American Artifacts of Personal Adornment, 1680-1820

Carolyn L. White is assistant professor of historical archaeology in the Department of Anthropology at the University of Nevada, Reno, and is a research fellow at Boston University.

• 1 CHAPTER 1: Introduction2 CHAPTER 2: Sources for Interpreting Artifacts of Personal Adornment3 CHAPTER 3: Clothing Fasteners4 CHAPTER 4: Jewelry5 CHAPTER 5: Hair Accessories6 CHAPTER 6: Miscellaneous Accessories7 References8 Index9 About the Author

White blazes a trail for historical archaeologists and material culture researchers who are interested not just in identifying and dating the objects they study but also in their social and cultural import. Excavated artifacts of personal adornment are often minute both in size and in proportion to finds such as ceramics and glass, and their significance is easily overlooked. More than a reference work, White's guide provides the theoretical grounding and a methodological framework for interpreting items of personal adornment in light of gender roles and the physical construction of the body through dress. It is a sophisticated, exhaustive, and much-need work.