Paper short abstract:

Traditionally, it has been held that archaeology studies the past through the medium of material things, while anthropology studies social relations through testimony and observation. In this contribution, I suggest that both of these views need to be reassessed.

Paper long abstract:

Traditionally, it has been held that archaeology studies the past through the medium of material things, while anthropology studies social relations through testimony and observation. But in recent years the development of material culture studies in anthropology and a social archaeology have compromised this distinction. In this contribution I will question aspects of the characterisation of ‘material culture’, while emphasising the point that archaeologists actually address absent presences whose existence is implied by the configuration of the tangible world. On this basis I will make some suggestions concerning the future relationship between archaeology and anthropology.