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A Teapot, a House, or Both? The Material Possessions of Irish Women’s California Assemblages

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Abstract

Using a woman-centered approach, artifact assemblages and background documents are analyzed to discern gender behavior and ethnic variations in women’s work—cooking, dining, housecleaning—in more frivolous areas—flowers, pets, girls’ toys—and personal adornment. Issues of gender bias are discussed. The data show that negative evidence (absence vs. presence) is, at times, misleading and must be carefully considered. Detailed study of the artifacts connected with Irish women suggests their gender values that organized their lives differed from those of Anglo-American women who had a voice in small expressive purchases while men made final decisions on major household purchases. Irish women owned small items too. However, a crucial distinction was an element not covered by the archaeology: a house of their own and owner-occupied, a fact solely visible in documents.

Résumé

À l’aide d’une approche axée sur les femmes, des assemblages d’artefacts et des documents d’information sont analysés afin de distinguer le comportement entre les sexes et les variations ethniques dans le travail des femmes, notamment la cuisine, les repas, le ménage ou les domaines plus frivoles – fleurs, animaux, jouets pour filles – et la parure. Les problèmes relatifs au sexisme sont examinés. Les données montrent que les éléments négatifs (absence par opposition à présence) sont parfois trompeurs et qu’ils doivent être soigneusement évalués. L’étude détaillée des objets associés aux Irlandaises permet de penser que les valeurs de sexe qui organisaient leur vie différaient de celles des femmes anglo-américaines qui pouvaient s’exprimer pour les petits achats subjectifs, tandis que les hommes américains prenaient les décisions finales pour les achats ménagers importants. Les Irlandaises achetaient aussi de petits objets. Toutefois, une différence majeure a consisté en un élément non couvert par l’archéologie : leur maison dont ils étaient propriétaires, une information visible uniquement dans les documents.

Resumen

Utilizando un enfoque centrado en la mujer, se analizan colecciones de objetos y documentación de antecedentes para discernir el comportamiento de género y las diferencias étnicas en las tareas de las mujeres, como la cocina, la cena y la limpieza del hogar o aspectos más frívolos, como las flores, las mascotas, los juguetes de las niñas y los adornos personales. Se debaten cuestiones relacionadas con los prejuicios de género. Los datos demuestran que las pruebas negativas (ausencia frente a presencia) son a veces engañosas y es necesario evaluarlas cuidadosamente. Un estudio pormenorizado sobre objetos relacionados con las mujeres irlandesas sugiere que los valores de género que conformaban sus vidas eran distintos a los de las mujeres angloamericanas, que tenían voz y voto en pequeñas compras expresivas, aunque eran los hombres americanos quienes tenían la última palabra sobre las compras más importantes del hogar. Las mujeres irlandesas también compraban pequeños objetos. Sin embargo, hay una diferenciación crucial que no ha cubierto por la arqueología: los hogares propios y ocupados por el propietario, un hecho únicamente visible en los documentos.

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Acknowledgments

I would like to thank Suzanne Spencer-Wood and Stacey-Lee Hendricks for helpful suggestions and editorial advice and Adrian and Mary Praetzellis for asking me to do the original study, and providing their insight on urban archaeology and research materials. It builds on an immense amount of exploration into historical records by Elaine-Maryse Solari and her co-workers. The original research on which this analysis is based was provided by the Anthropological Studies Center, Sonoma State University, Rohnert Park, California under a contract with the California Department of Transportation, District 4, Oakland, California. Finally, but not least, I am ever so grateful for the assistance of the Lane Library staff at Armstrong Atlantic State University.

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    Anne Yentsch

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Yentsch, A. A Teapot, a House, or Both? The Material Possessions of Irish Women’s California Assemblages. Arch 7, 170–221 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11759-011-9170-z

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