To use the phrase one must qualify it to refer to century.

The other usage would be in terms of cultural change and awareness - at 
times the "turn of the century" was used to reflect mindset. A feeling of 
cultural change, of the essence of a period. So....it is useful to define 
such a cultural configuration if that configuration is defined.

if not used with qualification the phrase is as useful as "sherd count" 
which is to say useless and using "sherd count" as an end in itself other 
than accounting practice even more useless but I digress....

Conrad

-----Original Message----- 
From: Melissa Diamanti
Sent: Friday, August 19, 2011 10:45 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