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Looking At Boston's History Through Archaeology

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    Joe Bagley, Boston’s archaeologist, at the city’s archaeology lab. (Joe Difazio/WBUR)
    Joe Bagley, Boston’s archaeologist, at the city’s archaeology lab. (Joe Difazio/WBUR)

    We recently visited a warehouse in West Roxbury that's home to Boston's City Archaeology Lab, and the domain of Joe Bagley, the city's archaeologist.

    He walked us past boxes of recovered artifacts from beneath the streets of Boston. Their labels say things like "Paul Revere's home," "Fanueil Hall, "the African Meeting House." All of them filled with 1 million artifacts that represent over 7,000 years of history.

    Joe Bagley's out with a new book titled "A History Of Boston In 50 Artifacts."

    Check out some of the artifacts Bagley showed us on our visit to his lab:

    Artifacts from a dig at the former Boston home of Malcolm X. (Joe Difazio by WBUR)
    Artifacts from a dig at the former Boston home of Malcolm X. (Joe Difazio by WBUR)
    A Showtime adult movie token circa 1960-1984, discovered in the Boston Common in 1987. (Joe Difazio by WBUR)
    A Showtime adult movie token circa 1960-1984, discovered in the Boston Common in 1987. (Joe Difazio by WBUR)
    Lipstick circa 1940-1950, discovered in the North End in 2013. (Joe Difazio for WBUR)
    Lipstick circa 1940-1950, discovered in the North End in 2013. (Joe Difazio for WBUR)
    A cat killed by blunt force trauma circa 1714-1750 discovered at the entrance of Three Cranes Tavern in Charlestown. (Joe Difazio by WBUR)
    A cat killed by blunt force trauma circa 1714-1750 discovered at the entrance of Three Cranes Tavern in Charlestown. (Joe Difazio by WBUR)
    A cannon ball from the Battle of Bunker Hill, June 17, 1775. (Joe Difazio by WBUR)
    A cannon ball from the Battle of Bunker Hill, June 17, 1775. (Joe Difazio by WBUR)
    A ceramic that was overheated in a Charlestown kiln circa 1715-1760, discovered in 1986. (Joe Difazio for WBUR)
    A ceramic that was overheated in a Charlestown kiln circa 1715-1760, discovered in 1986. (Joe Difazio for WBUR)
    A cowbell circa 1770-1830, discovered on the Boston Common in 1987. (Joe Difazio by WBUR)
    A cowbell circa 1770-1830, discovered on the Boston Common in 1987. (Joe Difazio by WBUR)

    Guest

    Joe Bagley, city archaeologist for Boston. He tweets @BostonArchaeo.

    More

    The Boston Globe: The History Of Boston, In 50 Artifacts

    • "There’s more to Boston’s rich history than Paul Revere, John Adams, and the Boston Massacre — and city archeologist Joseph Bagley wants to help the public to dig deeper."

    This segment aired on April 22, 2016.

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