The Archaeology of Magic
May 12, 2020 C. Riley Augé
Early American colonists in New England used magical practices alongside their Puritan faith to protect themselves from perceived supernatural threats. Archaeological evidence from homesteads dating 1620–1725 in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Maine reveals objects and architectural features intended as defenses against evil forces. Letters, diaries, sermons, medical texts, court records including the Salem witch trials, and folklore show that colonists simultaneously practiced magic and maintained Puritan convictions. Gendered patterns emerged in how women and men employed magic. The work argues that archaeologists must incorporate historical records and oral traditions to accurately interpret past worldviews and material culture.