Talking Trash: Classifying Rubbish-Bearing Deposits From Colonial New Zealand Sites

Abstract

Archaeological investigations on historic period sites in New Zealand recover household refuse in a variety of regularly recurring contexts. Interpreting the artefact or faunal assemblages from these deposits depends upon a good understanding of the formation processes at play. Here, rubbish-bearing deposits are classified according to form for two purposes: first, as a tool to assist with the analysis and interpretation of archaeological assemblages; and second, to highlight the ways in which their analysis can throw light upon past attitudes and behaviours concerning household waste.