Germanna Lives: Site Lives

Summary

This is a paper/report submission presented at the 2020 annual meeting of the Society for Historical Archaeology.

The stories of our sites matter. Archaeology sites having a “history” of preservation are most often wrapped up in a context rife with privilege. Alexander Spotswood’s 1720s “Enchanted Castle” in Orange County, Virginia, can easily be viewed through this lens. The Germanna Foundation is re-examining the Enchanted Castle Site and the early 18th century community once known as Germanna. If we acknowledge that archaeological sites and materials are subject to death and decay – just like human subjects – an examination of preservation efforts (like a palliative care) is a story of choices and efforts to stay the forces of entropy. Germanna Archaeology is presently questioning the choices to be made. Is there value to letting some things go?

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• 2020 SHA General Sessions   •
• Society for Historical Archaeology 2020

Keywords

Spatial Coverage

Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): Society for Historical Archaeology

Record Identifiers

PaperId(s): 647