Papers by Liz M Quinlan
Journal of Archaeological Science
Society for Historical Archaeology, 2019
Society for Historical Archaeology, 2018
Through faunal analysis of the remains of mammals, molluscs, fish and fowl found at the Dorcheste... more Through faunal analysis of the remains of mammals, molluscs, fish and fowl found at the Dorchester Industrial School for Girls this report explores the dietary habits of staff and students, and connects the socioeconomic and cultural positionality of the girls, the School, and their food to the greater context of late 19th century Boston. We may interrogate specific social circumstances and their effect on daily meals, and in doing so draw useful comparisons between the activities of the port of Boston, the perpetual motion of a kitchen, and the revolving door of a school for destitute girls. Investigation of decorative shells used by the girls will provide contrast to the more utilitarian food-based faunal analysis. Through analysis of both food and personal belongings we may add dimension to our contemporary view of the residents of the Industrial School, and gain insight into their small, but important, existence. FOR FULL TEXT MESSAGE OR EMAIL (liz.quinlan@york.ac.uk)
International Journal of Historical Archaeology
Boston’s “Big Dig” construction project resulted in the excavation of multiple archaeological sit... more Boston’s “Big Dig” construction project resulted in the excavation of multiple archaeological sites dating from the seventeenth to nineteenth centuries, including the Great House/Three Cranes Tavern in Charlestown, Massachusetts (USA). An otherwise unremarkable pit below the tavern foundation contained bones originally identified as a cat skeleton, which has subsequently been reidentified as a dog. This paper discusses site context, osteological evidence for the dog’s reclassification, and the shifts in cultural meaning this may indicate. Employing an osteobiographical approach, it draws together points of connection between the modern skeletal assessment, a series of 1980s excavations, and the motivations of eighteenth-century tavern inhabitants.
Thesis Chapters by Liz M Quinlan
This zooarchaeology study examines archaeological recovered faunal remains from the 1859 Dorchest... more This zooarchaeology study examines archaeological recovered faunal remains from the 1859 Dorchester Industrial School for Girls, excavated in 2015 by Joseph Bagley and the City of Boston Archaeology Program. The zooarchaeological data from this study has been combined with a documentary review of extensive school records to form a comprehensive interpretation of localized foodways at the Dorchester ISFG. The Board of Managers, wealthy subscribers, school administrators, and resident girls of the Dorchester ISFG participated in these localized foodways through a strictly regulated diet that followed distinct patterns of consumer choice. The individual and institutional decisions made at the school are reflected in both the remaining faunal assemblage and the extensive documentary evidence, showing an adherence to 19th-century social and dietary reform pressures.
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Conference Papers by Liz M Quinlan
Where and how does truly meaningful theoretical development occur when an archaeologist spends th... more Where and how does truly meaningful theoretical development occur when an archaeologist spends their time digging and discoursing? It has been argued that theoretical development is inherently a slow undertaking, traditionally defined by years of formal education and careful expansion, but paradigmatic shifts beg the question of whether new modes of communication act to hasten, or, even, disrupt this process. This paper will not only provide an overview of how digital and traditional archaeological contexts intersect and relate, but highlight the concept of slow theoretical micro-development through a social media lens. I seek to understand this evolution in thought by exploring online contributions to my own personal epistemology, examining the parasocialiaty of science communication, and confronting the ethical duty to conserve and curate the digital archaeological milieu. Do the informal, half-in-jest, conversations held in the digital commons constitute theoretical engagement? How many times I have refined and expanded my own understanding of social and archaeological theory through this method? Can the spaces I inhabit as an archaeologist be parsed as loci of “shallow depth”— operating both within and as spheres of slow theoretical development? This notion of slow theoretical development in a fast medium allows for an interrogation of the theoretical stratigraphy laid down through the complex social interactions of the digital third place. It may be there is a hitherto unseen slowness in the stunning rapidity of the online world, one that lies just below the surface.
