The Archaeology of Magic - Gender and Domestic Protection in Seventeenth-Century New England (Hardcover)

In The Archaeology of Magic, C. Riley Auge explores how early American colonists used magic to protect themselves from harm in their unfamiliar and challenging new world. Analyzing evidence from the different domestic spheres of women and men within Puritan society, Auge provides a trailblazing archaeological study of magical practice and its relationship to gender in the Anglo-American culture of colonial New England. Investigating homestead sites dating from 1620 to 1725 in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Maine, Auge explains how to recognize objects and architectural details that colonists intended as defenses and boundaries against evil supernatural forces. She supports this archaeological work by examining references to magic in letters, diaries, sermons, medical texts, and documentation of court proceedings including the Salem witch trials. She also draws on folklore from the era to reveal that colonists simultaneously practiced magic and maintained their Puritan convictions. Auge exposes the fears and anxieties that motivated individuals to try to manipulate the supernatural realm, and she identifies gendered patterns in the ways they employed magic. She argues that it is essential for archaeologists to incorporate historical records and oral traditions in order to accurately interpret the worldviews and material culture of people who lived in the past. Published in cooperation with the Society for Historical Archaeology

General

Imprint:	University Press of Florida
Country of origin:	United States
Series:	Co-published with The Society for Historical Archaeology
Release date:	April 2020
Authors:	C Riley Auge
Dimensions:	229 x 152 x 22mm (L x W x T)
Format:	Hardcover
Pages:	304
ISBN-13:	978-0-8130-6611-0
Categories:	Books > Humanities > Archaeology > General Books > Humanities > Religion & beliefs > Alternative belief systems > Occult studies > Magic, alchemy & hermetic thought Books > Social sciences > Sociology, social studies > Anthropology > Social & cultural anthropology > General Books > Religion & Spirituality > Alternative belief systems > Occult studies > Magic, alchemy & hermetic thought
LSN:	0-8130-6611-5
Barcode:	9780813066110

Is the information for this product incomplete, wrong or inappropriate? Let us know about it.

Does this product have an incorrect or missing image? Send us a new image.

Is this product missing categories? Add more categories.

Review This Product

No reviews yet - be the first to create one!