Instagram as a tool for archaeological science communication

Abstract

With the accelerated growth the social media platform Instagram has seen over the course of the Covid-19 pandemic its potential as a tool for communicating archaeological science is becoming ever more apparent. The platforms' focus on images and video makes it specifically suited for visually rich fields like archaeology. Here we present the results of a three-year effort in archaeological science communication on the platform, analyzing audiences, impacts, and issues arising. The amount of archaeological content on the platform is growing rapidly, but reaching a broad audience effectively needs to be tied to well-defined communication strategies. We argue that Instagram can be turned into a powerful educational tool for public archaeology, including providing guidance for new students, mitigating pervasive conspiracy theories, elucidating the issues with collecting and trading artifacts, and adding nuance to the public image of archaeology.