Suzanne M. Spencer-Wood – författare

Mothering and Archaeology brings to light new insights connecting mothering in the past and present by exploring all aspects of this important but frequently under-valued and thus neglected subject and is underpinned by feminist theorizing of motherhood and mothering.Taking a comprehensive approach, this book explores the archaeology of mothers in private and public places in the past and present, the patriarchal institution of motherhood versus actual mothering practices, the burdens and joys of “mothering” in archaeology, and the second shift often pressed upon women. With the inclusion of intersectional research on diverse historic ideologies and practices of motherhood and mothering that varied among classes, races, and ethnic groups, the book also spans a wide range of temporal, geographic, and cultural differences around the world, from Ancient Egypt and Iron-Age Europe to Aztec Mexico, colonial Yucatan, colonial and historic Europe, America and Australia, and modern archaeologists in America and Europe. Going beyond historical practices, the book also examines how female-identifying archaeologists usually perform a disproportionate amount of mothering labor, particularly emotional labor, both in their careers and in the home. Further, it also addresses how becoming a mother affects women's archaeological practices and careers and discusses why women are doing most of the deeply engaged community archaeology with all of its additional relationships and social navigation of emotional labor.Bringing together research on motherhood and mothering in the past with women’s contemporary experiences of the relationships of mothering to archaeology, this book provides new insights to researchers in archaeology, anthropology, public history, and women’s studies.

Case studies presented include communities of Native Americans, African Americans, multi-ethnic groups, religious communities, and industrial communities.Just as the research focus has previously neglected the groups presented here, so too has funding to preserve important archaeological sites.

In many facets of Western culture, including archaeology, there remains a legacy of perceiving gender divisions as natural, innate, and biological in origin. This belief follows that men are naturally pre-disposed to public, intellectual pursuits, while women are innately designed to care for the home and take care of children. In the interpretation of material culture, accepted notions of gender roles are often applied to new findings: the dichotomy between the domestic sphere of women and the public sphere of men can color interpretations of new materials. In this innovative volume, the contributors focus explicitly on analyzing the materiality of historic changes in the domestic sphere around the world. Combining a global scope with great temporal depth, chapters in the volume explore how gender ideologies, identities, relationships, power dynamics, and practices were materially changed in the past, thus showing how they could be changed in the future.

Case studies presented include communities of Native Americans, African Americans, multi-ethnic groups, religious communities, and industrial communities.Just as the research focus has previously neglected the groups presented here, so too has funding to preserve important archaeological sites.

In many facets of Western culture, including archaeology, there remains a legacy of perceiving gender divisions as natural, innate, and biological in origin. This belief follows that men are naturally pre-disposed to public, intellectual pursuits, while women are innately designed to care for the home and take care of children. In the interpretation of material culture, accepted notions of gender roles are often applied to new findings: the dichotomy between the domestic sphere of women and the public sphere of men can color interpretations of new materials. In this innovative volume, the contributors focus explicitly on analyzing the materiality of historic changes in the domestic sphere around the world. Combining a global scope with great temporal depth, chapters in the volume explore how gender ideologies, identities, relationships, power dynamics, and practices were materially changed in the past, thus showing how they could be changed in the future.

The study of childhood in historical archaeology enriches interpretations of the past, but also has the potential for contributing to the understanding of methodological and theoretical issues in archaeology.

The study of childhood in historical archaeology enriches interpretations of the past, but also has the potential for contributing to the understanding of methodological and theoretical issues in archaeology.