Living in the North End: Lessons in Urban Archaeology

Summary

The Paul Revere House, located in an area colloquially referred to as Boston’s ‘North End,’ sits in one of the oldest, continuously occupied areas of the City. The surrounding neighborhood has undergone significant cultural and geographical changes over the centuries, and this paper will attempt to discern some of those changes through the archaeological record. An examination of select materials recovered from a clay- and wood-lined barrel privy identified within the boundaries of the original houselot, will aid in the efforts to learn how and why the community evolved in the manner it did. A small-scale, isolated context such as this privy is ideal for helping to elucidate the broader patterns of cultural and landscape changes throughout the population. Additionally, we attempt to determine to whom the privy actually belonged, and to link specific stratigraphic deposits with particular occupants of the property.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for Historical Archaeology 2014   •
• Exploring the Evolving Urban Landscapes of Boston and Salem

Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): Society for Historical Archaeology

Record Identifiers

PaperId(s): SYM-68,03