Miner Daily Life

Digging into the Past

Most coal and silver miners who lived in the past did not write down what happened to them. How do we know who they were and how they lived? Archaeology can help us answer these questions.

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The archaeology of ancient houses, kitchens, and living quarters can provide a window into the past, providing a look into the everyday lives of Peruvian and West Virginian miners. Houses show us how miners lived when they weren't mining, and kitchens show us how they cooked and what they ate. 

Where did miners live and sleep? Did they use fancy china plates or did they eat from communal bowls? Answering these questions paints a picture of what life was like for miners in the past. Eating well and living in a large house likely meant you were wealthy and powerful, while being forced to live in a small communal tent meant quite the opposite. 

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Left: Javier Chalcha excavates the house floor of a Spanish overseer's residence at the silver refining mill of Trapiche in Puno, Peru. In this house, we found a Spanish silver coin, precious gem stones, and fancy pottery. These objects tell us someone important, wealthy, and powerful lived here - perhaps the overseer of the refinery. The artifacts left behind inside houses at Trapiche help us learn about how life was different for overseers and miners in 17th century Peru  (Photograph by Sarah Kennedy).