Archaeogaming is a fast developing sub-discipline of archaeology that has been growing in popularity, both within academia and well outside its traditional confines. As its name suggests, archaeogaming is the study of archaeology both in and of games whether those games be played on the table-top, on a console, in virtual reality, or even on a PC - here’s looking at you Henry Cavill.
With the first use of archaeogaming coming from a 2013 blog by Andrew Reinhard, a classical archaeologist, where they discussed the archaeological underpinnings of World of Warcraft, this archaeological framework has gone on to encompass the examination of games such as the Assassin’s Creed franchise, Minecraft, SIMS 4, Dungeons and Dragons, and of course Tomb Raider - just to name a few. Today, archaeogaming explores, but is not limited to, the use of archaeological methods and its theories within a game world, the creation of games with central archaeological themes, and the critical study of how games shape public perception of archaeology and how archaeology in turn can shape the development of games.
Therefore, archaeogaming is the “Armchair Archaeologist’s” dream (a researcher who develops archaeological theories without stepping foot in the field of excavation) because it facilitates archaeological research from the comfort of one’s home. The research that archaeogaming produces varies between a game’s platform, genre, and target audience and as such, contributes to the future of archaeology as a whole.
But what does archaeogaming look like in practice and how can it shape how archaeology is taught in the future?
The Future of a Discipline: Archaeogaming in Practice
The immaterial space which games create are bound by the limitations of the games’ formats, codes, and creators, who are inherently influenced by the material world around them. As such, archaeogamers suggest that all games - regardless if they reference archaeology directly or not - are a reflection of our modern material world and thus warrant equal standards of research in regards to the traditional collection and study of excavated data.
One franchise in particular that has blended traditional archaeological practices and theory seamlessly with the virtual world is none other than Assassin’s Creed, particularly the games released after 2017, with the first installment of Assassin’s Creed Origins. Though Assassin’s Creed has developed and released 9 games previous to Origins which have allowed for players to explore everything from The Crusades to Piracy, it was with this origin story that the developers of Assassin’s Creed introduced Discovery Tour, a mode which saw a cross-disciplinary approach between developers and researchers which allows users to explore the virtually rendered historic open world while on a guided tour being introduced to the real-life objects, people, and places that inspired the game’s creation and design. By incorporating museum catalog images for excavated objects and discussing why certain creative liberties were taken during the design process (i.e. why a fort that dates to a different time period may have been used in a game that dates to another time entirely), Assassin’s Creed indirectly became a virtual museum allowing for people to access archaeological and historical information on a wider scale like never before.
With inclusivity and accessibility such as this at the forefront of archaeology as a discipline, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic when in-person education was moved online, Zoom classrooms and hands-on historical gaming experiences have been paramount in the discussion of what the discipline will look like moving forward in a virtual space.
An unlikely source to this has been Minecraft, a sandbox video game which has now found its way into classrooms as a tool to help educators teach about archaeological practices and theory.
By incorporating museum catalog images for excavated objects and discussing why certain creative liberties were taken during the design process (i.e. why a fort that dates to a different time period may have been used in a game that dates to another time entirely), Assassin’s Creed indirectly became a virtual museum allowing for people to access archaeological and historical information on a wider scale like never before.
With inclusivity and accessibility such as this at the forefront of archaeology as a discipline, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic when in-person education was moved online, Zoom classrooms and hands-on historical gaming experiences have been paramount in the discussion of what the discipline will look like moving forward in a virtual space. An unlikely source to this has been Minecraft, a sandbox video game which has now found its way into classrooms as a tool to help educators teach about archaeological practices and theory.
With the introduction of Minecraft’s Education Edition, educators can now introduce their students to recreated historical places such as Anatolia, ancient Egypt, and even an Arctic shipwreck where they can then simulate excavations and teach theoretical approaches, stratigraphic analysis, and even cataloging through the organization of one’s own inventory space.
Though we may not be completely trading in our trowels and shovels for controllers and mouse clicks any time soon, much can be gained through the use of games. It is clear that due to the nature and variety of games, archaeogaming is becoming an ever increasing method of interdisciplinary, accessible, and inclusive research in the field of archaeology. Whether those games are played on the table-top, on a console, in virtual reality, or on a PC, archaeogaming is the modernist’s solution to the increasing need for archaeology and other historically minded research to adapt and grow with the ever-changing world they continue to study, while ensuring that research can always continue regardless if we are able to excavate in the field or not.
Text: Megan Kumorek. MENAM Archaeology. Copyright 2022.
Images:
1. Henry Cavill and PC: Henry Cavill, sourced from https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/watch-henry-cavill-build-a-pc-very-seductively/ 2. Assassin’s Creed Discovery Tour: Ubisoft ©
Further Reading:
Edwards, B., et al. 2021, ‘The Bryn Celli Ddu Minecraft Experience’. Journal on Computing and Cultural Heritage, vol. 14, no. 2, pp. 1–16, https://doi.org/10.1145/3427913.
Reinhard, A. 2018. Archaeogaming': An Introduction to Archaeology in and of Video Games. Berghahn Books, Oxford.
https://archaeogaming.com/2013/06/09/what-is-archaeogaming/
Important Education Links:
Assassins Creed Discovery Tour: https://www.ubisoft.com/en-gb/game/assassins-creed/discovery-tour
Minecraft Education Edition: https://education.minecraft.net/en-us/homepage
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