As the Armory Hill Living History Association we are dedicated to the study of American life before 1840. We do this by means of personal research and experimental archaeology. There has been a lot of talk lately about experimental archaeology but it pretty much boils down to "What the heck is it anyway?"

Most probably the term came into its current usage due largely to the efforts of Mark A. Baker. Think what you will about Mark but he has probably done more to popularize our hobby than almost anyone else. Just look at his excellent "Longhunter" videos and you'll see why. He calls himself an "experimental archaeologist" and defines it as someone who uses the old ways and, through trial and error, discovers how they are supposed to work. That's what we do, too. We'll make or trade for or buy some article of early American life and try to use it. After much fiddling and fumbling we start to get the hang of it. Then we can, with reasonable assurance, say "This is probably the way the used to do it in the old days." That's experimental archaeology.