Histories of Southeastern Archaeology

Introduction: The History of Histories

Introduction The History of Histories Shannon Tushingham and Jane Hill At the Fifty-sixth Annual Southeastern Archaeological Conference a series of papers were presented at a symposium titled “Histories of Southeastern Archaeology.” We organized this symposium to honor Charles H. McNutt, Professor Emeritus at the University of Memphis, who retired from the classroom in 1998. Dr. McNutt exerted great in®uence on our education, as he has with hundreds of anthropology students attending the University of Memphis over the last three decades. We thought that the semiretirement of our mentor called for something more dynamic than the traditional handsome plaques and hearty handshakes. We decided that a symposium involving senior scholars talking about the history of archaeology and how they had “grown up” in the¤eld would be a ¤tting tribute to Dr. McNutt’s career. The path that led us to this choice of symposium topic was certainly not direct. Several different subjects were considered and rejected. Ultimately, we were inspired by our interest in the history of archaeology in the Southeast and a keen desire to hear the personal stories and re®ections of archaeologists who had worked through these developments over the last several decades. This interest is an outgrowth of our relationship with Dr. McNutt, whose ability to fuse changing theoretical perspectives with personal experience in the practical application of anthropology enabled us to bridge the gap between theory and practice in our own work. Like others of his generation, he personally knew many of the archaeologists about whom we had only read. For example, as a student it is one thing to read about the Ford-Spaulding debate but quite another to listen to it described by someone who experienced it ¤rsthand. We found it enlightening and entertaining to hear Dr. McNutt describe himself as a graduate student in the late 1950s, happily mixing in a moonlit discussion between James Ford and Albert Spaulding. Stories such as these make the history of archaeology come alive. In our introduction to the “Histories” symposium at SEAC, we gave tribute to Dr. McNutt by describing some of the landmarks of his career. It was a dif¤cult task considering his modesty and all that he has accomplished. With the help of former students and longtime friends, we also were able to tell some good jokes and show some humorous photographs, so in that sense, for us it was a success. Without embarrassing him any further we would simply like to make the point that it is our impression that Charles McNutt is a remarkable scholar, a gifted teacher, and an enduring friend. Initially, we promised Dr. McNutt that he would not have to lift a ¤nger to bring this symposium to fruition. As is typical of him, however, he was not content to sit on the sidelines waiting for laurels to be laid at his feet and instead became an active participant. So as the project developed we found that instead of having a professor on a pedestal we had gained a senior partner. The response and enthusiasm for the project from those we contacted have been greater and more satisfying than we ever expected. On November 11, 1999, at the SEAC meetings in Pensacola, Florida, the authors of this book gathered to present their papers. At the close of the “Histories ” symposium, there was a screening of “Bringing the Past Alive,” a fascinating interview with William Haag and George Quimby conducted in 1989 by Ann Ramenofsky at Louisiana State University. In chapter 1 we have provided selected excerpts from the sixty-¤ve-page transcript of this interview. We hasten to add that we left the dif¤cult task of choosing these excerpts to Dr. McNutt, a process he described as “brutal.” This experience left us with even greater respect for Dr. Ramenofsky, who edited more than six hours of videotaped interview to an hour-and-a-half-long program for public television. We encourage anyone interested in the history of Southeastern archaeology, and speci¤cally Depression-era archaeology, to view this tape. It contains invaluable ¤rsthand information, and we have to agree with Dr.Ramenofsky that Drs. Haag and Quimby do tell a good story. The symposium generated a lot of excitement, brought several people out of retirement from SEAC meetings, and gladdened the hearts of bartenders in the greater Pensacola area. We were encouraged by many to be sure the papers presented were published, and we resolved to do so as soon as was humanly possible...