| PW-259002-18 | Preservation and Access: Humanities Collections and Reference Resources | University of Massachusetts, Boston | Digitizing Plimoth Plantation’s 17th-Century Historical Archaeology Collections | 5/1/2018 - 10/31/2022 | $181,000.00 | Christa | | Beranek | | | | University of Massachusetts, Boston | Boston | MA | 02125-3300 | USA | 2018 | Archaeology | Humanities Collections and Reference Resources | Preservation and Access | 181000 | 0 | 181000 | 0 | Cataloging, digitization,
and creation of access to the archaeological collections connected to the early
colonists of Plimoth Plantation. Focusing on historical artifacts from
four key sites, the project would encompass field notes, plans, drawings, and
photos associated with the excavations that took place between 1940 and
1972. Materials would be made accessible for the public, teachers,
students, and scholars via an online database and finding aids.
In the years since The Mayflower made her iconic voyage, American cultural identity and heritage have developed a complex mythology surrounding the ship and her passengers. The approaching 400th anniversary (1620-2020) of this voyage has generated renewed public and scholarly interest in this time period and the Pilgrims’ daily lives. This project will digitize Plimoth Plantation’s key 17th-century archaeological collections connected to these early colonists: the RM/Clark Garrison site (C-1), the Winslow site (C-2), the William Bradford II site (C-6), and the Allerton-Cushman site (C-21). When finished, the data will be made accessible via an online catalog and finding aids designed for both the public and scholarly communities. As a result, anyone with internet access will be able to explore and learn from the primary source archaeological record and gain a better understanding of the early colonists in Massachusetts who captured the national imagination. |