some of those fuzzy edges...
I think of a contact site as between historic and prehistoric;
if the Indians had learned to write they become historic...
I'd think of your Chinese (etc.) stuff as historic trade...
----- Original Message -----
From: "Boyer, Jeffrey, DCA" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Wednesday, July 18, 2007 10:15 AM
Subject: Re: Hysterical Archaeology


Fortunately for you, David, you're still willing to admit your confusion.
Hold onto that grad school naiveté as long as possible -- the real world
will beat it out of you soon enough and you, too, will find yourself making
pronouncements about how to define your field of study. Historical
archaeology is like kivas in Southwestern Pueblo sites -- nobody knows how
to define it but we're all pretty sure we know it when we see it.
Susan Walters' (admirably) short-and-sweet definition brings to my mind a
situation on a project I'm working on now. We have sites that are Hispanic
ranchos -- so, clearly historic in time (i.e., after the introduction of
Europeans and written records), sites that are prehistoric Puebloan, and
sites with components that are prehistoric Puebloan, historic Euroamerican,
and historic Puebloan. How, oh, how to classify?
Although my co-directors and I euphemistically refer amongst ourselves to
the resulting reports-in-progress as the historic and prehistoric volumes,
we are actually calling the volume that will deal with the Hispanic
components the"Euroamerican volume," while the volumes that will deal with
the Puebloan (and Archaic) components will be the "Native volumes." That, of
course, will offend some folks who will contend that, by the late 18th
century (our oldest Hispanic component), Hispanics were natives of the area.
The issue is not resolved by referring to Indians as Native Americans, since
that term, too, could apply to the local Hispanics. In fact, my family has
lived in northern New Mexico for about 150 years, so I (sometimes hautily)
consider myself a native. But, we had to make a call, and we decided to
group the components of Euroamerican origin(s), even though many of the
artifacts were made by Indians, and to group the components of Indian
origin(s), even though at least one will be "historic" in age.
Nothing, of course, prevents us from comparing assemblages across presumed
ethnic and temporal boundaries.
We have stopped referring to "historic" artifacts and "historic artifact
analysis" and gone to "Euroamerican artifacts" and "Euroamerican artifact
analysis," admitting up front that items like Chinese porcelain and Haitian
Phoenix buttons are not technically Euroamerican artifacts.
That's our happy little story, and we're sticking with it.
Has your confusion now given you a headache? If not, then I haven't done my
job.
Jeff

Jeffrey L. Boyer, RPA
Project Director
Office of Archaeological Studies, Museum of New Mexico
mail: P.O. Box 2087, Santa Fe, New Mexico  87504
physical: 407 Galisteo Street, Suite B-100, Santa Fe, New Mexico  87501
tel: 505.827.6387          fax: 505.827.3904
e-mail: [log in to unmask]
"It might look a bit messy now, but just you come back in 500 years
ime."  --Terry Pratchett


________________________________

From: HISTORICAL ARCHAEOLOGY on behalf of David Parkhill
Sent: Wed 7/18/2007 9:22 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Hysterical Archaeology



I am trying my best to understand all of the evaluations concerning the
terms "Historical Archaeology", "History"and "Archaeology". The more I
read, (it is all very good!) the more confused I become.

It seems to me some folks are trying to defend their "Sacred Positions",
which I find is usual among intellectuals, while others are trying to just
confuse the issue. Being a neophyte in this area of study I keep asking,
Huh? So if I may be so bold as to admit, "I don't know!" Then "What the
heck is Historical Archaeology ?"

With all due respect, I am really impressed with the quality and knowledge
of all of you and your willingness to share and support each other.

Best regards

______________________________________________________________________
This inbound email has been scanned by the MessageLabs Email Security
System.
______________________________________________________________________




Confidentiality Notice: This e-mail, including all attachments is for the
sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential and
privileged information. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure or
distribution is prohibited unless specifically provided under the New Mexico
Inspection of Public Records Act. If you are not the intended recipient,
please contact the sender and destroy all copies of this message. -- This
email has been scanned by the Sybari - Antigen Email System.