Exhibition Archaeo‑Sexism on display throughout March in Van Steenis
On Monday 2 March at 16:00, the Faculty of Archaeology opened the travelling exhibition Archaeo‑Sexism. The exhibition will be on display throughout the month in the F0 corridor of the Van Steenis Building, as part of Women’s History Month and International Women’s Day on 8 March.
Testimonies
The exhibition invites visitors to reflect on gender inequality and social safety within archaeology and the wider academic community. The panels present anonymous but true accounts of sexism, intimidation, and abuse of power in teaching, fieldwork, and research. The Dutch edition has been supplemented with national statistics and legal frameworks.
No pity, but courage
During the opening, PhD candidate and D&I committee member Miyuki Kerkhof spoke about the urgency of making visible experiences that have been ignored for far too long. 'These testimonies are not intended to shock, but to acknowledge experiences that have too often been minimised or dismissed. The exhibition does not ask for our pity. It asks for our attention, our solidarity, our courage, and our willingness to change.'
Kerkhof emphasised that sexism in archaeology is not a collection of isolated incidents, but a structural problem deeply intertwined with power relations in the field and in academia. She noted that victims often do not primarily seek a legal outcome, but recognition. 'What victims want most is to be believed, to be acknowledged, and to have the assurance that it will not happen again.'
Archaeology as a garden
A central part of Kerkhof’s speech was the metaphor of archaeology as a garden: an alternative to the traditional image of the “leaky pipeline”. 'In a garden, plants do not leak away; they wither if they are not cared for. They die if the soil is toxic. This metaphor shifts responsibility from the individual to the institution. It is not that women ‘choose’ to leave; it is that the garden does not provide the right nutrients for them to grow.'
According to Kerkhof, good “gardening” requires structural and everyday care: fair distribution of work and recognition, clear expectations, consistent handling of inappropriate behaviour, and the active creation of a diverse and safe environment. 'We must name harmful behaviours such as sexism, misogyny, heterosexism, and ableism, and make this Faculty a brave space.'
Invitation to the community
The D&I committee invites students and staff to share stories that may contribute to expanding the exhibition for the 2027 EAA Annual Meeting in Leiden. Artists within the community are also invited to contribute.
Kerkhof concluded with a call for care and attention for one another: 'Archaeology already knows how to care: for the past, for materials, for stories that would otherwise be lost. Let us apply that same care to the people of the present.'
More activities
Alongside the exhibition, several activities on gender equality and social safety will take place this month: