Oak, Steel, and Men: The History of USS Constitution through Artifact Biographies

Summary

This is an abstract from the session entitled "Paper / Report Submission (General Sessions)" , at the 2022 annual meeting of the Society for Historical Archaeology.

USS Constitution is the oldest warship afloat in the world. After launching on 21 October 1797, the vessel served with distinction in the Barbary Wars and the War of 1812. To this day, it still a commissioned warship in the U.S. Navy and crewed by active-duty Navy personnel as well as a living heritage piece. This study analyzes connections between the artifacts, social dimensions, and the service history of the ship. The study uses artifact biography as a tool to discover and examine these relationships during and after  Constitution’s service. Also this study creates 3-D models of two of the artifacts to discover the ways they could be used in a museum’s education and preservation program. Ultimately, the study of specific artifacts can create greater understanding of the sub-groups of the crew and give greater insight into the history of Constitution and the use of 3-D models in museums.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• SHA 2022 General Sessions   •
• Society for Historical Archaeology 2022

Keywords

Spatial Coverage

Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): Society for Historical Archaeology