Press

In conjunction with the observance of Archaeology Month in October, the New York State Museum has issued a new publication - People, Places and Material Things: Historical Archaeology of Albany, New York.

The Museum also is presenting a series of archaeology-related lectures this month, with the next two on excavations conducted by museum archaeologists, including one on October 15th on the "Albany Almshouse Cemetery Excavations: One Year Later." They are part of "The Museum Series" and are held on Wednesdays at 7 p.m.

People, Places and Material Things is edited by Charles L. Fisher, the director of the Museum's Cultural Resources Program, and includes chapters written by Fisher and others locally prominent in the archaeology field. Fisher notes that the last decade has been a period of archaeological activity in Albany unlike any other in the city's history, in terms of the size and quantity of investigations that were completed. This publication presents some of the results of recent archaeological excavations in Albany to archaeologists and others with an interest in the material remains of this city's past.

The initial chapters provide a brief overview of the history of Albany relevant to archaeological studies and a history of archaeology in Albany. As the oldest continually inhabited European community in the original 13 colonies, Albany is an excellent subject for historical archaeology. The first permanent settlement was established in 1614 on Castle Island and continuous settlement began in 1624 with the establishment of Fort Orange. By the 1650s, the major streets of what was then the town of Beverwyck - Broadway, State and Pearl streets - were laid out to the north of Fort Orange and surrounded by a palisade.

Succeeding chapters in the book relate to daily life in the past: people, places, and material things. The book points out the importance of archaeology to modern scholars who are aware of the need to consider every available source of information in their efforts to develop a detailed picture of individuals' daily lives -- how they interacted with others and how they constructed the world around them. Archaeological evidence has continually revealed in new ways that early Albany was a multicultural community. The subjects of archaeological studies featured in the book include the illegal traders outside Fort Orange in the 17th century, the persecuted religious minority, the cottage industrialists who made wampum, soldiers of the colonial wars, servants, and a middle-class lawyer. Although historic documents have provided names for some of these individuals, other information on their daily lives must come through archaeological exploration, says Fisher.

The material things that were created, used, exchanged, and discarded by the people of Albany, at specific places, are the primary sources of these archaeological studies. Places in the landscape of historic Albany may be considered as larger material objects created for a variety of reasons. Gardens, yards, cemeteries, military structures, pottery dumps, and the development of the waterfront have come to light through archaeological investigations, which provide new perspectives on daily life and the way that the urban environment was created and then shaped people's lives.

The final section of the book includes chapters concerned with Battles and Breakthroughs or challenges that archaeologists in Albany have faced in the process of investigating this city.

People, Places and Material Things: Historical Archaeology of Albany, New York is available for purchase for $29.95, plus $4 shipping and tax for New York State residents. Credit cards can be accepted via phone or fax. Contact Brad Seymour, Publications Sales, New York State Museum, 3140 CEC, Albany, NY 12230, 518-402-5344, fax 518-474-2033, nysmpub@mail.nysed.gov. The book also will be available at the Museum Series lectures on Oct. 15th and 22nd.

The State Museum, a cultural program of the New York State Department of Education, was founded on a tradition of scientific inquiry. Started in 1836, the museum has the longest continuously operating state natural history research and collection survey in the United States. The museum is located on Madison Avenue in Albany. Further information is available by calling 474-5877 or visiting the museum website.