Download or read book The Archaeology of Improvement in Britain, 1750–1850 written by Sarah Tarlow and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2007-04-30 with total page 202 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In this innovative 2007 study, Sarah Tarlow shows how the archaeology of this period manifests a widespread and cross-cutting ethic of improvement. Theoretically informed and drawn from primary and secondary sources in a range of disciplines, the author considers agriculture and the rural environment, towns, and buildings such as working-class housing and institutions of reform. From bleach baths to window glass, rubbish pits to tea wares, the material culture of the period reflects a particular set of values and aspirations. Tarlow examines the philosophical and historical background to the notion of improvement and demonstrates how this concept is a useful lens through which to examine the material culture of later historical Britain.