Alcohol and Drinking in Historical Archaeological Perspective

Summary

In 2004, Michael Nassaney told me of his plans for a thematic series in historical archaeology with the University Press of Florida. Since that time the series has emerged and resulted in the publication of a dozen books that provide important insights for archaeologists exploring key issues shaping life in the modern era. Given my work on alcohol studies in the Caribbean, I saw the series as an opportunity to present my particular alcohol-related findings from Barbados. Moreover, while historians and anthropologists have explored the role of alcohol and drinking and developed sophisticated theoretical models for understanding the relationship between alcohol and society, historical archaeological research on the subject had yet to be synthesized. This paper explores the contributions historical archaeologists have made to our understanding of alcohol in society and argues that alcohol provides a valuable lens through which to view life in the modern era. 

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• The American Experience in Archaeological Perspective   •
• Society for Historical Archaeology 2013

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Contact(s): Society for Historical Archaeology

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PaperId(s): 170