Archaeology at Home - Notes on Things, Life and Time - Hein B. Bjerck
Scorched Memories from My Uncle’s Burnt Home
Archaeology at Home - Notes on Things, Life and Time - Hein B. Bjerck
Hein B. Bjerck [+]
Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU)
Hein B. Bjerck is professor in archaeology (research and teaching) at the NTNU University Museum in Trondheim. His research is focussed on early marine foraging (Marine Ventures project), and large scale excavation projects (Ormen Lange project). Bjerck is also involved in research on the recent past, and project member in Ruin Memories, After Discourse and Objects Matter.
Description
In 2013, the next house to my father’s home was severely damaged by fire. It was the home of my uncle, he was living in what previously was my grandmother’s home – also a home I have wandered in and out of in my lifetime. The situation was the exact opposite from the home of my father. He left his things exactly as they were – as they were in a ‘live’ home. My uncle survived (barely), but lost his realm of things. His things were still recognizable, but useless … half-burned, stinking and damp. As a consequence, the telling from my uncle’s home are quite different.