Cornelius LU (2007) In The SAA Archaeological Record 7(3). p.6-10
Abstract
Archaeology has become a potent element in themed environments that abound in contemporary popular culture. This short article reviews the archaeological motifs that can be found in environments such as Disneyland and on the Las Vegas Strip. They provide a set of imagery to which people can easily relate and that immerses them in a world different from the normal routines and restrictions of everyday life. Archaeology provides experiences that relate very closely to people’s fantasies, dreams, and desires. I argue that in the emerging “Experience Economy,” archaeologists need to ask what kind of experiences they can offer to society. My conclusion is that professional archaeologists have more to learn from Las Vegas than they have to fear... (More)
Archaeology has become a potent element in themed environments that abound in contemporary popular culture. This short article reviews the archaeological motifs that can be found in environments such as Disneyland and on the Las Vegas Strip. They provide a set of imagery to which people can easily relate and that immerses them in a world different from the normal routines and restrictions of everyday life. Archaeology provides experiences that relate very closely to people’s fantasies, dreams, and desires. I argue that in the emerging “Experience Economy,” archaeologists need to ask what kind of experiences they can offer to society. My conclusion is that professional archaeologists have more to learn from Las Vegas than they have to fear it. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
publishing date
type
Contribution to specialist publication or newspaper
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Disneyland, theming, Archaeology, Experience Economy, Las Vegas
categories
Popular Science
in
The SAA Archaeological Record
volume
7
issue
3
pages
6 - 10
publisher
Society for American Archaeology
ISSN
1532-7299
language
English
LU publication?
no
id
9c094dce-567d-4b67-b333-968a6412614b (old id 173901)
alternative location
http://www.saa.org/Publications/theSAAarchRec/may07.pdf
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 15:51:11
date last changed
2018-11-21 20:36:53
@misc{9c094dce-567d-4b67-b333-968a6412614b,
  abstract     = {{Archaeology has become a potent element in themed environments that abound in contemporary popular culture. This short article reviews the archaeological motifs that can be found in environments such as Disneyland and on the Las Vegas Strip. They provide a set of imagery to which people can easily relate and that immerses them in a world different from the normal routines and restrictions of everyday life. Archaeology provides experiences that relate very closely to people’s fantasies, dreams, and desires. I argue that in the emerging “Experience Economy,” archaeologists need to ask what kind of experiences they can offer to society. My conclusion is that professional archaeologists have more to learn from Las Vegas than they have to fear it.}},
  author       = {{Holtorf, Cornelius}},
  issn         = {{1532-7299}},
  keywords     = {{Disneyland; theming; Archaeology; Experience Economy; Las Vegas}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{3}},
  pages        = {{6--10}},
  publisher    = {{Society for American Archaeology}},
  series       = {{The SAA Archaeological Record}},
  title        = {{Learning from Las Vegas: Archaeology in the Experience Economy}},
  url          = {{http://www.saa.org/Publications/theSAAarchRec/may07.pdf}},
  volume       = {{7}},
  year         = {{2007}},
}