Abstract

As truly global communities of indigenous peoples, archaeologists, heritage professionals, and legislators emerge, conversations about archaeological heritage and what to do with it are becoming considerably more complex. Some things haven't changed in principle: for example, the accomodation of multiple voices about the past is still challenging, and uses of the archaeological record are frequently contestable. But there are new developments worthy of note, and of vigilance, because they amplify the challenges to multivocality and fairness in heritage matters. Two angles will be discussed. First: generally speaking, heritage management and archaeological practice are increasingly affected by economic and political processes of globalization. Second, and more specifically: as the concept of the "common heritage of humankind" gains greater influence, its uses in practice and in argument are diversifying. In both cases, even when intentions are benevolent, results may not be positive for everyone. Care is required to ensure that global ideologies do not take precedence over local needs.