How about "ca. 1880-1920"? Then nothing is turning. That's what we do with other artifacts (treat the photo as an artifact); i.e., "that piece of amethyst glass was probably made ca. 1880-1920."

Jeff

Jeffrey L. Boyer
Supervisory Archaeologist/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
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"This is no time for archaeologizing . . ." - Amelia Peabody Emerson (The Curse of the Pharoahs, Elizabeth Peters)

________________________________________
From: HISTORICAL ARCHAEOLOGY [[log in to unmask]] on behalf of Melissa Diamanti [[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Friday, August 19, 2011 8:45 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: turn of the century - vaguely

I know my original question about the use of the phrase "Turn of the 19th century" or "turn of the 20th century" to mean c.1900 would generate lively discussion and a few chuckles. But I'm not concerned in this case with whether the century in question began in January 1900 or January 1901. On the contrary, I'm looking for an easy way to refer something that is shown in a historic photograph.  the best I can pin it down is that the photo was taken some time between the 1880s and the 1910s. So I would like to use a vague term for the feature shown in the photo, like dating it to the "turn of the 20th century."  But it's the qualifier that has me stuck and looking for a consensus on how to use the term.Looking for a consensus among archaeologists?!?! I must be nuts.I'd still like to know what term others might use in a similar context. So, have at it.Meli