Nostalgia in the prehistoric archaeological record

Evidence from the prehistoric archaeological record clearly shows that ancient societies had a sense of and engaged with their own histories, be it by reusing, re-appropriating or recreating past material culture. The affective qualities of materials, places and even human remains would have enabled people to remember and connect with aspects of their immediate and more distant pasts. In some cases, this may have elicited specific emotive responses, similar to how nostalgic triggers operate today. Nostalgia is not a word commonly used by archaeologists, but through exploring the materiality and sensory affect of objects and spaces in the past, we can consider that what we deal with archaeologically may have held nostalgic qualities. •Prehistoric societies across time and space were aware of, and engaged with, their own pasts.•The affective qualities of objects and places may have served as nostalgic triggers.•Scientific studies of human remains suggest people were connected through social and genetic kinships.•Meanings of materials, places and human remains changed over time with objects of nostalgia becoming part of myth and memory.