communicating supportively
The chapter describes the daily life of Australian people, as seen through lost or discarded household artefacts that have survived taphonomic processes. Archaeologists show this by analysing faunal and pollen remains, bottles, ceramics, clay pipes, buttons, jewellery, leatherwear, needlework tools, beautification implements, toothbrushes, toys, writing materials, and coins. Archaeologists have performed comparative analysis of artefacts types across select sites (including whaling stations, 1830s–1840s; Cumberland/Gloucester Streets, pre-1833/post-1833; Casselden Place, 1860s-1870s; Paradise, 1890s; and Viewbank, 1850s-1870s), to understand differences in people’s diet, health, class and status. This provides archaeologists a rare glimpse into the private lives of Australian families.
Crook hypothesises that the basis for consumerism in 19th Century Australia centred on quality, cost and value. She has researched historic literature regarding people’s attitudes towards consumer goods, which revealed that quality, beauty and price were major factors contributing to the perceived value of table wares. As quality is difficult to determine from artefact sherds, she developed a system for detecting flaws (thus providing a scientific measure of quality), which she will test against cost to identify value. Her preliminary research shows that fewer flaws appear in domestic assemblages than factory ones, suggesting that quality was important to consumers.
Question: Did the amount of flaws in table wares differ between family households, all-women and all-men residences?
References
Crook, P 2005, ‘Quality, Cost and Value: Key Concepts for an Interpretive Assemblage Analysis’, Australian Historical Archaeology, vol. 23, pp. 15-24.
Lawrence, S, and Davies, P 2011, ‘Australians at Home’, An Archaeology of Australia Since 1788, Springer, New York, pp. 279-325. bgffdhghgfhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh- hhhhhhgfgffghg gh gh hgh
Crook hypothesises that the basis for consumerism in 19th Century Australia centred on quality, cost and value. She has researched historic literature regarding people’s attitudes towards consumer goods, which revealed that quality, beauty and price were major factors contributing to the perceived value of table wares. As quality is difficult to determine from artefact sherds, she developed a system for detecting flaws (thus providing a scientific measure of quality), which she will test against cost to identify value. Her preliminary research shows that fewer flaws appear in domestic assemblages than factory ones, suggesting that quality was important to consumers.
Question: Did the amount of flaws in table wares differ between family households, all-women and all-men residences?
References
Crook, P 2005, ‘Quality, Cost and Value: Key Concepts for an Interpretive Assemblage Analysis’, Australian Historical Archaeology, vol. 23, pp. 15-24.
Lawrence, S, and Davies, P 2011, ‘Australians at Home’, An Archaeology of Australia Since 1788, Springer, New York, pp. 279-325. bgffdhghgfhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh- hhhhhhgfgffghg gh gh hgh
References: Crook, P 2005, ‘Quality, Cost and Value: Key Concepts for an Interpretive Assemblage Analysis’, Australian Historical Archaeology, vol. 23, pp. 15-24. Lawrence, S, and Davies, P 2011, ‘Australians at Home’, An Archaeology of Australia Since 1788, Springer, New York, pp. 279-325. bgffdhghgfhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh- hhhhhhgfgffghg gh gh hgh fg