From One Mary to Another: An Archaeological Biography

Summary

This is an abstract from the session entitled "“Historical Archaeology with Canon on the Side, Please”: In Honor of Mary C. Beaudry (1950-2020)" , at the 2022 annual meeting of the Society for Historical Archaeology.

I met Mary B. at the 1985 Boston SHA meeting. She was the conference organizer, but nevertheless womaning the registration table when I picked up our packets just before the free reception. Mary recognized my name—which made me feel important—and proceeded to tell me what was bothering her. I thought it was a little early to have had too much to drink, but that was just Mary—she generally looked hung over or about to become so. Despite sharing a first name, childhoods being eldest among numerous siblings, and a very lapsed Catholic faith, Mary and I had little in common. Mary B. was a budding academic superstar; I was a working mom. Still, we became good friends. So many memories, Mary was a wonderful correspondent, dinner partner, and guest. I’d imagined more time—I was wrong. This paper examines a friendship using Archaeological Biography as a tool.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• “Historical Archaeology with Canon on the Side, Please”: In Honor of Mary C. Beaudry (1950-2020)   •
• Society for Historical Archaeology 2022

Keywords

Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): Society for Historical Archaeology