Historical Archaeology: Why the Past Matters

by Little,Barbara J

• ISBN13: 9781598740233
• ISBN10: 1598740237
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2007-01-31
• Publisher: TAYLOR

Summary

What is historical archaeology and why is it important? Barbara Little, long-time archaeologist with the National Park Service, addresses these key questions for introductory students in this concise, inexpensive, and well-written text. Little covers the goals of historical archaeological work, the kinds of questions asked, and the ethical and political concerns addressed. She shows what historical archaeology can provide that neither of its parent disciplines can offer alone. She offers brief snapshots of key American sites: Jamestown, St. Augustine, West Oakland, the African American Burial Ground, the Garbage Project, among others. And she shows how historical archaeology is inextricably linked to public education, justice issues, and our collective understanding of the past. As an introductory guide for historical archaeology courses, or as a supplement for other undergraduate classes, this volume is unmatched in quality and scope.

Table of Contents

Do History and Historical Archaeology Matter?

What are Our Ambitions?

The Goals of Historical Archaeology

Preserving and Interpreting Sites

Rewriting Documentary History

Reconstructing People's Ways of Life

Improving Archaeological Methods

Understanding Modernization and Globalization

What Do We Care About?

A Questioning Attitute

Defining Our Topics

Colonialism, Capitalism, and Slavery

What is our Evidence?

Ideology, Ambiguity and Muted Groups

Ethical Considerations

A Windshield Survey of Historical Archaeology

Introduction to a Windshield Survey of Historical Archaeology

The Survival of the English Colony at Jamestown

Mission San Luis de Talimali

Enclosure of the English Countryside

Capitalism, the Georgian Order, and a Woman

Australia's Convict Past

African American Life

The Machine in the Garden

The Inner-City working class

Garbage and Garbage-in-Waiting

Historical Archaeology as Public Scholarship

Introcustion to Public Archaeology

Public Memory and Public Places

Education and Outreach

What about the Painful Past?

History and the Culture Wars

Civic Renewal and Restorative Justice

Transformative Learning

Some Closing Thoughts

Further Readings

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