I presented my thesis prospectus a couple of weeks ago. It went REALLY well! I'm very pleased. I am developing an artifact seriation and typology of bridle bits for the Middle Atlantic region. I will present a poster on my project in March at the 2013 Middle Atlantic Archaeology Conference in Virginia Beach, Virginia. For my prospectus, I provided an outline of things to come:
-- Theoretical approaches to artifact analysis
-- A review of previously made seriations and typologies
-- An investigation into the significance of the equine during the Contact Period
-- A final analysis of the bridle bit as a tool and witness to the past
I first became interested in horse furniture while I was working at Ferry Farm. I presume my interest stemmed from my passion for equestrian activities. Horse furniture in archaeology evolved from a natural blending of my two passions: archaeology and horses. I conducted a great deal of research at the National Sporting Library and Museum in Middleburg, Virginia. I believe I mentioned this in a post from the summer but I can't express how wonderful it was to have the opportunity to work with this facility.
I am expected to graduate in May of 2013, so I will need to crank out the chapters as efficiently as possible! I still have several places to visit, which will be a little stressful. I'm looking forward to viewing the finished product! I hope that I can add to it in the coming years.
