Charles Orser – Encyclopedia of Historical Archaeology

Автор: Charles Orser
Название книги: Encyclopedia of Historical Archaeology
Формат: PDF
Жанр: Археология
Страницы: 697
Качество: Изначально компьютерное, E-book

The Encyclopedia of Historical Archaeology is a ground-breaking compendium of information about this ever-growing field. Concentrating on the post-1400 period as well as containing generic explanations of historical archaeology where needed, the encyclopedia is compiled by over 120 experts from around the world and contains more than 370 entries covering important concepts and sites.

The field of archaeology is eminently suited to presentation in an encyclopedic format. Archaeological data
is by nature detailed, amenable to cataloguing and vast. The information gathered by archaeologists is also
infinitely expandable. Archaeologists broaden our understanding of the past every time they turn a new
shovelful of earth or sift another bucket load of soil. The boundaries of archaeological knowledge are
constantly being pushed forward and something new is learned with every excavation. Historical
archaeology is one kind of archaeology that is doing much to increase our understanding of the past, and, at
the beginning of the twenty-first century, the field is adding fresh information to our storehouse of
knowledge at an unprecedented rate.
Historical archaeology is an inherently interesting field from a purely intellectual point of view because it
can be defined in two, somewhat distinct, ways. It can be defined as the archaeological investigation of any
past culture that has developed a literate tradition; or it can be viewed as the study of the ‘modern world’,
the historical and cultural conditions that have shaped our world since about AD 1500. These definitions of
historical archaeology coexist and are not mutually exclusive, and both are widely used by the
archaeologists of history.
Under the first definition, eighteenth-century France, nineteenth-century Australia, the fifteenth-century
Maya and the first-century BC Greeks would all fall within the purview of historical archaeology because
each culture had a tradition of writing. It does not matter methodologically whether the ‘text’ is a
handwritten letter, a typeset legal document or an inscription chiselled onto stone. The important thing is
that the ‘text’ has the ability to supplement and to complement archaeologically derived information.
Archaeologists who use this definition of historical archaeology tend to be interested both in the cultures
they study and in the wider questions of how archaeological (largely artefactual) data and written
information can be united in the meaningful study of the past. The combination of ‘historical’ and
‘archaeological’ information has been a constant topic within historical archaeology, and it is something
that historical archaeologists of many backgrounds continue to explore.
The second definition of historical archaeology tends to be used by archaeologists who live and work in
those parts of the world that were colonised by Europeans during their so-called Age of Exploration. These
archaeologists, who are also deeply interested in the union of excavated materials and written texts, tend to
focus on several broad themes that have been important during the past 500 years. These themes involve the
material aspects of colonialism, the creation of gender roles, the use of racial theories, the interaction of
indigenous peoples with foreign invaders, the rise and growth of capitalism and many other topics.
An important disciplinary difference has often distinguished ‘second-definition’ historical archaeologists
from those who tend to use the first definition. ‘Second-definition’ historical archaeologists are generally
trained in anthropology and see historical archaeology largely as an anthropological pursuit. Though this
distinction is a bit facile, many ‘first-definition’ historical archaeologists tend to view their field as
essentially historical in focus, and they are usually somewhat less interested in the topics that fascinate
anthropologists. However, we must be clear that historically minded and anthropologically minded historical
archaeologists have much to teach one another, and a great deal of cross-fertilisation of ideas occurs in the
discipline. It would be too simplistic to argue that these groups are well defined or entirely separate.
Historical archaeology, as a distinct kind of archaeology with that identifiable name, largely developed in
the USA during the late 1960s. The apparent distinction between historical archaeologists who see
themselves as historians and those who view themselves as primarily anthropologists served to confuse the
field during its earliest days of formulation. Part of the reason for the confusion developed because historical
archaeologists in Great Britain—who called themselves ‘post-medieval archaeologists’—generally
perceived their work as largely historical in orientation. They generally did not have the anthropological
background of historical archaeologists trained in the USA, and many of them saw little need for an
anthropological perspective in historical archaeology. Under a purely ‘historical’ definition of the field,
however, one can see the beginnings of historical archaeology much earlier in the work of classical and Near
Eastern archaeologists. These pioneering archaeologists used texts all the time, even though they seldom
considered themselves to be ‘historical’ archaeologists. Using this definition, the roots of historical
archaeology extend into the seventeenth century.
As historical archaeology enters the twenty-first century, its practitioners are no longer concerned with
making distinctions between themselves. Most historical archaeologists today can accept that they need both
anthropology and history (and many other disciplines, as well) to allow them to provide the most insightful
interpretations of the past. At the same time, they also realise that they share the same methodological
concerns as Mayanists, Egyptologists and classical archaeologists as they wrestle with the union of
‘archaeological’ and ‘historical’ information.
The differences of opinion about historical archaeology that have existed over the years mean that
historical archaeology is a diverse and broad field. Historical archaeologists can make detailed studies of
nineteenth-century glass buttons and then turn immediately to consider the theoretical nuances of cultural
evolution. They can investigate the construction methods of eighteenth-century forts in Canada, and then
consider the cultural impact of the Aztec conquest. Today’s historical archaeologists view their vast latitude
within the field as immensely positive. They correctly believe that their research is deeply important to the
understanding of both local and world history, and that they can make significant contributions on many
different geographical scales, extending from the household to the international level.
Historical archaeology has grown tremendously since the 1960s. Only fourteen individuals founded the
(largely North American) Society for Historical Archaeology in 1967. Today, the Society has well over 2,
000 members, as does its European counterpart, the (United Kingdom’s) Society for Post-Medieval
Archaeology. Societies dedicated to historical archaeology either now exist or are being created on all
continents and in most countries, and historical archaeologists are conducting exciting, new excavations in
every corner of the globe. The future of the discipline is exceptionally bright, indeed.
Given the breadth of historical archaeology and the rapid pace with which it is growing, readers of this
encyclopedia should think of this book as a guide or an introduction to the field rather than as a definitive
source or final word. Readers should use the entries in this book as a starting point to learn about various
aspects of historical archaeology, understanding that their own, further reading will provide even more
insights and greater information
As we compiled this encyclopedia, we tried to keep our readership firmly in mind. We knew that
archaeology students, both undergraduate and postgraduate, as well as our disciplinary colleagues would
have recourse to use its information. Its concise overviews are ideal for students seeking to learn the basics
of the many complex subjects investigated by historical archaeologists. We also felt confident that this work
would have great relevance to students and scholars outside archaeology, those studying and working in the
related fields of anthropology, history, geography, folklore, architecture and all the other disciplines that
historical archaeologists regularly consult. We also imagined that men, women and pre-university students,
having just discovered historical archaeology, could consult this book to learn more about it. Many of these
potential readers may have encountered the discipline at the growing number of outdoor museums and
historical parks that are being created with the assistance of historical archaeologists. They may have even
seen historical archaeologists at work and become intrigued by the field. In the end, we hope that the
material in this encyclopedia stimulates and informs all those who consult it.