Billions of Moneta and Annulus cowries from the Indian Ocean were traded for enslaved people along the west coast of Africa from the 15th through 19th centuries. Much larger reticulated cowrie helmets, native to the warm waters of the Caribbean, were not traded for enslaved...
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Historical Archaeology
Historical Archaeology is a multidisciplinary field combining written historical records with archaeological data to study the past since the fifteenth century. North American historical archaeology begins with European colonization and aims to understand the development of the modern world within a variety of local contexts. New York contains a wide range of historical sites including Dutch settlements, farmsteads, Erie Canal structures, Industrial sites, ship wrecks, battlefields and fortifications, and many different types of urban sites across the state. The goal of historical archaeology at the New York State Museum is to preserve, study, and disseminate information about New York’s rich heritage through fieldwork and archaeological collections at the museum.
Dr. Michael T. Lucas
Curator of Historical Archaeology
My research is broadly focused on the history and archaeology of the early colonies in North America from the last quarter of the seventeenth century to the American Revolution. I am particularly interested in the exploitation of labor during the eighteenth century. New York is replete with...Read more
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The New York State Museum is a program of the University of the State of New York
New York State Education Department