Historical archaeology : why the past matters

Summary: What is historical archaeology and why is it important? Barbara Little addresses these key questions for introductory students, covering the goals of historical archaeological work.

Record details

ISBN: 1598740229
ISBN: 9781598740226
ISBN: 1598740237
ISBN: 9781598740233
Physical Description: print
207 pages : illustrations ; 23 cm
Publisher: Walnut Creek, Calif. : Left Coast Press, ©2007.

Content descriptions

Bibliography, etc. Note:

Includes bibliographical references (pages 193-198) and index.

Formatted Contents Note:

Do history and historical archaeology matter? -- Section 1: What are our ambitions? The goals of historical archaeology ; Preserving and interpreting sites ; Rewriting documentary history ; Reconstructing ways of life ; Improving archaeological methods ; Understanding modernization and globalization -- Section 2: What do we care about? A questioning attitude ; Defining our topics ; Colonialism, capitalism, and slavery ; What is our evidence? ; Ideology, ambiguity, and muted groups ; Ethical considerations -- Section 3: 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 -- Section 4: Historical archaeology as public scholarship. Introduction 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.