Mary Beaudry

Mary Beaudry was a renowned Professor of Anthropology, Archaeology, and Gastronomy at Boston University. Her work focused on historical archaeology, particularly in the Americas and British Isles, emphasizing foodways, gender equity, and material culture. She held notable positions on editorial boards of journals like Antiquaries Journal and Post-Medieval Archaeology.

Her research was supported by prestigious fellowships, including the National Endowment for the Humanities Fellowship and the Henderson Senior Fellowship. She authored or co-edited influential books such as The Archaeology of Food: An Encyclopedia and Archaeologies of Mobility and Movement.

Beaudry's academic contributions spanned household archaeology, colonial studies, and the archaeology of movement. Her legacy includes groundbreaking work on the Boott Mills Boardinghouses in Lowell, Massachusetts, and her advocacy for integrating documentary evidence with material culture analysis.

She received the J. C. Harrington Award for lifetime contributions to historical archaeology and the Society for Historical Archaeology’s James Deetz Book Award. Her interdisciplinary approach bridged archaeology with gender studies, microhistory, and public engagement.