Fire, Clay, and Microscopes: Micromorphology at the Little Bay Plantation Site in Montserrat, W.I.

Summary

Since the 1980’s the use of micromorphology in archaeology has grown and developed into an important tool for the analysis and interpretation of archaeological sites. Despite the increase in the use of micromorphology across the various sub-disciplines of archaeology, historical archaeologists have only just begun adopting these methods in their analyses. Micromorphology, the microanalysis of sediments and soils, can lend important information to the formation of, and activity within, historical sites. In an analysis of the micromorphology of the Little Bay plantation site in Montserrat, specific questions were asked about site activities and site formation following the 18th-century burning of one of the plantation buildings. This paper will discuss the conclusions that can be drawn regarding these questions through an analysis of the microstructure of the sediments collected in the 2011 field season.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• A New Machine (Part 2): Scientific and Technological Applications in Historical Archaeology   •
• Society for Historical Archaeology 2013

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Contact(s): Society for Historical Archaeology

Record Identifiers

PaperId(s): 658