Enciclopedia mínima de Arqueología General y de Venezuela

Abstract

In this essay I present some brief reflections on a series of basic concepts related to theory, methods, science, humanities, and philosophy in archaeology. These considerations are personal, and only pretend to show my own points of view in relation to some contemporary problems in the professional practice of archaeology in Venezuela. In general, I observe a growing diversification of the discipline that, although useful to increase the interests and perspectives in both theory and practice, it has contributed also to the growing isolation and division among the Venezuelan professional archaeologists. In my opinion this is a limitation to the advance of archaeology in our country. A more comparative and critic vision of the teaching of archaeology may produce in the future colleagues with a more open and critic position towards other theoretical perspectives.