Lori Allen wrote: > Then there is the documentation issue. If we relied solely on written > documentation, most of history would be deemed unimportant along with > entire sections of the population. In fact, I think this has been going on > for centuries. What horrifies me is that you are furthering this viewpoint > to students. It is the 21st. century, already. Obviously, no one should > believe everything they see/hear. But one should not dismiss everything > that doesn't have written documentation, either. OK, whoops. You 're getting personal here. I'm asking for evidence - which can include images. I asked for measurements of beds - that's material evidence. But someone, somewhere, has to leave a trace of evidence, which we can get through archeology, surviving oral testimony, images, documents, or other sources, all of which have to be examined critically for their validity, their applicability, their bias. If it horrifies you that a historian of material culture asks for evidence rather than hearsay and legend, then you are not applying the kind of rigorous standards that I think should be applied to all historical questions. If there are legends and hearsay, examine them critically too. Maybe there's a germ of truth that will lead to a better understanding, maybe not. I'm a Ph.D. in American History with a subspeciality in Material Culture Studies. My dissertation, on textiles, involved artifact and image study. I studied with Jane Nylander and Robert St. George, both outstanding students and practitioners of the use of material evidence. I worked with John Demos, one of the first historians to ask social historical questions and answer them with reference to artifacts. I consult for museums, and when I teach undergraduates, I use images, objects, and visits to historic sites to teach. And I ask questions, and ask my students to ask questions, and we think it through together. I include the study of dispossessed groups and their experiences, often told through unwritten sources, and I give them the respect of treating their stories with the same critical attention I give all evidence. As you can tell, I'm really insulted by your comments. Carol Ely Museum Consultant, Louisville ========================================================= Important Subscriber Information: The Museum-L FAQ file is located at http://www.finalchapter.com/museum-l-faq/ . You may obtain detailed information about the listserv commands by sending a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "help" (without the quotes). If you decide to leave Museum-L, please send a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "Signoff Museum-L" (without the quotes).