Artifact Breaks
Debuting in October 2025, Artifact Breaks is an ongoing series of video shorts designed to help archaeologists and the public identify material culture found on archaeological sites across the early modern Atlantic World. Travel with Jillian to archaeological sites, laboratories, and museum vaults across North America and the Caribbean. We’ll take a deep look into the key attributes for identifying different artifact types, talk a bit about why these attributes are important for understanding the past. Videos will be released through @artifactbreaks on Instagram, and will be available through this website. Follow @artifactbreaks so you don’t miss one.
Jillian developed the idea of creating short artifact identification videos during the COVID 19 pandemic. She wanted to create a way to teach material culture remotely, while also making something fun and pithy that would be easily consumed during a coffee break. During a brainstorming walk with her late husband, the architectural historian Aaron Wunsch, he named the series Artifact Breaks. He shared Jillian’s love of material culture, buildings, and landscapes.