arthistoricum.net

Patriotic Edification, Recreational Pleasure, and Scientific Interest as Motives for Archaeological Trips in the Homeland

The article approaches the theme of ‘archaeological travel’ in several stages. Firstly and very generally, what did ‘travel’ actually mean in the 18th and 19th centuries? Who travelled and why? What changes and innovations arose over this period? The article shows how antiquarian travel emerged as a specialist version of the ‘grand tour’. Initially the antiquities of the Mediterranean world were the prime destinations, but later interest grew in prehistoric monuments in the local environment. The article next shows how the national fervour of the late 18th and early 19th centuries provided a major impetus for the practical documentation of prehistoric remains. The surveying expeditions undertaken are described in detail, with numerous examples. In conclusion, the author turns his attention to the commercial tourism which was sparked by the success of antiquarian expeditions and excavations, making archaeological destinations accessible to all.