Archaeological discourse frequently falls victim to "narrative inertia," where
sensationalist, androcentric models of the past are reproduced despite conflicting empirical evidence. By prioritizing dramatic tropes—such as systemic violence or biological determinism—over nuanced data, the discipline risks functioning as a mirror for contemporary biases rather than a window into historical reality.

This paper argues for the urgent integration of feminist critique, not as a supplementary "perspective," but as a fundamental methodological rigor. A feminist analytical framework exposes the "false consensus" that allows logically incompatible theories to coexist, often marginalizing evidence of historical female agency in favour of familiar victimhood narratives. By critically deconstructing pre-determined categories and subjecting all actors to symmetrical scrutiny, we can dismantle the gendered "blind spots" embedded in high-profile syntheses. Ultimately, a feminist-informed methodology is both a scientific and ethical necessity, ensuring that archaeology reconstructs the past's complexity rather than merely legitimizing the power structures of the present.

First Author: Anna Eklund

Co-Authors: Cecilia Holmberg

Keywords:
Feminist critique and methodology
Narrative inertia
Discursive change