The American Experience in Archaeological Perspective

Utopian and intentional communities have dotted the American landscape since the colonial era, yet only in recent decades have archaeologists begun analyzing the material culture left behind by these groups. The case studies in this volume use archaeological evidence to reveal how these communities upheld their societal ideals—and how some diverged from them in everyday life.

Synthesizing fifty years of research on American mining sites that date from colonial times to the present, Paul White provides an ideal overview of the field for both students and professionals.

Including research from historical archaeologists and a case study of the Fort St. Joseph trading post in Michigan, this innovative work highlights the fur trade's role in the settlement of the continent, its impact on social relations, and how its study can lead to a better understanding of the American experience.

From domestic spaces to the public square, Deborah Rotman contextualizes gender and the associated social relationships from the colonial period through the twentieth century.

Provides a fascinating case study to investigate the consumption of luxury goods in the pre-industrial era and the role tobacco played in an emerging capitalist world system and global economy.

From the practices of historic period Native American groups to elite mausoleums, and from almshouse mass graves to the rise in popularity of green burials today, The Archaeology of Cemeteries and Gravemarkers provides an overview of the many facets of this fascinating topic.

The Archaeology of American Cities utilizes the material culture of the past to highlight recurring themes that reflect distinctive characteristics of urban life in the United States.

While the subject of citizenship has often been examined from a sociological, historical, or legal perspective, historical archaeologists have yet to fully explore the material aspects of these social boundaries. The Archaeology of Citizenship uses the material record to explore what it means to be an American.

This volume focuses on the evolution of antislavery resistance by examining material culture, documents, oral traditions, and other evidence that illustrate how enslaved people fought for their freedom.