Date of Award

1-1-2016

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

M.A.

Department

Anthropology

First Advisor

Bonnie Clark, Ph.D.

Second Advisor

Dean J. Saitta

Third Advisor

Gabi Kathöefer

Keywords

Daily life, Gardens, Modified artifacts, Prisoner of war, World War II

Abstract

From 1943 to 1946, the U.S. government held over 3,000 German POWs at Camp Trinidad in southern Colorado. In 2013 and 2014, archaeological fieldwork, interviews, and archival research were conducted in order to better understand the daily lives of those incarcerated at the camp. The information gathered about artifacts, environmental features, and personal narratives, reveals insights into the lesser known details of the prisoners' lives. Despite the U.S. military rules and regulations and efforts by American personnel within camp, prisoners created goods they wanted or needed. Acquiring the necessary goods was accomplished through modification of available goods, through scavenging the local built or natural environment to craft desired items, and through exchange of goods between the prisoners and their captors. By creating the goods the prisoners wanted or needed, they were not only able to exert their own power within institutional confinement, they also coped and made-do in their temporary home.

Publication Statement

Copyright is held by the author. User is responsible for all copyright compliance.

Provenance

Received from ProQuest

Rights holder

Christopher Michael Morine

File size

150 p.

File format

application/pdf

Language

en

Discipline

Archaeology, American History, Military History

Download



Share

COinS