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James Deetz.  In Small Things Forgotten: The Archeology of Early American Life.  New York: Anchor Books, 1977.

In Small Things Forgotten begins with a methodology chapter which describes the work of  historical archeologists as the study of everyday material objects of the past or “small things forgotten.”  Combining three dimensional artifacts and documentary evidence, James Deetz argues that early seventeenth century New England culture was much like that of England.  Further artifactual examination also illustrates that during the last half of the seventeenth century, these two cultures developed distinctive characteristics and by the middle of the eighteenth century they once again converged, exhibiting many similarities.  Using gravestones as one source of evidence, Deetz asserts that three iconographic designs were used in New England between 1680 and 1820 and reflected the religious beliefs of the inhabitants of the region.  In the seventeenth century the “winged death’s head” design was pervasive and portrayed “orthodox Puritanism” by stressing decay and the grim reality of death.  The eighteenth century ushered in a new approach to religion that culminated in the Great Awakening.  Gravestone design reflected this dramatic change with the “winged cherub” (a sign of resurrection and heavenly reward) replacing the earlier design.  At the end the eighteenth century the cherub was displaced by a willow tree overhanging a pedestaled urn (a symbol of commemoration) and reflected the secularization of religion.  Further, Deetz argues that this same sequence in stylistic designs were found in England prior to their appearance in New England with cherubs appearing at the beginning of the Georgian period in 1725 and the willow tree design emerging as early as 1760.  Deetz employs ceramics, music instruments, and housing to further illustrate his thesis and attributes the convergence of New England and old England culture to Enlightenment ideology.  The strengths of this monograph reside in its methodological approach and the use of material artifacts as historical evidence. [J. Dusselier]