Historical Archaeology Research Articles

Historical archaeology in the Indian Ocean world

This edited volume by Mark Hauser and Julia Jong Haines aims to bring together local narratives within the context of the Indian Ocean in modern times, from c. AD 1500, and establish how these narratives can inform historical archaeology. As the editors highlight in the introductory chapter, historical archaeology has been greatly informed and inspired by the Atlantic world and its colonial histories. Here, they seek instead to foreground the Indian Ocean as a setting for historical archaeology in its own right. The authors use the long and deep history of interconnectedness and trade in this ocean as a basis for understanding more recent history, not just in light of colonial impact but through bottom-up approaches that focus on the local in the global. The case studies in this book and its overall theme are also part of the ongoing process to decentralise Europe in archaeological discourse. The book consists of 11 chapters, including an introductory chapter by Haines and Hauser and two commentaries. The majority of the case studies are from island East Africa or South India, which naturally limits the scope somewhat.

Poking holes in things: a view from the museum

ABSTRACT This paper is not intended as a conventional research report, but rather as an experimental ‘think piece’ that attempts to situate African beads in relation to alternative geographical, temporal and theoretical frames. Throughout the history of archaeology, museums have (re)assembled artefacts to create new contexts for them by establishing new associations and juxtapositions with other artefacts. In pursuing a similar approach, this paper attempts to constitute a ‘view from the museum’ rather than from any particular disciplinary field. Museum practice promises an alternative model of speculative ‘free association’ where artefactual form enables sometimes seemingly unlikely connections to be made. The paper’s intention is to highlight the theoretical richness with which beads can be approached as artefacts. In pursuing this agenda, it builds on David Graeber’s important work synthesising and advancing anthropological theories of economic, political and cultural value. A central aim of Graeber’s project was to put coins back in their place as rather peculiar denominators of value. Beads, with their considerably deeper history and wider geographical distribution, offer an alternative starting point from which to address questions of value in human lives.

Mapping Mauritius’ Underwater Cultural Heritage: A GIS-Based Approach to Integrating Environmental Historical Archaeology and Heritage Management

Mapping Mauritius’ Underwater Cultural Heritage: A GIS-Based Approach to Integrating Environmental Historical Archaeology and Heritage Management

The Philippines (and Chile) in Martínez de Zúñiga's 19th-Century Ideas about pre-Columbian trans-Pacific Contact

ABSTRACT Joaquín Martínez de Zúñiga (1760–1818) was one of the earliest scholars to propose a trans-Pacific contact theory in his Historia de las Islas Philipinas. Although his 1803 publication contains the earliest-known theory establishing linguistic comparisons between the Mapuche language of Chile and Tagalog (the Philippines), his ideas and evidence have not been fully explored. This article argues that while Martínez de Zúñiga’s ideas were novel and set some scientific grounds for one of the most resilient debates in the history of archaeology, his evidence was scarce. Furthermore, his attribution as one of the earliest individuals to propose a trans-Pacific contact theory is arguably inaccurate, as similar ideas were pondered as early as the 16th century. This article investigates supporting and opposing ideas proposed by Martínez de Zúñiga and his contemporaries, which were either produced in Spanish and British colonies, or shaped by knowledge about them with a colonial bias. These scholars’ hypotheses were predominantly based on linguistic and anthropological grounds, on the direction of sea currents and winds, and on the numerous islands across the Pacific that could facilitate long-distance voyages. Similar ideas continue to feed into the pre-Columbian trans-Pacific contact debate today.

A brief history of bison zooarchaeological research in eastern Washington

In 1953 15 archaeological sites in eastern Washington State had produced remains of bison ( Bison bison). Over the following years, the growing archaeological record of bison in the area was revisited as scholars sought to determine if technology changed in response to the presence of bison, the butchering practices used to process carcasses, the demography of resident populations, the kind of activity areas with which bison remains were associated, the frequency of the animal during the Holocene, and the body size of individuals during the Holocene. In this, the study of bison remains tracks well the history of North American zooarchaeology and the history of archaeology in general. Today 70 archaeological and 10 paleontological sites are known to have produced bison remains. Restudy of the larger collections from a modern standpoint will likely reveal much about eastern Washington Holocene bison—an ecologically and biogeographically peripheral or marginal population—that has not yet been considered.

