Abstract
This essay argues that historical archaeology has the potential to complicate and challenge colonial narratives of authenticity, not only in the rich data that it collects and studies, but also in the ways in which it goes about collecting these data. Case studies from colonial New England exemplify the nuanced perspectives on native spirituality and community cohesion offered via historical archaeology. These complex and variegated archaeological histories have the potential to break the dichotomous tropes inherent in public understandings of colonialism. Recent historical archaeological research with the Brothertown Indian Nation also serves to demonstrate the ways in which critical, collaborative, and pragmatic approaches can challenge colonial narratives on a local scale.
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Cipolla, C.N. Native American Historical Archaeology and the Trope of Authenticity. Hist Arch 47, 12–22 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03376905
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03376905