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Often mentioned as an afterthought in sentences about her more famous husband, Sally R. Binford h... more Often mentioned as an afterthought in sentences about her more famous husband, Sally R. Binford has long been a topic of discussion for those interested in 20th century female archaeologists. Her foundational work in the early endeavors of the 'New Archaeology' set the stage for an academic revolution-however, much of her work went uncredited. The legacy of stolen work affects a broad demographic, with graduate students, post-doctoral, and early career researchers often suffering the same insult. Through discussion of Sally R. Binford's contributions to, and omissions from, the field of archaeology this paper will examine solutions for the threat of lost attribution, and how we might successfully navigate hostile academic environments. Sally's position as a queer Jewish feminist academic working in the 1950s to 1970s, and the actions she took, serve as both a warning and a model for those who may be facing similar problems today.
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The 2016-17 excavations at Boston’s former Unity Court Tenements yielded an incredibly rich assem... more The 2016-17 excavations at Boston’s former Unity Court Tenements yielded an incredibly rich assemblage of 19th-century artifacts. These tenements, in operation 1830-1880, served the ever-growing and changing community of Boston’s North End, and it was expected that their excavation would uncover the complex material culture of those living there. What was unexpected, however, was that the two nearly-identical cisterns, Features 1 and 4, would yield drastically different faunal material. Over 750 elements of Rattus sp. were recovered from Feature 1, most from a single 10cm layer. This paper combines comparative zooarchaeological analysis with Portable X-Ray Fluorescence data to explore the circumstances surrounding the demise and deposition of the rat specimens from Feature 1. Relating this data to the temporal pattern of interactions between pests and people in the 19th century, this paper will discuss the unique rat-human relationship at this particular site, and its implications for broader study.
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Through faunal analysis of the remains of mammals, molluscs, fish and fowl found at the Dorcheste... more Through faunal analysis of the remains of mammals, molluscs, fish and fowl found at the Dorchester Industrial School for Girls this report explores the dietary habits of staff and students, and connects the socioeconomic and cultural positionality of the girls, the School, and their food to the greater context of late 19th century Boston. We may interrogate specific social circumstances and their effect on daily meals, and in doing so draw useful comparisons between the activities of the port of Boston, the perpetual motion of a kitchen, and the revolving door of a school for destitute girls. Investigation of decorative shells used by the girls will provide contrast to the more utilitarian food-based faunal analysis. Through analysis of both food and personal belongings we may add dimension to our contemporary view of the residents of the Industrial School, and gain insight into their small, but important, existence.
FOR FULL TEXT MESSAGE OR EMAIL (liz.quinlan@york.ac.uk)
Undergraduate Papers by Liz M Quinlan
A May 31st, 1873 discovery of a complex archaeological site near Hisarlik, on the Anatolian Plain... more A May 31st, 1873 discovery of a complex archaeological site near Hisarlik, on the Anatolian Plain of Turkey would eventually become known as the possible historical site of Homer' Tory. Over 145 years later, Heinrich Schliemann's discovery is still a source of controversy and debate, mostly related to ownership and repatriation. Called by many names over the years -- "Schliemann's Treasure", "Priam's Treasure", "Schliemann's Gold"-- the Hisarlik story has remained much the same.However, thanks to yeas of study and documentation, archaeologists and laymen alike can now trace the journey of this treature from Troy, to Athens; Athens to London; London to Berlin; and, finally, from Berlin to Moscow. This important and hotly contested archaeological discovery provides an opportunity for discussion of international law, antiquities smuggling, and, perhaps most importantly, the very different notions of legal and cultural "ownership". This paper explores the history of the Schliemann excavation, and tracks the relevant legal arguments surrounding it's eventual return.
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Through an exploration of ethical archaeology and contemporary media, this paper covers the 2006 ... more Through an exploration of ethical archaeology and contemporary media, this paper covers the 2006 movie 'Apocalypto' directed and written by Mel Gibson and focuses on it's incomplete and racist view of the Maya.
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Much debate surrounds the archaeology and anthropology of "Mississippian" sites in eastern North ... more Much debate surrounds the archaeology and anthropology of "Mississippian" sites in eastern North America, with particular focus on the social and political organization of Mississippian sites, and the centralizing qualities of monumental architecture. This literature review covers questions of so-called "Mississippianization", and the application of "Mississippian" to such a vast area of eastern North America.
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Papers by Liz M Quinlan
Thesis Chapters by Liz M Quinlan
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Conference Papers by Liz M Quinlan
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Undergraduate Papers by Liz M Quinlan
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