I get the impression in Britian Industrial archaeology really developed as a
an off shoot of Local History studies, the research often carried out by
enthusiastic amateurs. Much of the work simply recording and trying to preserve
standing monuments, and associated documentary research. It is only during the
last decade, that industrial archaeology has really started using standard
archaeological methods. Even so, it is still not uncommon to find reports of
metal-working sites in which the structure of the buildings, the details of the
waterwheels, the ceramic finds, etc, get extensive coverage. However, the waste
products, which actually indicate what was going on, and to what extent, hardly
get a mention. This probably reflects the historical bias of those carrying out
this sort of work, (a lack of specialists capable of interpreting industrial
waste).
        My impression is that Post-Medieval archaeology [Historical archaeology
] has developed by the extension of Medieval archaeology into the more recent
periods.
 
I may of course be completely wrong, as my real periods of interest are the
Iron Age and the Saxon [Migration/Early Medieval, or what you want to call the
Post-Roman period], and I have only recently become interest in the recent past
(post 1600) because various people wanted me to look at iron and steel
artefacts in their collections.
 
 
Chris Salter
 
Research Lab for Archaeology,      &        Department of Materials,
6, Keble Road,                                 Parks Road,
                                 Oxford