Researching Historical Archaeological Collections: An Assessment of Current Techniques

A number of new and innovative approaches to conducting research on historical archaeological collections have been developed since the first decade of the 21st century. Increasing digitization of archaeological data has led to wider dissemination of site and artifact information, to scholarly and non-scholarly audiences. Advances in technology have led to the analysis of historical artifacts on a microscopic-level. This research is being used to reevaluate past assumptions regarding patterns of site formation, including artifact consumption and deposition. This session is intended to highlight some of the unique approaches to studying historical archaeological collections that are currently being developed in laboratories, museums, and universities throughout the world.