Definition: Plantation archaeology is the study of plantation life, usually in the American southeast, but also Australia, South Africa and other European colonial places in the world.
The study of plantations allows investigations into slavery, farming technology, family relationships, class distinctions, the expression of ethnicity, and other interesting topics.
The study of plantations allows investigations into slavery, farming technology, family relationships, class distinctions, the expression of ethnicity, and other interesting topics.
Sources
For examples of archaeological studies of plantations and further information about this fascinating topics, see the Plantations and Archaeology.McKee, L. W. 1987 Delineating Ethnicity from the Garbage of Early Virginians: Faunal Remains from the Kingsmill Plantation Slave Quarter. American Archaeology 6(1):31-39.
Wilkie, Laurie A. 2000 Culture Bought: Evidence of Creolization in the Consumer Goods of an Enslaved Bahamian Family. Historical Archaeology 34(3):10-26.
1996 Medicinal teas and patent medicines: African-American women's consumer choices and ethnomedical traditions at a Louisiana plantation. Southeastern Archaeology 15(2):119-131.
This glossary entry is part of the Dictionary of Archaeology. Any mistakes are the responsibility of Kris Hirst.
