Historical Archaeology

Abstract

Historical archaeology is a relatively new field, having been professionalized only since the 1960s. Some historical archaeology was practiced before this date but generally not by professionally trained scholars. Archaeologists use “historical archaeology” in two ways. They use the term in a general sense to refer to any archaeological research that employs both archaeological materials and historical (textual, oral, visual, architectural) sources of information. They also use the term in a more restricted way to refer to the archaeological and historical study of sites, properties, and issues related specifically to post-Columbian history (dating after approximately 1492). Both definitions are correct, but archaeologists generally mean the second definition when they use the term. This usage means that while classical archaeology is technically historical archaeology (because of its method), classical archaeologists usually do not think of themselves as historical archaeologists per se. The close association of historical archaeology with the discipline of history has meant that the profession has had some difficulty defining itself. Historical archaeology is today practiced throughout the globe, with historical archaeologists examining many kinds of sites (e.g., missions, indigenous villages, fortifications, abandoned towns, mining camps, and even still-occupied sites). The recent date of many sites means that historical archaeologists often interact with a site’s descendants or past actual residents.