Figurations of Digital Practice, Craft, and Agency in Two Mediterranean Fieldwork Projects

Abstract Archaeological practice is increasingly enacted within pervasive and invisible digital infrastructures, tools, services that affect how participants engage in learning fieldwork, evidence, knowledge, expertise are produced. This article discusses the collective imaginings regarding present future of archaeological held by researchers working two projects Eastern Mediterranean, who have normalized use tools adoption processes their studies. It a part E-CURATORS, research project investigating archaeologists multiple contexts settings incorporate technologies Based on an analysis qualitative interviews, we interpret arguments advanced study aspects work, learning, expertise. We find that, sayings, not only characterize workflows as having positive instrumental value, but also recognize they may severely constrain autonomy agency knowledge workers through hyper-granularization data, erosion expertise, mechanization work. Participants advance notion archaeology based do-it-yourself (DIY) craft to reclaim from algorithmic power technology establish fluid, positional distribution roles agency, mutual validation Operating discourses labour vs efficiency, technocracy elicited situated wild, become doings, echoing archaeology’s anxiety face technology.