Advisory Committee Chair
Lauren E Downs
Advisory Committee Members
Chris Kyle
Gregory D Mumford
Document Type
Thesis
Date of Award
2021
Degree Name by School
Master of Arts (MA) College of Arts and Sciences
Abstract
This thesis is a history of New Deal archaeology within the state of Alabama. It was designed to facilitate research with New Deal-era collections by providing a comprehensive contextual background. This thesis explores the relationship between the Works Progress Administration (WPA) laborers and the archaeological institutions of the period within the context of the Great Depression and the social democratic reforms of the New Deal. Labor, labor-time, and logistical information were gathered from the WPA Quarterly Progress Reports prepared by David L. DeJarnette from 1936 to 1942. An inventory of over 130 archaeological sites was compiled based on field reports from the era and information about the labor and labor-time utilized in New Deal archaeological research in Alabama is presented. It is argued that New Deal archaeology, as exemplified in the state of Alabama, can serve as a model for designing a nationalized program for conservation archaeology in the United States to address issues surrounding cultural heritage rights.
Recommended Citation
Butz, Caleb Ross, "A History of New Deal Archaeology in Alabama: Labor and Science in Economic Reform" (2021). All ETDs from UAB. 515.
https://digitalcommons.library.uab.edu/etd-collection/515