Bring Back The Ghosts: Hauntings, Authenticity, and Ruins

Summary

In the 1930s a swath of Williamsburg, VA became Colonial Williamsburg. The newly minted Colonial Williamsburg Foundation funded a major reconstruction effort to turn the dejected neighborhood into the picture of colonial architecture and colonial revival esthetic. Since that time visitors have noticed that colonial era ghosts have reemerged in the houses and meeting places they were once known to frequent. Parapsychologists have argued that archaeological investigation has stirred ghosts from their slumber, and that building restorations have welcomed the spirits back to a familiar landscape. This suggests an understanding of archaeology and restoration, rather than ruins, as the backdrop for historical hauntings. This paper will look at how people have used ghosts to support archaeology and restoration efforts in the name of spiritual and historical authenticity

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Haunted Landscapes   •
• Society for Historical Archaeology 2016

Keywords

Spatial Coverage

Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): Society for Historical Archaeology

Record Identifiers

PaperId(s): 238