Regarding bed length, a former Winterthur Fellow, Robin Sarratt, did her thesis on the issue of the height of Americans across time using data derived from measuring things like beds, tables, chairs and so forth.  She currently works in Winterthur's
development office.
Chuck Watkins
The Appalachian Cultural Museum

Carol Ely wrote:

> 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
>
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