TheSociety for Historical Archaeology (SHA) is a professional organization of scholars concerned with thearchaeology of themodern world (15th century-present). Founded in 1967, the SHA promotes scholarly research and the dissemination of knowledge pertaining tohistorical archaeology. The society is specifically interested in the identification,excavation, interpretation, and conservation of sites and materials on land and underwater. It is the largest such organization in the world and the third-largest anthropological organization in theUnited States.[1]
According to its Constitution,[2]
The SHA’s “Ethical Principles of The Society for Historical Archaeology”[3] provide further guidance to society members, historical archaeologists, and those in allied fields regarding one’sethical obligations to thearchaeological record, colleagues, employers, and the public.
With theNational Historic Preservation Act of 1966 and the United States’ approachingBicentennial, the mid-twentieth century witnessed a renewed interest incolonial America and a growing scholarly interest in the archaeology of the modern world. These trends encouraged the development of a professional organization devoted to the study and practice of historical archaeology.
At the 1958 Annual Meeting of theAmerican Anthropological Association inWashington, D.C.,John L. Cotter chaired a symposium on the Role of Archaeology in Historical Research.Cotter,Edward B. Jelks, Edward Larrabee, andStanley South subsequently discussed forming a society devoted to historical archaeology. Jelks, following a second such discussion at the meeting of the Central States Anthropological Society in St. Louis in 1966, began to plan an “International Conference on Historical Archaeology." That conference was held January 6–7, 1967, atSouthern Methodist University inDallas,Texas.[4] The conference drew 112 attendees, with 17 papers by scholars including Charles Cleland,James Deetz, Bernard Fontana,J.C. "Pinky" Harrington, andRoderick Sprague. The SHA was officially incorporated on April 1, 1968, inBethlehem, Pennsylvania, andJohn Cotter was elected to serve as its first president.[5]
SHA publishes itspeer-reviewed journalHistorical Archaeology quarterly with online publication of Book Reviews and Technical Briefs. The SHA reader series,Perspectives from Historical Archaeology, offers subject matter and regional selections of articles published inHistorical Archaeology.
The SHA Newsletter is published quarterly in March, June, October, and December.[6] The SHA also maintains ablog where members and non-members read, share, and discuss topics posted by SHA leadership.[7]
The Society presents several awards, medals and travel stipends yearly, including:[8]
After the 1967 conference in Dallas, the Society’s first annual meeting took place in 1968 inWilliamsburg, Virginia. The table below shows the meeting locations and dates since 2007.[9]
| Meeting | Location | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 55th | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | 2022 |
| 54th | virtual meeting usingZoom[10] | 2021 |
| 53rd | Boston, Massachusetts | 2020 |
| 52nd | Saint Charles, Missouri | 2019 |
| 51st | New Orleans, Louisiana | January 3-6, 2018 |
| 50th | Fort Worth, Texas | January 4-7, 2017 |
| 49th | Washington, D.C. | January 6-9, 2016 |
| 48th | Seattle, Washington | January 6-11, 2015 |
| 47th | Quebec, Canada | January 8-12, 2014 |
| 46th | Leicester, Great Britain | January 9–12, 2013 |
| 45th | Baltimore, Maryland | January 4–8, 2012 |
| 44th | Austin, Texas | January 5–9, 2011 |
| 43rd | Amelia Island, Florida | January 6–9, 2010 |
| 42nd | Toronto, Ontario, Canada | January 7–11, 2009 |
| 41st | Albuquerque, New Mexico | January 9–13, 2008 |
| 40th | Williamsburg, Virginia | January 9–14, 2007 |
The Society, in association with theAdvisory Council on Underwater Archaeology, also organises the annual Conference on Historical and Underwater Archaeology, which takes place every January for the delivery of papers and symposia as well as social and professional interaction.
The 2022-2023 SHA leadership is as follows:[1]