Reframing Chronologies: Collaborative Approaches to Fifteenth- through Eighteenth-century Indigenous and Colonial Archaeology

Summary

This is an abstract from the "Building a Better Chronology for Fifteenth–Eighteenth-Century Eastern North America through Radiocarbon Dating and Collaborative Research Agendas" session, at the 90th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology.

The proliferation and sophisticated use of radiocarbon-forward research designs in eastern Woodlands archaeology are challenging outdated culture-historical classifications and outmoded chronological constructs, particularly as they relate to the centuries immediately preceding and following colonization. Taxonomic periodization based on ceramics, other formal artifact types, and European-manufactured objects is breaking down and furthermore holds limited relevance for contemporary descendant communities and their collaborators. In this introduction to the session, we outline how advances in radiocarbon dating—including sampling strategies, laboratory methods, and statistical modeling—are enabling researchers to refine chronologies and overcome challenges associated with calibration. We highlight macroregional possibilities for transforming understandings of settlement patterns, population movements, and material culture circulation by integrating archaeological, historical and traditional knowledge sources and the possibilities for generating new insights into Indigenous agency, the timing and pace of cultural transformations, and responses to colonial incursions. We see broad relevance on new research around these themes to academic, public, and private research sectors. Our objective for this session is to co-create a research agenda that address continental- to local-scale questions and fosters collaborations between Tribal and First Nations representatives, researchers, and cultural resource managers, with a focus on data sovereignty and meaningful research outcomes for all.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 90th Annual Meeting, Denver, CO (2025)   •
• Building a Better Chronology for Fifteenth–Eighteenth-Century Eastern North America through Radiocarbon Dating and Collaborative Research Agendas

Keywords

Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 50417