Author Description
Relic Hunters Is A Study Of The Complex Relationship Between The People Of 19th Century America With The Material Antiquities Of North America's Indigenous Past. As Scholars Struggled To Explain Their Existence, Farmers In Ohio Were Plowing Up Arrowheads, Building Their Houses Atop Burial Mounds, And Developing Their Own Ideas About Antiquity. They Experienced The New Country As A Place With History Reflected In Material Traces That Became Important Touch Points For Scientific Knowledge, But For American Cultural Identity As Well. Relic Hunters Traces The Encounter With American Antiquities From 1812 To 1879. This Encompasses The Period When Archaeology Took Root In The United States: It Also Spans The Deep Settlement Of The Midwest And Sectional Strife Both Before And After The Civil War. At The Center Of The Story Is The First Iconic Find Of American Archaeology, Known As The Kentucky Mummy. Discovered Deep In A Cavern, This Dessicated Burial Became The Subject Of Scholarly Competition, Traveling Exhibitions, And Even Poetry. The Book Uses The Theme Of The Kentucky Mummy To Structure The Broader Story Of The Public And American Antiquities, A Tour That Leads Through Rural Museums, Mound Excavations, Lecture Tours, Shady Deals, And Ultimately Into The Famous Attic Of The Smithsonian Institution. Ultimately, Relic Hunters Is A Story Of The American Landscape, And Of The Role Of Archaeology In Shaping That Place. Derived From Letters, Memoranda, And Reports Found In More Than A Dozen Archives, This Is A Unique Account Of A Critical Encounter That Shaped Local And National Identity In Ways That Are Only Now Being Explored.
Menrva's Summary
THE THESIS
This book investigates how 19th-century Americans interacted with and interpreted the material antiquities of Indigenous North America as the nation expanded and defined its cultural identity. James E. Snead, an archaeologist and historian, utilizes archival correspondence, field reports, and memoranda to analyze the intersection of early scientific inquiry and public fascination with the past. He argues that the discovery and display of artifacts, particularly burial mounds and human remains, served as a mechanism for settlers to reconcile their presence on the landscape with the deep history of the continent.
THE SCOPE MAP
What You Will Find
- Analysis of the 1812 to 1879 period of American archaeological development.
- A detailed case study of the Kentucky Mummy as a focal point for public and scholarly interest.
- Examination of the role of rural museums, lecture circuits, and private collections in shaping historical narratives.
- Insights into the institutionalization of archaeology within the Smithsonian.
Scope Limits
- The study focuses primarily on the Midwest and the specific timeframe ending in 1879.
- It does not provide a comprehensive history of all Indigenous cultures, but rather the settler perception of them.
THE AUTHORITY PERSPECTIVE
Scholars recognize this work as a significant contribution to the history of American archaeology and the development of national identity. Readers frequently note the meticulous archival research that provides a clear view into the amateur and professional practices of the 19th century.
Page Count:
336
Publication Date:
2018-01-01
Publisher:
Oxford University Press
ISBN-10:
0191055891
ISBN-13:
9780191055898
History
19th Century
American History
Archaeology
Anthropology