Beyond the Walls: New Perspectives on the Archaeology of Historical Households

“Thought-provoking and engaging, Beyond the Walls provides new and relevant theoretical perspectives and specific case studies for archaeologists conducting research related to household archaeology. Essential for both students and professionals.”—Mark D. Groover, author of The Archaeology of North American Farmsteads

“From ranching stations in Hawai’i to slave quarters in South Carolina, the essays in Beyond the Walls crosscut time and space to consider the interrelationships between households and the wider regional and global networks in which their residents were enmeshed, presenting new insights relating to identity, consumerism, and modernity.”—Barbara J. Heath, coeditor of Jefferson’s Poplar Forest: Unearthing a Virginia Plantation

While household archaeologists view the home as a social unit, few move their investigations “beyond the walls” when contextualizing a household in its community. Even exterior aspects of a dwelling—its plant life, yard spaces, and trash heaps—uncover issues of domination and resistance, gender relations, and the effects of colonialism. This innovative volume examines historical homes and their wider landscapes to more fully address social issues of the past.

The contributors, leading archaeologists using various interpretive frameworks, analyze households across time periods and diverse cultures in North America. Including case studies of James Madison’s Montpelier, George Washington’s Ferry Farm, Chinese immigrants in a Nevada mining town and Southern plantations, Beyond the Walls offers a new avenue for archaeological study of domestic sites.

Contributors: Kevin R. Fogle | Mary C. Beaudry | Eleanor Conlin Casella | Jimena Cruz | Kirk French | Heather Gibson | Marika Hyttinen | Titta Kallio-Seppä | Kenneth G. Kelly | Markku Kuorilehto | Ritva Kylli | Sami Lakomäki | Diana DiPaolo Loren | Jade Luiz | Allison Manfra McGovern | Paul R. Mullins | James A. Nyman | Matthew C. Reilly | Melisa A. Salerno | Beverly A. Straube | Timo Ylimaunu | Andrés Zarankin