Words that Archaeologists Choose

Writing is the means by which archaeological knowledge produced, shared and negotiated, why, as part of a wider reflexive archaeology, writing within discipline has come under scrutiny. When writing, archaeologists make choices about what words to use express their ideas past (even if these are sometimes subconscious). This study examines such via application methods from two linguistic subdisciplines, corpus linguistics discourse analysis, case Maltese texts terms for specific yet problematic type artifact (axe-amulets/pendants). Using methods, we connect political theoretical shifts changes in English-language terminology across three periods history, demonstrating how authors choose that reflect broader assumptions understandings inform work. In sum, this paper contributes an increasingly critically aware understanding history colonial postcolonial archaeology Malta other Mediterranean islands encourages writers have heightened awareness taken-for-granted but fundamental language plays poetics politics.