The Archeological History Of New York

Excerpt from The Archaeological History of New York Observers at that time had not yet recorded the fact that the Iro quois did not use or make banner stones, or that stamped patterns characterized Algonkian pottery, or that grooved axes were found only on non-iroquoian sites. It remained for later students such as VV. M. Beauchamp, M. R. Harrington, Alanson Skinner, Frederick Houghton and the present writer to differentiate types of occupation, though other observers working in other localities had perhaps cleared the way for an understanding of the New York cultural areas. New York archeology owes much to the work of Prof. Frederic Putnam, William H. Holmes, Charles C. Abbott, Cyrus Thomas, W i1 liam C. Mills and Warren K. Moorehead, and in later davs to Charles C. Willoughby, Christopher Wren and C01. George E. Laidlaw. All of whom, working in the areas surrounding New York, cleared the way or contributed information for a more adequate understanding of the New York field. It was Dr Beauchamp, however, who did most to draw attention to certain specific problems and his pioneer work has borne abundant fruit. His series of bulletins on New York archeological subjects, published by the State Museum, did much to stimuate study. Doctor Beauchamp was one of the first archeologists to point out the evidences of Eskimoan influence in New York. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.

The most complete account of ancient man in the New York area ever published in one volume, this book traces a rich, 8000-year story of human prehistory. Beginning with the first known inhabitants, Paleo-Indian hunters who lived approximately 7000 B.C., the author gives a detailed chronological account of the complex of cultural units that have existed in the area, culminating in the Iroquois tribes encountered by the European colonists at the dawn of the seventeenth century. All of the major archaeological sites in the region are described in detail and representative artifacts from all the major cultural units are illustrated in over 100 plates and drawings. The entire account is informed by the most recently obtained radio-carbon dates. In addition to giving much new, previously unpublished information, the author has synthesized all earlier published material and from this he has drawn as many inferences as the material affords regarding the nature of these early inhabitants, where they came from, and how they lived. Each cultural unit is systematically described: its discovery and naming; its ecological and chronological setting; the physical characteristics of the related people; economy; housing and settlement pattern; dress and ornament; technology; transportation; trade relationships; warfare; esthetic and recreational activities; social and political organization; mortuary customs; and religio-magical and ceremonial customs.

Under the teeming metropolis that is present-day New York City lie the buried remains of long-lost worlds. The remnants of nineteenth-century New York reveal much about its inhabitants and neighborhoods, from fashionable Washington Square to the notorious Five Points. Underneath there are traces of the Dutch and English colonists who arrived in the area in the seventeenth century, as well as of the Africans they enslaved. And beneath all these layers is the land that Native Americans occupied for hundreds of generations from their first arrival eleven thousand years ago. Now two distinguished archaeologists draw on the results of more than a century of excavations to relate the interconnected stories of these different peoples who shared and shaped the land that makes up the modern city. In treating New York's five boroughs as one enormous archaeological site, Anne-Marie Cantwell and Diana diZerega Wall weave Native American, colonial, and post-colonial history into an absorbing, panoramic narrative. They also describe the work of the archaeologists who uncovered this evidence--nineteenth-century pioneers, concerned citizens, and today's professionals. In the process, Cantwell and Wall raise provocative questions about the nature of cities, urbanization, the colonial experience, Indian life, the family, and the use of space. Engagingly written and abundantly illustrated, Unearthing Gotham offers a fresh perspective on the richness of the American legacy.

This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. To ensure a quality reading experience, this work has been proofread and republished using a format that seamlessly blends the original graphical elements with text in an easy-to-read typeface. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

An archaeological study of the growth of Manhattan during the colonial period, this book documents the emergence of Manhattan as the center of class-structured capitalist commercialism in the new nation-state. A new introduction by the author updates her analysis in light of subsequent excavations at urban sites (both in New York and elsewhere) and theoretical advances in the understanding of urban public space. From the reviews "This is the first major publication to integrate New York City archaeological data into a broader context . . . . [A]t once a long overdue reference for the student of New York City history while at the same time a point of departure for broader studies of urban development." Valerie DeCarlo in American Antiquity "This work is a building block. It raises important questions and proposes a methodology . . . that make sense for the analysis of archeological data and the creation of historical ethnography." Barbara J. Little in Science "[A]n impressive view of New York's colonial development oriented toward the interaction between wealth and ethnicity, with insights into urban structure. . . . This book should be of interest to students of cities and urban studies and of New York specifically." Stanley South in American Anthropologist "[A] welcome addition to the impoverished (quantitatively speaking) or deliciously rich (qualitatively speaking) 1980's monographs written by historical archaeologists. . . . It is an admirable piece of work that builds on 15 years of experience with urban resources." Anne Yentsch in Historical Archaeology