The multiverse of fiction: exploring interpretation through community archaeology

Community archaeology often takes the form of outreach activities intended to communicate to the public the final results of archaeological research. Interaction between archaeologists and stakeholders, however, also offers opportunities for the creation and interpretation of archaeological knowledge. Analysis of two Italian case studies, Vignale and Pilastri, provides two examples of the intersection of public archaeology, archaeological interpretation and, specifically, fiction, in the form of a writing competition and a series of docudramas. In both cases, the interaction between archaeologists and stakeholders has produced fictional elements—stories, ideas and inspirations—that have served to reduce the distance between past and present, and to challenge established archaeological thinking. These emergent fictional narratives have proven to be a valuable resource for both projects. Here, the juncture of public archaeology, archaeological interpretation and fiction is framed and investigated within what we define as the ‘multiverse of fiction’.