Over the past several centuries, firearms technology burst onto world history and brought about massive changes in the scope and nature of human conflict. They dramatically altered economic adjustments and patterns across the world. Firearms became distinctive elements of regional material culture. It is not surprising that gun parts and ammunition are nearly ubiquitous in North American historical archeological assemblages. With thoughtful consideration, archeological residues of firearms usage can provide insights into the human past.

Who should attend: Cultural resource managers and specialists from federal agencies, tribal, state, and local governments; private contractors; professors and students; and international cultural resource personnel with responsibilities concerning the identification, evaluation, and preservation of archeological and other cultural resources.

Objectives

This workshop will discuss and demonstrate methods for studying firearms, firearm parts and ammunition components found in archeological contexts. The archeology of firearms refers to the information, analytical techniques, and conceptual approaches that archeologists can use to understand the material residues of guns and use them to investigate important human behaviors that involved firearms use.

A variety of subjects will be addressed:
Recognizing and interpreting gun parts; unexploded ordinances; evidence of firearms operation; incident reconstruction; artillery for the archeologist; recovery of firearms and their residue; and firearms research strategies.