Subjective geographical knowledge in prehistoric research

Abstract

As part of his concept of “Geosophy”, Wright called for more subjective descriptions and imaginative terms to be integrated into geographic reports. This claim is discussed in light of landscape aspects in prehistoric research. Starting from the premise that geographical knowledge is always linked to human perception, it is shown that, particularly through the unreflective inclusion of subjective experience in scientific reports, contemporary interpretations of historical sites are strongly influenced by the scientist’s own Western ontology. Using Gobekli Tepe as an example, the necessity of creating awareness for certain concepts within landscape archaeological research is demonstrated. Certain aspects of aestheticization, romanticizing and modern thinking, which formed particularly since the Renaissance, are reflected upon to avoid an application of contemporary ontologies to past societies.