The Archaeology of Prostitution and Clandestine Pursuits

Prostitution and other illicit activities, such as gambling and smuggling, have always been a part of the American social fabric, even though the women and men who participated in these pursuits have historically tried to cover up, or hide, their questionable endeavors. Prostitution is perhaps one of the oldest forms of illicit occupations, and the archaeology of prostitution is a relatively new field of study, following the emergence of household and urban archaeology in the late twentieth century. Rebecca Yamin and Donna J. Seifert are pioneers in this exciting area of inquiry where artifact assemblages found at brothel sites often contradict the written record, thus allowing archaeologists to create a much more complicated picture of daily life for working-class women whose professions centered on selling sex. Using case studies from brothels and parlor houses throughout America, the authors employ archaeological data in its historical context to consider the role of individual agency not only among women workers trying to establish independent lives outside their families but among smugglers and other members of past societies who participated in illicit pursuits.