Rubbish Flashcards
Richard Grassby
usually how the world was represented is looked at, not how it physically functioned and was experienced. Do people impose meanings on things or do they discover it in them?
Dr George McGavin & Dr Zoe Laughlin
Landfills can show what we have less emotional connection to.
Waste can show what we drink, eat, used socially (clay pipes), and our cooking methods.
Victorian period saw beginning of mass throw away culture - packaging made to throw away, was mostly glass.
Past societies may regard different things as rubbish, Victorian packaging is large decorative to us but not them.
After ww2, contained landfills were used.
Can look at different landfills used in different times - can show change of materials. Late 20th c saw increase in plastic items.
Rubbish pros
Ceramics survive well and relate to all societies
Materials can show trends and trade links
Can show taboo subjects eg, alcohol consumption.
Highlights materials uses - clothes now being synethic clothing.
Good for discovering prehistory that was before written historic narratives.
Rubbish cons
Material record can have bias
Not all materials last for years eg wood
Materials can be hard to understand many societies later eg religion etc
Material can have a different relationship as social group audience changes
Need to know context before analysing
Metal can be reshaped/reused
(Case Study) Archeology of Homelessness 2009, Bristol
Allowed to discover what built their world.
Showed taboo subjects - drugs
They are a hidden social groups in textual sources
Discovered unexpected, one carried a vase just because he liked it (found through oral interviews), so broke stereotypes
(Case Study) The Tucson Garbage Project 1973, Dr William Rathje
Studied residents’ waste.
Examined patterns of consumption.
Shows info that people wouldn’t freely volunteer to tell.
eg alcohol consumption
Project has since expanded into American cities and is taking place in landfills
