Hanna’s Town Unbuttoned: An Archaeological Study of Clothing Adornment & Fasteners

Summary

Of the three basic necessities humans need to survive – food, clothing, and shelter – clothing is often underrepresented archaeologically as fibers do not typically survive due to environmental challenges. Although often under-analyzed, these small commonly-found artifacts are valuable parts of the archaeological record. Through decorative and utilitarian buttons and fasteners, patterns can be identified to address questions regarding daily life during an occupation of a site. Patterns in the archaeological record reflect the way that people of a community portrayed themselves. One such community is Hanna’s Town.

Hanna’s Town was an important center during the Revolutionary War, acting as both the original county seat of Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, and one of the first North American communities to declare its independence from Britain. Although diversity of Hanna’s Town’s residents is not fully realized, the history and site continue to hold meaning to the local community today. Analysis of the button and buckle collection from Hanna’s Town offers a unique glimpse into lives of historically silent members of this community, which helps relate its story to future generations.

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This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 80th Annual Meeting, San Francisco, CA (2015)

Keywords

Spatial Coverage