Page "Post-processual archaeology" Paragraph 19

: During the early period of exploration and development of ideas, premature conference presentations and individual seminars were given by various members of the Cambridge group in other archaeological departments in England and abroad.

Individual scholars who were invited to talk to us in Cambridge in that period often felt, understandably, obliged to maintain a distinct opposition.

While it is certainly the case that these presentations had occurred before our views had even begun to settle down, and that they were excessively aggressive, they played an important role in the process of enquiry and reformulation.

In particular, the contrasts which were set up by us and by outside scholars allowed the views of the seminar group, and the differences of viewpoint within the group, to be clarified.

The opposition highlighted our own opinion but also threw the spotlight on the blind alleys down which there was a danger of straying.

Our aggression resulted from the conviction that we were doing something new.

This, too, was important.

In the initial period there was a clear idea of what was wrong with existing approaches and there was a faith that something else could be done.