Jane Webster: Materializing the Middle Passage: A Historical Archeology of British Slave Shipping, 1680–1807

Jane Webster: Materializing the Middle Passage: A Historical Archeology of British Slave Shipping, 1680–1807

Current Themes in the Archaeology of East Africa

East Africa boasts one of the longest histories of humankind. From hominid origins to the present, people have roamed, interacted with one another, and influenced the environment in innumerable ways. To teach about the archaeology of East Africa is to engage with the deepest history of humankind, from Hominin evolution to historical archaeology and the archaeology of listening. Each topic has developed its own peculiar and complex analytical methodologies that require varied resources and degrees of intensity and investment in training and mentoring. This review discusses advances made over the past two decades in the research and dissemination of archaeological knowledge about East Africa. Beyond the major issues that stimulate scientific research and debates, what debates have been settled? Which emerging threats must East African archaeologists overcome to ensure a sustained practice of archaeology in the future?

B.S. Zhukov in the history of Russian archaeology: to the scientist’s anniversary

B.S. Zhukov is one of the key figures in Russian archaeology of the 1920s. Palaeoethnological field of research at Moscow University was established by D.N. Anuchin who suggested his famous triad, a synthesis of prehistoric archaeology, anthropology and ethnography. In the early 1920s, Zhukov, his disciple, went further and put the teacher’s ideas into practice by proposing a research programme and building a team of young researchers – archaeologists, anthropologists, ethnologists, and experts in other areas. The leader of the palaeoethnological school, B.S. Zhukov did not only absorbed Anuchin’s idea of an interdisciplinary approach to the study of humans in their past and present development, but also implemented it in the course of large-scale complex expeditions and in-depth research. Zhukov’s school as a special research direction was developing for a short period in the mid and second half of the 1920s. However, it raised a generation of archaeologists, anthropologists and ethnologists, who made an invaluable contribution to the development of Russian and world science.

ИСТОРИЯ ИЗУЧЕНИЯ ПОСЕЛЕНЧЕСКИХ ПАМЯТНИКОВ САРМАТСКОГО ВРЕМЕНИ В ЛЕСОСТЕПНОМ ПОДОНЬЕ

The article reveals the history of the study of hillforts and settlements of the first centuries AD on the Upper Don. The author substantiates the identification of three chronological stages in the history of settlement archeology of the Upper Don region. The first of them is associated with pre-revolutionary studies of local history societies, as well as with the work of the Upper Don expedition in the Lipetsk region and the expedition of the Voronezh State University in the Voronezh region. At this time, the process of accumulation of material from the first centuries took place, and its interpretation was limited to the term “early Iron Age”. The second stage of research began in 1978 with the creation of the Scythian-Sarmatian brigade of VSU (A.P. Medvedev) and its targeted study of burial mounds and settlements of the Sarmatian period in the forest-steppe Don region. During the same period, work was carried out by the LGPI expedition (A.N.Bessudnov), State Directorate for the Protection of Cultural Heritage of the Lipetsk Region (I. E. Biryukov, I. A. Kozmirchuk), as well as employees of the Department of Archaeology and History of the Ancient World of VSU (Yu. D. Razuvaev, M. V. Tsybin, A. S. Savrasov, A. D. Pryakhin, N. A. Tropin, etc.). The third stage is distinguished by the work of both scientific expeditions (A. M. Oblomsky, I. E. Biryukov, G. L. Zemtsov, Yu. D. Razuvaev, D. V. Akimov, etc.) and protective archaeological excavations. Discussions on the identification of groups of hillforts and settlements of the Sarmatian period are considered, and controversial issues of their dating are identified. From the historiographical analysis of the current state of the problem, further directions of its research logically follow: highlighting the cultural uniqueness of the settlements of the Upper Don and, especially, their chronology.

