From Transient Traces to Material Witnesses: an Archaeological Investigation of Contemporary Border Crossings in the Eastern Mediterranean

Abstract Contemporary migration from the Global South to the Global North is marked by vulnerability, violence, and injustice. These processes give rise to distinct materialities in border regions and transit countries. Although inherently mute, such traces can act as “material witnesses,” testifying to the inequities encountered along these journeys. Contemporary archaeology can apply its research methods to document and analyze these material remains, revealing past instances of injustice and violence. Drawing on fieldwork conducted in Turkey and Greece, this paper conceptualizes specific material traces of ongoing migration movements to Europe as material witnesses, shedding light on overlooked stages of migration pathways.