Post-medieval archaeology

Post-medieval archaeology is a term used in Europe to describe the study of the material past over the last 500 years. The field is also referred to as historical archaeology, a term originating in North America, and common in countries impacted by European colonialism. It is closely related to industrial archaeology and contemporary archaeology. Initially post-medieval archaeology did not extend its studies past the mid 18th century, though as a result of subsequent critiques within the field this cut-off date has been discarded, and the , Europe's leading professional society for the period, now explicitly considers its remit to be "the archaeology of the post-medieval world up to the present day and beyond".

The traditional date for the beginning of the post-medieval period in Britain has been 1485 when, following the Battle of Bosworth, the Tudor dynasty took the throne. In practice, the medieval period is now often extended into the reign of the Tudor monarchs and the boundary between the two eras is not precise. As with all attempts to neatly periodise the archaeological record, efforts to impose an exact date on the transition are doomed to be questioned by current and new findings.

Given the relatively strong historical record running alongside the archaeological one, post-medieval archaeology is often strongly positioned to study the effects of known social and political change. The immediacy of the period means that it appeals in fields such as genealogy as well as to students of social history.

Post-medieval sites include Nonsuch Palace in Surrey, the Rose Theatre in London and Fort Amherst in Chatham.

External links[]

The Society for Post-Medieval Archaeology
Post-Medieval Archaeology, journal of the Society for Post-Medieval Archaeology. ISSN 0079-4236 ISSN 1745-8137

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