With humanity’s dramatic footprint on Earth’s ecosystems seen through climate change, loss of biodiversity, and the transformation of landscapes, the concept of the Anthropocene is increasingly becoming the focus of contemporary scientific and social debates. As a discipline focused on long-term processes, archaeology is uniquely positioned to shed light on this topic by analyzing the long-term relationships between humans and their environment, while also re-examining deeply rooted ideas of human exceptionalism and dominance over the rest of the living world.
In addition to exploring past experiences and examples of Anthropocene relationships, Dr. Ivana Živaljević’s lecture will introduce the concept of the Symbiocene, which emphasizes the interdependence of living beings and the need to establish balance within ecosystems.
Can archaeological records from long-gone eras help us become wiser and more ecologically conscious, allowing us to view ecological relationships not as mechanical interactions of objects, but as encounters between different, intertwined worlds? The goal of this lecture is not to reintroduce the myth of the “noble savage” living in harmony with nature into scientific discourse, but rather to encourage reflection on alternative ways of understanding the world. By shifting the focus away from human-centrism toward relationships built on interdependence, we may find the key to the survival of life on Earth.