Chthonic Media: Archaeology, Energy and Resource-Becoming in Arkadia

Abstract

The idea of the past gestures at an individual or collectives knowledge of events which occurred before the present. Given this spacious conceptual fitting, the past can appear to be a vaguely theorized knowledge space. But, what makes the past? Is it existent only to be manipulated by culture? Or is it a resource which can be located? This essay seeks to explore what the past is in a world rendered in a new materialist spirit. New materialisms challenge scholars to discard the divide between socially construction and materiality. Through the concept of “resource materialities,” a genealogy will be constructed which links Science Technology Studies, the subfield STS of the Underground, and media theory together. Based on experience participant observing an archeological dig in Arkadia, Greece, this essay will then proceed to take seriously that the past is not a limitless symbolic resource by investigating two underground resources from which the past can be derived: ancient ceramic fragments and lignite coal deposits. The resulting account of the making of ceramic fragments as a knowledge resource and lignite as an energy resource intends to provide a description of the choreography required to produce these resources. Ultimately, this account provides evidence in support of the concept of “resource materialities.” In the critical space following, this paper will discuss problems with the relationality of resources and recommend action. Lastly, this essay concludes by exploring the consequences of this conceptualization of past making.