She has been immersed in the Lowcountry of South Carolina and Georgian and learning about Gullah culture, past and present. She has worked on African American enslaved houses showing some ties to the Caribbean and Yoruba housing. She has seen evidence for foodways similar to some west African cultures such as Sierra Leone. And here in Guilford County, she and her students have brought more understanding at the urban slave plantation known as Blandwood and at the area of the original Guilford Courthouse.These community-engaged projects, as she works with local people and students on projects that are important to their communities, are key to her career and research.
“Archaeology is a passion first. Then you create a career that allows you to continue to practice your craft and science,” says Dr. Linda France Stine, assistant professor of historical archaeology at UNCG.
Archaeology as a field has changed and evolved over the decades. A panel of North Carolina female archaeologists in the private and public sectors will discuss their diverse experiences in the field at the NC Museum of History Friday, Oct. 18, at 3 p.m.
Stine will join Dr. Susan Bamann, Kimberly Kenyon, Dr. Margaret Scarry, and Dr. Alice P. Wright on the panel.
What changes has Stine seen, since her career began? A large increase in the number of archaeologists with jobs in the field. Most work in industry or for government agencies overseeing environmental assessment and impacts on federal lands or for projects using federal money, she says. There are fewer jobs in academia, she notes. “Much fewer. ”
And there are many more women, especially since historic archaeology became more accepted as a field. “As for mentoring, grants, publications, jobs, and pay, there is still disparity between men and women.” A recent industry survey showed this.
“As the future president of the Register of Professional Archaeologists, I am working closely with the heads of other major archaeological organizations to increase ethical awareness and practices, to increase the number of archaeologists willing to sign up and apply for registration avowing they will promote the best of good standards and practices, and to actively intervene in observed harassment, discrimination, or bullying,” she says. “We also are learning that our younger generation of archaeologists have some important, diverse perspectives on what constitutes acceptable working conditions such as hours and physical labor.”
The event is presented by the NC Office of State Archaeology, and is free-admission. It is an Archaeology Month event.
Photos: Linda Stine and an open house event at the Guilford Courthouse National Military Park.
