Jake Ivey wrote:
 
>      Histarchers:
>
>         Is one objective of historical archaeology to determine the
>      function of a structure located by that archaeology?
>         Architectural theorists have generally discarded the idea of
>      structural function as a meaningful enquiry, because a) it frequently
>      is unknown, and b) the function frequently changed through time (how
>      you could know the second if the first is true is not explained, nor
>      is it stated why such changes are not part of the enquiry of
>      architectural historians).  But the rejection of functionalism by
>      architectural historians puts me in a bad spot when I try to talk
>      about why I'm examining a building in such close detail.  Anybody want
>      to help me out?
>
 
Jake,
 
the methods and data you have available to you as a historical archaeologist
might (!!) make it possible for you to know how and when functions changed
through time. In fact, it is the recreating of such "life histories" for
buildings, yards, and other features that I find so rewarding about the
discipline. Perhaps if architectural historians had your insights into their
buildings they would quit trying to validate their failings with theory shifts!
 
 
 
Dan Mouer
Dept. of Sociology and Anthropology
Virginia Commonwealth University
http://saturn.vcu.edu/~dmouer/homepage.htm