Archaeologists play another important political role when they are called on to testify in court as expert witnesses in aboriginal land claim cases. Over the past 20 years, archaeological work has continued at Tracadie Harbour, Antigonish County, Nova Scotia. This work is designed to determine the antiquity of the Mi'kmaq, their use of plant and animal resources, adaptations to a changing coastal environment and understandings of the landscape. The analysis of material excavated from Tracadie Harbour so far suggests that this area has been accupied for the past 5000 years. Historical archaeology is a growing field in North America and other parts of the world.
Many stories remain untold, even in societies with written histories.
Archaeologists work with written documents and material remains to create a well-rounded understanding of the past. We know that historical records were often created by the powerful members of a society, those who had received an education and had the time and the means to write. We also know that what was recorded was selective at the best of times and, in many cases, demonstrates clear bias. Through excavation and careful analysis they can tell us what people ate and whether the people who lived in the parts of a town with smaller houses and fewer luxury goods actually ate poorer quality food than the people who lived in the larger, well-furnished buildings. Feminist archaeologists have juxtaposed written records and artifactual remains to understand how women and men used space in the past.