Abstract
When reconstructing regional histories within American archaeology, understanding the complexities of professional and avocational social circles is a critical and necessary undertaking. As a case study, I introduce several social circles that impacted shell midden archaeology in Massachusetts during the 19 th and 20 th centuries. Here I consider how principles from Social Network Analysis (SNA) and Ingold's concepts of meshworks and wayfaring shed light on, and are even complicated by, these historical examples.
Highlights
My dissertation focused on the history of shell midden archaeology on Martha’s Vineyard, Cape Cod, and Nantucket, Massachusetts from 1868 to 2008 (Kirakosian 2014)
Social Network Analysis (SNA) helped me consider how actors were connected and whether these connections had in some way affected the history of shell midden archaeology
Women’s interests in local archaeology were dismissed or diverted by organizations such as the Massachusetts Archaeological Society (MAS), shortly after it’s founding in 1939. At both the 1940 spring and fall meeting of the MAS, alternative activities were organized for women they made up roughly 25% of the organization
Summary
When reconstructing regional histories within American archaeology, understanding the complexities of professional and avocational social circles is a critical and necessary undertaking. I introduce several social circles that impacted shell midden archaeology in Massachusetts during the 19th and 20th centuries. I consider how principles from Social Network Analysis (SNA) and Ingold’s concepts of meshworks and wayfaring shed light on, and are even complicated by, these historical examples
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