Abstract
Analysis of zooarchaeological data from sites related to 19thcentury Chinese railroad workers in the United States illustrates the variety of food choices made by these individuals and the effects of “localization” on their food practices. Due to the mobility inherent in the lives of railroad workers, data from railroad line camps and urban and rural Chinatown communities provide a fuller picture of the suite of contexts in which railroad workers made food choices. The resulting data demonstrate that, as Chinese railroad workers moved from context to context, they were able to act upon their culinary beliefs in different ways; they typically enjoyed a wide array of food options and possibilities in larger urban Chinatown communities while creatively managing local conditions to maintain some semblance of Chinese foodways, even in rural environments.
Chouxiàng
在十九世纪中国铁路工人留下的遗址中, 对动物考古学资 料所进行的分析显示了工人们对食物选择的多样性, 以及 他们饮食实践中“在地化”的特点。有鉴于铁路工人固有的 流动性, 本文提供了来自铁路沿线营地, 矿区营地, 以 及城市和乡村地区的中国城社区的不同资料, 以便为铁路 工人进行饮食选择的一系列场景提供更完整的画面。据此 得出的数据显示, 在中国铁路工人游走于不同场景的过程 中, 他们能够以不同方式贯彻自己的烹饪原则。在城市中 的中国城社区, 他们顺理成章地享有广泛的饮食选择和可 能性; 而在乡村的环境下, 他们则能够创造性地把握当地 条件, 保持与中国饮食的某种相似性。
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Kennedy, J.R. Zooarchaeology, Localization, and Chinese Railroad Workers in North America. Hist Arch 49, 122–133 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03376963
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03376963