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Excavating Nauvoo: The Mormons and the Rise of Historical Archaeology in America (Critical Studies in the History of Anthropology Series)

Excavating Nauvoo: The Mormons and the Rise of Historical Archaeology in America (Critical Studies in the History of Anthropology Series)

by Benjamin C . Pykles (Author), RobertLSchuyler (Foreword)

  • New

    Hardcover 2010

    $78.20
Synopsis

This detailed study of the excavation and restoration of the city of Nauvoo, Illinois, takes readers back to the roots of historical archaeology. Beginning in the 1960s, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints sponsored an archaeology program to authentically restore the city of Nauvoo, which was founded along the Mississippi River in the 1840s by the Mormons as they moved west. Non-Mormon scholars were also interested in Nauvoo because it was representative of several western frontier towns in this era. As the archaeology and restoration of Nauvoo progressed, however, conflicts arose, particularly regarding control of the site and its interpretation for the public.

The field of historical archaeology was just coming into its own during this period, with myriad perspectives and doctrines being developed and tested. The Nauvoo site was one of the places where the discipline was forged. This well-researched account weaves together multiple viewpoints in examining the many contentious issues surrounding the archaeology and restoration of Nauvoo, providing an illuminating picture of the early days of professional historical archaeology.

$78.20

Quantity

20+ in stock

More Information

Format: Hardcover
 Pages: 416
 Publisher: University of Nebraska Press
Published: 25 May 2010
ISBN 10: 0803218931
ISBN 13: 9780803218932
Book Overview: An examination of the archaeology and restoration of the Mormon city of Nauvoo, Illinois, framed within the development of historical archaeology, which was growing and developing as a discipline during this time

Media Reviews
This thoughtful and carefully researched book, bolstered by many archival sources and oral histories, is an important reflection on the relatively young discipline of historical archaeology. Through the narrative of Nauvoo, Pykles teaches us much about the materials and materiality of the recent past and how identities take shape through stories we tell about that past, our ancestors, and our profession. -Shannon A. Novak, Journal of Anthropological Research
-- Shannon A. Novak * Journal of Anthropological Research *
Pykles provides an evenhanded and fascinating glimpse into the use of historic preservation and archaeology as both a restoration and a proselytizing tool. -Chris Merritt, Montana, The Magazine of Western History

-- Chris Merritt * Montana The Magazine of Western History *
Readers interested in the development of historical archaeology in the United States, in Mormon history, or in religious groups' struggles to control public perceptions of their past will find this book rewarding. -Stephen C. Taysom, Indiana Magazine of History -- Stephen C. Taysom * Indiana Magazine of History *
Researchers interested in archaeological activities at Nauvoo and their contribution to the development of historical archaeology will find that Pykles has an excellent command of the documentary record supporting his analysis. -Carl A. Merry, Plains Anthropologist -- Carl A. Merry * Plains Anthropologist *
Historians and historical archaeologists alike will find Pykle's trailblazing work worthwhile. -Glen M. Leonard, Journal of Mormon History -- Glen M. Leonard * Journal of Mormon History *
Author Bio
Benjamin C. Pykles is a historic sites curator for the Church History Department of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Robert L. Schuyler is an associate professor of anthropology at the University of Pennsylvania and associate curator-in-charge of historical archaeology at the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology.