Scandinavism and Nationalism in Norwegian and Danish archaeology – and lesson learned

Nationalism and Scandinavism contribute significantly to the backdrop for studies of the formation of Scandinavian archaeology and history in the 19th century, as I will demonstrate. I explore the political motivation for scholars like the Norwegian P.A. Munch and the Danish J.J.A. Worsaae, and their role in nation building. A study of the reception history of Munch’s works demonstrates how a single narrative may support different agendas. In the course of the discussion, I touch upon overarching questions such as what is the core of archaeology and how should archaeologists practice it? Further, I argue that the wider acceptance of post-processual theory in Norwegian versus Danish archaeology affects current practice as well as the understanding of grand narratives and Nationalism in the research history of archaeology. Finally, I suggest that we should look to the scholarly debate of the 19th century to learn how to engage with texts we dislike and authors we disagree with.