Welcome to my Homepage for Archaeology, Primitive Skills and all the other beautiful things in life.First of all the official aspects:
My name is Thomas Ruthardt and my profession is Archeologist. Some years ago, I finished against all odds sucessfully my studies, and since that point of time I may add the short M.A. to my name. This is the official certification, affirming that I know what I'm talking about, at least, if it's got something to do with Archaeology ;-)
I begann to study in 1989 at the Erlangen University and took courses in pre- and protohistory, greek and roman Archeology and ancient history. My main interests were the older stoneage periods. Unfortunately the other courses were rather boring (countin' curls on roman emperors heads, Great Britains fleet during the ages of imperialism, blablabla....) :-) and so I decided to migrate to the tiny medieval pietcong city Tübingen. There the world was still in balance and the courses seemed excitingly different. A deliberate choice of courses in Prehistory (Tübinger emphasis was southwestern germany during Bronce- and Ironages at that point of time), Paleohistory (Archeology of stoneage hunters/gatherers and Quarternary Ecology) in combination with Paleoanthropology (Physical Anthropology, Fossile History of men, Osteology and Paleogenetics) made me fit for the things to come. Pure Archeology in the sense of Rudolf Virchow without having to mess around with things that seem to be of no interest for me. In 1995 I won the battle of examina and since that point of time I have been working on the practical side of archaeology.
I demonstrate archeology, archeology thet can be touched. In modern use of language this is called "experimental archeology", a term I do not like very much, because most of the time I know what I do, and I don't have to experiment. Besides from this did my parents know quite well, what they wanted, they didn't need to produce an experimental archeologist as a prototype for a "real archeologist" .....:-)
Apart from these minor differenciations I put strong emphasis on the little difference between the job of an studied archeologist and the "experimental archeologist". The later title seems to be used by almost anyone, who ever scratched with a stone on a piece of wood or wore a fur on a colder day. My demonstrations are intended to arise interest and understanding for technology, environment and time. Stoneage to touch, to live with and to learn by.
I work as free archeologist for several museums, do demonstrations and actions in addition to school projects and offer several courses in so-called "Primitive Skills". I make fire with a drill or pyrite and tinder, make bows, tanning, flintknapping, throwing spears with the propulsor (= Atlatl), cordage, pottery and many more.
All techniques were in used in specific prehistoric cultures, they are NOT MODERN TRICKS. That's were another difference between the archeologist and the "experimental wannabe-archeologist" lies. Main institution to work with today is the museum. Most often the goal is to demonstrate ancient handcraft, but every now and then there is a scientific aim behind the smoke as well. Due to the sometimes very publicity-attracting demonstrations, but as well due to some dubious "experiments", this part of science is sometimes called MickeyMouse- or Entertainmentarcheology. Nevertheless there are some great brains, who haven prooven the scientific value of experimenting and playing in archaeology :-)
