The <i>Maison du Mage</i> Project: What Remains for Archaeology?

Abstract

This article presents our encounter with the Maison du Mage, an abandoned house in the village of Marsal (Lorraine, France). While highlighting the particular history of the building and the constitution of its complex assemblages, the paper first and foremost aims to address the methodological challenges raised by the shifting nature of this contemporary ruin. It presents the results of our preliminary forays within the house and discusses the difficulty of untangling the material and temporal imbroglio characterizing it. On this basis, the article also provides a general research template which may be of use beyond our particular case study, and may help to stimulate debates on archaeological praxis and encourage a more transparent and systematic appraisal of the practical confrontation with contemporary assemblages.