Polska szkoła archeologii śródziemnomorskiej w audycjach Polskiego Radia (1971–1980). Nowe źródła w studiach nad historią dyscypliny i jej społeczną recepcją

The article provides an overview of radio programs dedicated to Mediterranean archaeology broadcast on Polish Radio during the 1970s and 1980s. This analysis represents the first such endeavor in Polish literature and aligns with the public archaeology trend, which examines the political, cultural, and economic dimensions of archaeological practice and its societal reception. By exploring this category of sources, the text offers a historical perspective on radio broadcasts, presenting them as a novel and previously untapped resource for studying the history of archaeology. Drawing from these sources, the article discusses the dissemination of knowledge concerning the activities of Polish researchers, the media portrayal of the archaeological profession, and the unique phenomenon of the Polish School of Mediterranean Archaeology in the context of Polish scientific history. It delves into the distinctive features and historical background surrounding its establishment. Additionally, attention is given to Kazimierz Michałowski, the visionary behind this initiative, and the strategies he employed to promote public awareness of the research conducted within the Polish School of Mediterranean Archaeology.

Introduction: Urban Historical Archaeology of and as Dissonance—An Invitation for Collaboration

Introduction: Urban Historical Archaeology of and as Dissonance—An Invitation for Collaboration

현행 역사교과서 내 한국 고대사 분야에 대한 고고학 관련 서술 검토

This paper is about the basic framework and archaeological descriptions of the ancient Korean history in the current history textbook in middle and high school. History textbooks are the most fundamental to history education, and it is necessary to review the descriptions in the field of archaeology at a time when public interest in archaeology is increasing. As a result of examining various history textbooks, it was found that the ancient history section not only fails to properly reflect the results of archaeological surveys and research in Korean historical archaeology, but also contains errors in related descriptions and some visual materials due to the lack of understanding of archaeological materials and the failure to properly reflect the latest research results by the writing team composed of only history majors. Due to the biased composition of writers consisting of only history majors, errors were found in related descriptions and visual materials due to lack of understanding of archaeological materials or lack of understanding of the latest research and research results. The ancient field has limitations only with the study of literature history due to the lack of historical records, so assistance in the field of archaeology dealing with material data is essential. In order to properly implement historical education, close cooperation between archaeology, history, education, and the education sector is necessary. First, the archaeological community should start by communicating with the history community, which is actively participating in the writing of history textbooks, in order to form a consensus, and then strive to improve the descriptions and system of history textbooks in a more desirable direction through cooperation with the education community in the future. In the case of history textbooks currently being written, at least the participation of archaeologists in the review process is essential.

Review: Unburied Lives: The Historical Archaeology of Buffalo Soldiers at Fort Davis, Texas, 1869–1875, by Laurie A. Wilkie

Review: <i>Unburied Lives: The Historical Archaeology of Buffalo Soldiers at Fort Davis, Texas, 1869–1875</i>, by Laurie A. Wilkie

Barbara J. Little, 2023 Bending Archaeology toward Social Justice: Transformational Action for Positive Peace, Tuscaloosa AL: The University of Alabama Press in cooperation with the Society for Historical Archaeology.

Barbara J. Little, 2023 Bending Archaeology toward Social Justice: Transformational Action for Positive Peace, Tuscaloosa AL: The University of Alabama Press in cooperation with the Society for Historical Archaeology.

Old cities, ‘new’ agendas: Swedish cities across time

In its 2017 New Urban Agenda, the United Nations lists almost 200 declarations and implementation plans for creating sustainable and equitable cities, towns and settlements, yet the word ‘history’ is mentioned only once – to describe our own times as a critical juncture – a somewhat detached approach to problems with great time depth. Historical archaeology provides a unique toolbox for understanding urban through-lines, scientifically and theoretically. Case studies of Swedish cities, some many centuries old, describe the processes through which they were founded, transformed through time, and emerged differently in new contexts. Today, some have emerged as places not unlike the aspirational declarations of the New Urban Agenda. Yet most of these cities have few roots in equity and sustainability. Many systematically promoted less equality, even abject misery, focusing on the relatively short-term harvest of regional and local resources and labour, or for border security, population domination, and state and elite control. Many were ‘reinvented’ over the centuries – adjusting to new iterations of the same founding principles. Using select historical and modern case studies, we trace how relationships between various classes of hinterland and urban dwellers, influencers, and government officials struggled through time over the meaning and quality of urban life.

