Beneath the Rising Sun: “Frenchness” and the Archaeology of Desire

Dawdy, Shannon Lee; Weyhing, Richard

doi:10.1007/s10761-008-0073-7

Cited by 16 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 11 publications

(4 reference statements)

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“…Shannon Lee Dawdy and Richard Weyhing (2008) looked at the ways in which French New Orleans was and is sexualized in popular culture and how that has affected archaeological and historical interpretations of its past. It would be easy to assume that the faience "rouge pot" fragments found in excavations of the 1822 Rising Sun Hotel represented prostitutes' activities.…”

Section: Sexual Misconceptionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Historical archaeology

Scott

2014

The International Encyclopedia of Human Sexuality

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Historical archaeologists have recently begun explicitly exploring the topic of sexuality in their interpretations of the past. This cutting‐edge research casts much‐needed light on one of the less well‐understood aspects of past societies and promises to provide important new knowledge in the future. Key areas that have been addressed include prostitution and commercial sex, the promotion or prevention of childbearing, sexual strategies in conquest and colonization, men and masculinity, and the effects of sexual myths on interpretations of the past.

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Section: Sexual Misconceptionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Historical archaeology

Scott

2014

The International Encyclopedia of Human Sexuality

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“…Shannon Lee Dawdy and Richard Weyhing (2008) demonstrated how projecting assumptions, or "desires," onto an archaeological site can blind researchers to alternative hypotheses. For instance, an exceptionally high number of faience rouge pots were found at the archaeological excavation of the site of the historic House of the Rising Sun Hotel in New Orleans, Louisiana.…”

Section: Gender Studies and New Archaeological Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sex, Drugs, And Rock-Lined Privies: An Analysis Of Embossed Glass Health Product Bottles From Victorian-Era Brothel And Non-Brothel Archaeological Sites By Socioeconomic Status

Randolph¹

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This thesis examines consumption patterns of Victorian-Era health products once contained in embossed-glass bottles to elucidate trends among different socioeconomic groups during the mid-nineteenth century through the first decade of the twentieth century. The consumption patterns of 20 types of health products from nine different archaeological sites across the United States were analyzed among Victorian-Era brothel residents and the non-brothel population, by socioeconomic class, and then by both socioeconomic status and affiliation with the sex industry.This process was repeated using the ingredients contained within the health products examined above.Analysis revealed that soda water was exceptionally popular as a health product during the Victorian Period, especially among the working class and prostitutes. Within the prostitute and non-prostitute comparison, the data revealed the most common products used by the prostitutes were grooming aids and Vaseline while products to treat general debility were more popular among the non-prostitutes. Consumption of products with a high alcohol content was much greater among the non-prostitutes than the prostitutes. Comparisons between socioeconomic class displayed trends indicating a preference for soda water by all three classes. Class analysis also indicated that the middle-class assemblage was more similar to that of the upper class than the working class. Finally, in brothel class comparisons, the results of this study suggest the upper-class prostitutes consumed more products related to beauty and grooming regimens while the working-class prostitutes preferred products intended to relieve discomfort. The upper-class prostitutes were also more likely to demonstrate brand loyalty, possibly an expression of greater purchasing power.The results of this study indicate that analysis of embossed-glass health products bottles from archaeological sites can be used in conjunction with documentary records and alternate assemblages to not only verify the presence of Victorian-Era brothel sites but determine the type of brothel as well. Furthermore, analysis of embossed glass bottles can provide insights into the lives, health, quality of life, well-being, cultural values, and consumption patterns of Americans during the Victorian Period.

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Prostitution, archaeology of, North America

Yamin¹

2015

The International Encyclopedia of Human Sexuality

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The archaeology of prostitution in the United States is the archaeology of brothels that have been excavated during cultural resource management projects, mainly in cities. While prostitution in American cities has been studied by numerous social historians of the nineteenth century, the reality of prostitutes’ everyday lives comes into focus through the excavated artifacts and sites. A major insight is the contrast between the artifacts associated with work—fancy dishes, expensive cuts of meat, elaborate glassware, cosmetics, and clothing—and artifacts associated with the prostitutes’ private lives. Venereal disease and contraception were major concerns, and artifacts (e.g., syringes, douches) associated with both have been recovered. Clay pipes, probably smoked in off hours, sewing paraphernalia, and decorative items suggest the world that prostitutes constructed when they were not working. Children's toys and china also belong to that world. The archaeological finds throw light on the agency and independence of women who sought a decent living through prostitution, but they also reveal the negative and difficult aspects of that choice.

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Beneath the Rising Sun: “Frenchness” and the Archaeology of Desire

Cited by 16 publications

References 11 publications

Historical archaeology

Historical archaeology

Sex, Drugs, And Rock-Lined Privies: An Analysis Of Embossed Glass Health Product Bottles From Victorian-Era Brothel And Non-Brothel Archaeological Sites By Socioeconomic Status

Prostitution, archaeology of, North America

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