Joseph M. Bagley is the city archaeologist of Boston, a historic preservationist, and a staff member of the Boston Landmarks Commission. He has worked for multiple local and state historic preservation offices, including the Maine Historic Preservation Commission and the Massachusetts Historical Commission.

"Bagley is wry and witty . . . demonstrating superior deductive skills and rousing the public to see the value of their past around them."-- "New Boston Post" "City archaeologist Bagley has a special way of bringing Boston's evolution to life. In A History of Boston in 50 Objects, Bagley delivers a tangible take on our past through a collection of stunning portraits of things that have been unearthed here."-- "Boston Magazine"

• PrefaceAcknowledgmentsIntroductionPART 1: SHAWMUT: THE TIME BEFORE BOSTON (12,000–400 BP)1. Mattapan Banded Rhyolite2. Neville Point3. Fishweir Stakes4. Native Pottery5. Fish Spear6. Massachusett Weaving7. ArrowheadPART 2: PURITANICAL FOUNDATIONS (1629–1700)8. Trade Weight9. Stone from Great House10. Portuguese Plate11. Chamber Pot12. Whipworm Egg13. Sleeve14. Bowling Ball15. Plate16. Child’s Shoe17. Fruit Pits18. Bellarmine Bottle19. Lace20. Red-Clay PipePART 3: FROM COLONIST TO REBEL (1700–1775)21. Cat Skeleton22. Whizzer23. Porcelain Tea Bowl and Saucer24. Redware Waster25. Parker-Harris Mug26. Bottle Seal27. Soldering Iron28. TeapotPART 4: CONFLICT AND WAR (1765–1783)29. Gunflint30. Bar Shot31. Charcoal32. Powder House BrickPART 5: A CHANGING CITY IN A CHANGING WORLD (1780–1983)33. Massachusetts Cent34. Sail Needle35. Tortoiseshell Comb36. Shell-Edge Pearlware37. Cowbell38. Nib39. New York Militia Button40. Vaginal Syringe41. Love Token42. Horse Blinder43. Rock and Tar Bottle44. Hebrew Prayer Book45. Lady’s Wallet46. Comb47. Red Sox Pin48. Cop and Robber Toy and Bell49. Lipstick50. Showtime TokenConclusion: The Future of Archaeology in BostonAppendixNotesBibliographyIndex

Joseph M. Bagley is the city archaeologist of Boston, a historic preservationist, and a staff member of the Boston Landmarks Commission. He has worked for multiple local and state historic preservation offices, including the Maine Historic Preservation Commission and the Massachusetts Historical Commission.

"Bagley is wry and witty . . . demonstrating superior deductive skills and rousing the public to see the value of their past around them."-- "New Boston Post" "City archaeologist Bagley has a special way of bringing Boston's evolution to life. In A History of Boston in 50 Objects, Bagley delivers a tangible take on our past through a collection of stunning portraits of things that have been unearthed here."-- "Boston Magazine"

• PrefaceAcknowledgmentsIntroductionPART 1: SHAWMUT: THE TIME BEFORE BOSTON (12,000–400 BP)1. Mattapan Banded Rhyolite2. Neville Point3. Fishweir Stakes4. Native Pottery5. Fish Spear6. Massachusett Weaving7. ArrowheadPART 2: PURITANICAL FOUNDATIONS (1629–1700)8. Trade Weight9. Stone from Great House10. Portuguese Plate11. Chamber Pot12. Whipworm Egg13. Sleeve14. Bowling Ball15. Plate16. Child’s Shoe17. Fruit Pits18. Bellarmine Bottle19. Lace20. Red-Clay PipePART 3: FROM COLONIST TO REBEL (1700–1775)21. Cat Skeleton22. Whizzer23. Porcelain Tea Bowl and Saucer24. Redware Waster25. Parker-Harris Mug26. Bottle Seal27. Soldering Iron28. TeapotPART 4: CONFLICT AND WAR (1765–1783)29. Gunflint30. Bar Shot31. Charcoal32. Powder House BrickPART 5: A CHANGING CITY IN A CHANGING WORLD (1780–1983)33. Massachusetts Cent34. Sail Needle35. Tortoiseshell Comb36. Shell-Edge Pearlware37. Cowbell38. Nib39. New York Militia Button40. Vaginal Syringe41. Love Token42. Horse Blinder43. Rock and Tar Bottle44. Hebrew Prayer Book45. Lady’s Wallet46. Comb47. Red Sox Pin48. Cop and Robber Toy and Bell49. Lipstick50. Showtime TokenConclusion: The Future of Archaeology in BostonAppendixNotesBibliographyIndex

Joseph M. Bagley is the city archaeologist of Boston, a historic preservationist, and a staff member of the Boston Landmarks Commission. He has worked for multiple local and state historic preservation offices, including the Maine Historic Preservation Commission and the Massachusetts Historical Commission.

"Bagley is wry and witty . . . demonstrating superior deductive skills and rousing the public to see the value of their past around them."-- "New Boston Post" "City archaeologist Bagley has a special way of bringing Boston's evolution to life. In A History of Boston in 50 Objects, Bagley delivers a tangible take on our past through a collection of stunning portraits of things that have been unearthed here."-- "Boston Magazine"

• PrefaceAcknowledgmentsIntroductionPART 1: SHAWMUT: THE TIME BEFORE BOSTON (12,000–400 BP)1. Mattapan Banded Rhyolite2. Neville Point3. Fishweir Stakes4. Native Pottery5. Fish Spear6. Massachusett Weaving7. ArrowheadPART 2: PURITANICAL FOUNDATIONS (1629–1700)8. Trade Weight9. Stone from Great House10. Portuguese Plate11. Chamber Pot12. Whipworm Egg13. Sleeve14. Bowling Ball15. Plate16. Child’s Shoe17. Fruit Pits18. Bellarmine Bottle19. Lace20. Red-Clay PipePART 3: FROM COLONIST TO REBEL (1700–1775)21. Cat Skeleton22. Whizzer23. Porcelain Tea Bowl and Saucer24. Redware Waster25. Parker-Harris Mug26. Bottle Seal27. Soldering Iron28. TeapotPART 4: CONFLICT AND WAR (1765–1783)29. Gunflint30. Bar Shot31. Charcoal32. Powder House BrickPART 5: A CHANGING CITY IN A CHANGING WORLD (1780–1983)33. Massachusetts Cent34. Sail Needle35. Tortoiseshell Comb36. Shell-Edge Pearlware37. Cowbell38. Nib39. New York Militia Button40. Vaginal Syringe41. Love Token42. Horse Blinder43. Rock and Tar Bottle44. Hebrew Prayer Book45. Lady’s Wallet46. Comb47. Red Sox Pin48. Cop and Robber Toy and Bell49. Lipstick50. Showtime TokenConclusion: The Future of Archaeology in BostonAppendixNotesBibliographyIndex