Florida Archaeology Month Recommended Reading: Grit-Tempered

(photo courtesy of 
Amazon Books)

Grit-Tempered: Early Women Archaeologists in the Southeastern United States, edited by Nancy White, Lynne Sullivan, and Rochelle Marrinan, has become a favorite of many FPAN staffers. This book brings together archaeology and women's history in a great volume that is full of fascinating stories about fascinating women. So, what better book to discuss in March during Florida Archaeology Month and Women's History Month?

Many non-professionals with an interest in archaeology are overwhelmed with some books that are overly technical or academically dry. Grit-Tempered is not that type of book! This book is about the archaeologists, not necessarily the archaeology. And furthermore, it is one of the few volumes dedicated solely to female archaeologists. Many archaeologists and non-archaeologists alike are familiar with many of the male characters that have shaped Florida and Southeastern Archaeology. Many have heard names like Ripley Bullen, who had a long tenure at the Florida Museum of Natural History. But how many of us are familiar with Adelaide Bullen, his wife? Adelaide, in partnership with Ripley, had a career that spanned  over 50 years. She received her graduate degree in cultural and physical anthropology from Harvard in 1948. In the 1970s she established her own publishing company, Kendall Books. Grit-Tempered has an entire chapter on Adelaide, providing a unique opportunity to learn about a woman who was the "other half" of a very influential archaeology husband and wife duo. 

And of course, we would be remiss if we did not mention Hester Davis, a public archaeology legend!

Hester Davis (Photo courtesy
of The Archaeological 
Conservancy)

Long before organizations like FPAN were in existence, Hester Davis was promoting public archaeology. She was one of the first to speak out publicly about the ethical and public issues, combining research and advocacy for archaeology. In the 1960s, she advocated for a formal archaeological program for the state of Arkansas and worked alongside non-archaeologists. In 1967 the Arkansas Archaeological Survey was created and Hester was appointed State Archaeologist. Hester Davis was instrumental in helping to create FPAN and is a Director emeritus on our board. Hester passed away in 2014. Dr. Nancy White, another fierce public archaeology legend in her own right, is author of an outstanding chapter on Hester Davis. 

There are so many amazing women in Southeastern and Florida Archaeology that we cannot list them all. If you want to learn more, and trust us, you do, read Grit-Tempered. Not only does it have some phenomenal biographical sketches, it also discusses the history of women in archaeology and the struggles that they faced. Not only does it touch on gender in archaeology, but also race. One of the most enlightening chapters is a discussion on the white and African American women working at a site in Georgia during The New Deal (1937-1940). Overall, Grit-Tempered is a wonderful overview of women in Southeastern archaeology, written by women who helped pave the way for many younger archaeologists in the field currently. It is fascinating to see the evolution of a profession that has gone from unacceptable for women to one that is largely made up of women. Much work still needs to be done, but it is inspiring to see how far we have come. 

Florida Archaeology Month 2021 Celebrates Community-Based Archaeology

Every March Florida celebrates Florida Archaeology Month. It is a time to celebrate our unique and long cultural history and reflect on the management and preservation of our cultural resources. Each year has a unique theme and this year we will be focusing on community based archaeology. So what is community-based archaeology? Community archaeology strives to involve communities in the planning and implementation of archaeology research projects. Communities come in many different forms and sizes, but they all have a history and heritage that is unique to them. Community-Based Archaeology takes community archaeology a step further. This approach promotes using archaeology as a tool that encourages communities to create knowledge that is relevant, empowering, and of use to them. In order to be part of such an approach, archaeologists must choose to seek out, earn trust with, support, and collaborate with the communities who are connected to places they wish to study. It requires a commitment to equitable partnerships and honoring the integrity of diverse voices, systems of knowledge, and forms of data. 

Last year Florida Archaeology Month was cut short and we had to re-evaluate our programming as COVID had made in person events unsafe. This year we again find ourselves in the same situation. As disappointed as we are by not being able to do in person programming, it does provide some unique opportunities. This year all of our events will be virtual. While not the same, it does provide the opportunity for anybody to attend events from anywhere! And as a bonus, if you miss a lecture or program, you can find it on our YouTube channel and watch it at a time that is convenient for you. To find a complete listing of all the scheduled events across the state you can visit the Florida Archaeology Month website.  

Florida Archaeology Month happens to coincide with Women's History Month, which presents us with a unique opportunity to highlight women's role in Florida Archaeology. So, this month that is exactly what our blog will be focusing on. To get you started, we wanted to share with you a wonderful resource, the Women in Archaeology website. Be sure to checkout their podcast and blog for some great stories. 

Early on, archaeology was an academic field dominated by men, with women being discouraged from participating. When women were able to work their way into the field they were usually relegated to non-academic positions in museums and similar institutions. Although they were not banned from studying archaeology, they were rarely accepted into prestigious societies, and were not allowed to complete field training. In Europe, many women entered the field as their husband's research associate and rarely were given recognition for their work. Today, it is a different story, and although there is still much work to be done, women now regularly work in academic institutions, often in leadership positions. Women make up roughly half of professional archaeologists, but still have issues pertaining to the glass ceiling and harassment. That being said, there would not be women working in the field if it were not for some brave and persistent women that keep paving the way even still today. This month, we would like to introduce you to some of those women. We encourage you to follow along with us this month and don't forget to check out the Florida Archaeology Month website to find a variety of virtual events. There is sure to be a few that will entice you!