| 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. |
| RZ-230461-15 | Research Programs: Collaborative Research | University of Massachusetts, Boston | Plymouth Colony, Massachusetts: Archaeology and Geophysics | 1/1/2016 - 12/31/2021 | $200,000.00 | David | | Landon | | | | University of Massachusetts, Boston | Boston | MA | 02125-3300 | USA | 2015 | Archaeology | Collaborative Research | Research Programs | 190000 | 10000 | 190000 | 10000 | Excavation, analysis, and interpretation of new sites and existing artifacts in collections in connection with the original 17th-century settlement of Plymouth, Massachusetts. (36 months)
This project is for collaborative research focused on the Plymouth Colony in Massachusetts. It comprises three years of geophysical survey, pollen coring, archaeological excavation, and laboratory analysis focused on the original 17th-century settlement in downtown Plymouth and surrounding sites. This work will increase our understanding of the creation of the English colonial landscape, the environmental context and ecological consequences of colonization, and the interactions between Colonists and Native people. The Plymouth Colony will be the subject of intense public attention in the lead up to the 400th anniversary of the Colony in 2020. This NEH project will be the linchpin for building an academic understanding of the Plymouth settlement and portraying its importance to the broader public. |