Narratives of the Past: Positioning Modern Memory in a Historic Context

Author(s): Kelly Goldberg

Year: 2013

Summary

The field of historical archaeology is uniquely situated with simultaneous access to both past and present.  Beyond analysis of material remains, researchers frequently take advantage of oral accounts to gain a more holistic understanding of past events.  However, even when such accounts are not available from direct descendants, the possible use of oral histories in research should not be immediately discounted.  Through investigations of a historic habitation in Charleston, South Carolina, this paper considers the intersection of community interpretation and archaeological excavation.  While recent research suggests that the current property owners may not be directly descended from the historic occupants, they nonetheless feel a connection to the land and its past.  Can their reflections, influenced by personal experiences with the landscape, help to bridge the gap between past and present and offer a valuable perspective for site interpretation? 

Cite this Record

Narratives of the Past: Positioning Modern Memory in a Historic Context. Kelly Goldberg. Presented at Society for Historical Archaeology, Leicester, England, U.K. 2013 ( tDAR id: 428533)

Keywords

Temporal Keywords
Historic

Spatial Coverage

min long: -129.199; min lat: 24.495 ; max long: -66.973; max lat: 49.359 ;

Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): Society for Historical Archaeology

Record Identifiers

PaperId(s): 626