Reading the Anthropocene through Landscape Archeology: Historical and Contemporary Landscapes of Accumulation in the Netherlands and Lebanon

Undertaking a study and definition of the Anthropocene via landscape archeology is a potentially fruitful yet still-underdeveloped area of research. Identifying accumulation as a term that conveys both material and immaterial features of landscapes, and using test cases from historical Dutch and contemporary Lebanese landscapes, the authors argue that considering landscapes of accumulation forms one cross-cutting approach allowing archeologists to understand, define, and evaluate certain facets of the globalized Anthropocene. This approach is proposed as relevant to ongoing discussions across multiple disciplines regarding whether and how to employ the term “Anthropocene” at all, including in the context of the broader sustainability discourse.