FOODWAY COMPARIONS AND PATTERNS OF CONSUMER BEHAVIOR: THE USE OF ORPHAN AND SALVAGE ARCHAEOLOGICAL COLLECTIONS FROM HISTORIC MISSOULA, MONTANA

Author

Emily Thea MeickFollow

Year of Award

2024

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Type

Master of Arts (MA)

Degree Name

Anthropology (Cultural Heritage Option)

Department or School/College

Anthropology

Committee Chair

Anna M. Prentiss

Committee Co-chair

Kelly J. Dixon

Commitee Members

Claire R. Arcenas, Nikki Manning (Urban Archaeology Consultant)

Keywords

zooarchaeology, historic archaeology, orphan and salvage collections, consumer behavior

Subject Categories

Anthropology | Archaeological Anthropology | Social and Behavioral Sciences

Abstract

The goal of this project is to better understand and test theories about consumer behavior and meat consumption through faunal remains using orphaned and salvaged historic archaeological collections from three sites across Missoula, Montana, from the 1860s through the 1920s. Previous research underscored the need for properly defined units of analysis that represent what was being purchased and consumed. Using a consumer behavior framework and meat quality index, as indicated by price and meat yield, foodways comparisons between a Euromerican household that maintained renters, occupants of a Chinese store, Joss House, and residential dwellings within Missoula’s Red-Light District, and enlisted men, officers, and their families at Fort Missoula highlight differences and similarities in consumer behavior across the three sites. From the data, it was found that consumers were reliant on local markets, which limited species diversity. Across all three sites, middle-ranked meat cuts for both price and meat yield were preferred; however, the presence of veal, an expensive product, at the Chinese store and the fort could indicate celebratory activities. Ultimately, it was found that relying on faunal remains as the only indicator of purchasing power is complicated and does not necessarily provide the clearest image of consumer behavior. Foodway trends can be discerned from orphan and salvage collections when the correct unit of measurement is applied to research and the quality index is established for the specific region and timespan of the project.

Recommended Citation

Meick, Emily Thea, "FOODWAY COMPARIONS AND PATTERNS OF CONSUMER BEHAVIOR: THE USE OF ORPHAN AND SALVAGE ARCHAEOLOGICAL COLLECTIONS FROM HISTORIC MISSOULA, MONTANA" (2024). Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers. 12318.
https://scholarworks.umt.edu/etd/12318