Researching Everyday Life in the Main Urban Centres of Late Medieval Transylvania. The Model of Transylvanian Cities of German Foundation and Tradition. II. Theoretical and Methodological Perspectives

A theoretical-methodological reflection must be situated at the beginning of any historical approach, with the aim of individualizing the discipline of the history of everyday (medieval) life and differentiating it as an independent branch of research.* The most important aspects of the investigation consist in: a) formulating clear questions and b) defining the goals of knowledge/understanding, to eliminate the risk of ending up with a simple collection of anecdotes – which, while undeniably captivating, cannot be considered science, and, consequently, becomes part of literature. In its elementary form, daily life is a simple manipulation of certain constants – the environment, people and things, understood through the daily repetition of certain activities, which become habits and are then performed mechanically. It is often stated that the history of everyday life does not have its own method, and it follows the analysis grids of history, more precisely of its auxiliary disciplines. Moreover, the history of everyday life remains dependent on the help of other sciences. In this context, the research is interdisciplinary, involving most of the auxiliary or frontier sciences of history: history of law, archaeology, literature and philology, music and art history, historical geography and ethnography, etc. Research schedule and analysis grid. Based on the historiographic documentation, the theoretical-methodological excursion and the identification of the potential and the limits of the available sources, the perspective that this study proposes is that of a research program dedicated to the reconstruction of the history of everyday life in the late medieval Transylvanian urban centres. The proposed approach is organized into three distinct sections: a) that of the recomposing of frames and the dynamics of daily urban life; b) that of revealing the fundamental structures of everyday life in cities and c) that of identifying the challenges and solutions assumed by the day-to-day existence of individuals, groups and the urban community. The chosen methodological model has been adopted and modified according to the analysis-interpretation grid proposed by Gerhard Jaritz, Zwischen Augenblick und Ewigkeit. Einführung in die Alltagsgeschichte des Mittelalters (Wien, Graz, Köln: Böhlau 1989), 15-26. Keywords: History of Everyday Life, Urban History, Transylvanian Saxons, Late Medieval and Premodern Archaeology and Material Culture, Late Medieval and Premodern Transylvania

Theorizing failure in digital media. Four eclectic theses

ABSTRACT This article focuses on the concept of 'failure' in relation to digital media, their development and appropriation in social contexts. In the first part, the article provides an overview of the category of failure for understanding digital media, addressing some of the most relevant contributions from several fields of study, including Science & Technology Studies (STS), History of Communication, Media Archaeology, and Post-Digital Art Aesthetics. In the second part, this sketched theoretical landscape is developed through the presentation of four 'eclectic' theses on failure in digital media, with the aim of inviting media scholars to reconsider some of the most recurrent assumptions about the development of digital media through a perspective focused on the notion of failure.

John L. Cotter Award in Historical Archaeology: Alicia D. Odewale

John L. Cotter Award in Historical Archaeology: Alicia D. Odewale

Daniel G. Roberts Award for Excellence in Public Historical Archaeology: Archaeology in the Community

Daniel G. Roberts Award for Excellence in Public Historical Archaeology: Archaeology in the Community

French historical and contemporary archaeology: a critical assessment

Modern and contemporary archaeology, the French equivalent of historical archaeology, emerged in the 1970s. Subsequent attempts at theorising this sub-discipline have been hindered by a lack of broad professional recognition and funding. While the archaeology of the sixteenth to eighteenth centuries is now more widely recognised in France, studies of the post-nineteenth-century period remain limited to a few specific contexts. Here, the author offers an overview for the Anglophone readers of modern and contemporary archaeology in France and argues that greater theorisation, cross-fertilisation with other archaeological traditions and a diversification of the range of themes considered might enhance recognition of this sub-discipline within and beyond France.