Tavern Archaeology in Eighteenth-Century Williamsburg, Virginia

Summary

Taverns in eighteenth-century Williamsburg, Virginia ran the gamut from the refined to repugnant, from those catering to the delicate needs of politicians and colonial elites, to those offering basic room and board to road-weary travelers seeking to escape the elements.  As elsewhere, Williamsburg’s varied taverns were central places within the community where people regularly gathered to transact business, argue over politics, exchanged news of the day, plot political action, or just enjoy a convivial drink.  In Colonial Williamsburg’s long history of archaeological excavation, taverns have been the focus of several important investigations, including last year’s investigation of the iconic Raleigh Tavern.  The current paper considers the material culture of Williamsburg’s eighteenth-century taverns as revealed in these excavations with specific reference to the role of alcohol within Virginia’s colonial capital.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for Historical Archaeology 2018   •
• Through the Bar Window: An Examination of Alcohol and Drinking Spaces in the Archaeological Record

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Contact(s): Society for Historical Archaeology

Record Identifiers

PaperId(s): 1087