The Archaeology of Arms: New Analytical Approaches
Part of: Society for Historical Archaeology 2023
This collection contains the abstracts of the papers presented in the session entitled "The Archaeology of Arms: New Analytical Approaches," at the 2023 annual meeting of the Society for Historical Archaeology.
Arms technology has an evolutionary history. Small arms and artillery brought about massive changes in the scope and nature of human conflict. Arms became distinctive elements of regional material culture throughout the world. It is not surprising that gun parts and ammunition are nearly ubiquitous in most historical archeological assemblages. With thoughtful consideration, archeological residues of arms usage can provide significant insights into the human past.
This symposium presents the application of a variety of scientific analysis methods that are being used today to better explicate arms parts and ammunition components found in archeological contexts. The presenters descriptions of analytical techniques, and conceptual approaches demonstrate how they can be usefully employed to investigate important human behaviors that involved arms use.
Other Keywords
Impact •
Bullets •
Artifacts •
Cartridges •
Ammunition •
Experimentation •
Civil War •
Metal Detection •
Arms •
Ebenezer
Geographic Keywords
North America •
American Southwest •
United States of America (Country) •
United Mexican States (Country) •
Cayman Islands (Country) •
Turks and Caicos Islands (Country) •
Bermuda (Country) •
Territorial Collectivity of Saint Pierre (Country) •
Republic of Cuba (Country) •
Canada (Country)
Resources Inside This Collection (Viewing 1-7 of 7)
- Documents (7)
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Archeological Investigations of Theodore Roosevelts Fireing Range, Sagamore Hill National Historical Park. Oyster Bay, New York (2023)
DOCUMENT Citation Only
This is an abstract from the session entitled "The Archaeology of Arms: New Analytical Approaches", at the 2023 annual meeting of the Society for Historical Archaeology. Theodore Roosevelt is quoted as saying “The Great body of our citizens shoot less as time goes on. We should encourage rifle practice among schoolboys and indeed among all classes ….” Roosevelt lived at Sagamore Hill, in Oyster Bay, New York from 1880 until his death in 1919. In 2021 the National Park Service Northeast Region...
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Gun Ignition Systems: Evolution and Adoption by "the Military" 1570-1870 (2023)
DOCUMENT Citation Only
This is an abstract from the session entitled "The Archaeology of Arms: New Analytical Approaches", at the 2023 annual meeting of the Society for Historical Archaeology. This paper is a chronological overview of how gun powder weapon systems were activated and how the military’s adoption on new weapons affected troops in the field and their tactics. Once a weapon was loaded, igniting the black powder to discharge the projectile, became a key part of making guns practical. As changes occurred...
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Trace Element Analysis Of Metal Projectiles Derived From Coronado Expedition Sites: Results And Interpretations (2023)
DOCUMENT Citation Only
This is an abstract from the session entitled "The Archaeology of Arms: New Analytical Approaches", at the 2023 annual meeting of the Society for Historical Archaeology. The 1540-1542 expedition of Francisco Vázquez de Coronado was a military force comprised of some 1,500 Spanish soldiers, Indian allies and camp followers. the expedition's ill-fated trek through northern Mexico and the American Southwest undoubtedly generated scores of encampment and battle sites. Several of these...
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Understanding the Florence Stockade Guard Camp (2023)
DOCUMENT Citation Only
This is an abstract from the session entitled "The Archaeology of Arms: New Analytical Approaches", at the 2023 annual meeting of the Society for Historical Archaeology. A proposed expansion of the Florence National Cemetery triggered archaeological data recovery of a nine-acre area adjacent to the Florence Stockade. The Florence Stockade was constructed in Florence, South Carolina in September, 1864 to house Union enlisted prisoners of war. The prison was an open stockade on the...
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Validating British Bullet Strike Trajectory Associated with the British Retreat to Boston, April 19, 1775 through Live Fire Experimentation (2023)
DOCUMENT Citation Only
This is an abstract from the session entitled "The Archaeology of Arms: New Analytical Approaches", at the 2023 annual meeting of the Society for Historical Archaeology. The British Regulars retreat from Lexington and Concord on April 19, 1775 is legendary in American history. One home, the Jason Russell House, has at least twenty bullet holes are still evident in the walls and around doors and windows. Other bullet-struck objects and structures from that day exist that have been studied and...
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Weapons Of Ebenezer, Georgia In The American Revolution (2023)
DOCUMENT Citation Only
This is an abstract from the session entitled "The Archaeology of Arms: New Analytical Approaches", at the 2023 annual meeting of the Society for Historical Archaeology. During the American Revolution, the town of New Ebenezer, Georgia alternated between British and Patriot headquarters. In 1779 British forces built seven redoubts surrounding the town. In 1782, Continentals entered Ebenezer and began to reclaim Georgia. Archaeologists have studied eight military locations in addition to other...
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William’s Patent "Cleaner" Ammunition: Enigmatic Bullets from the American Civil War (2023)
DOCUMENT Citation Only
This is an abstract from the session entitled "The Archaeology of Arms: New Analytical Approaches", at the 2023 annual meeting of the Society for Historical Archaeology. Williams Patent bullets (types I, II, and III) are the second-most common bullet type found on American Civil War military sites. Between December 1861 and January 1864, when the Army cancelled manufacturing contracts, an estimated 102,500,000 Williams Patent Bullets had been purchased by the United States Army. Despite their...