Taking a Different Strand: Approaching Perishable Collections in Dissertation Research

Summary

This is an abstract from the "Reckoning with Legacy Exhibits, Data, and Collections" session, at the 90th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology.

Perishable material study often present significant challenges in the form of preservation bias and loss during collecting practices. However, perishables are often even more difficult to study due to their frequent association with mortuary contexts and sacred sites in regions and contexts where their preservation is otherwise limited. This paper will present the research design process of an archaeology PhD student specializing in textiles and basketry of the Southeastern U.S. Through frequent consultations and relationship building with Southeastern Tribal Nations and Indigenous artists, the presenter has worked to engage with a topic that is relevant to the current interests of descendant communities while respecting the challenges presented by museum collections in the U.S. and Europe that often have poor provenance. This dissertation research addresses materials that are largely non-archaeological, coming from 1700-1830, using archaeological theories and methods to situate objects within the broader perishable material record from the Southeastern U.S., both pre- and post-European contact. The presenter discusses how the project contributes to museum stewardship of perishable materials and how data will be integrated into reference materials and outreach with Southeastern Indigenous artists.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Reckoning with Legacy Exhibits, Data, and Collections   •
• Society for American Archaeology 90th Annual Meeting, Denver, CO (2025)

Keywords

Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 52128