Book Description
“How true is it?” is a common refrain of patrons coming out of movie theatres after the latest film on pirates, Vikings, or mummies. While Hollywood usurps the past for its own entertainment purposes, archaeologists and historians know a lot about many of these subjects, digging up stories often more fascinating than the ones projected on screen. This distinguished group of archaeologists select key subjects and genres used by Hollywood and provide the historical and archaeological depth that a movie cannot--what really happened in history. Topics include Egypt, the Wild West, Civil War submarines, Vikings, the Titanic, and others. The book should be of interest to introductory archaeology and American history classes, courses on film and popular culture, and to a general audience. Alternate Selection, History Book Club. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

For those with a bone to pick about movies
Here's a startling fact:most so-called historical films are not 100% historically accurate.Of course, for most people, this is not really startling at all, and for many, it is interesting to see where fact and fiction divide.Just as there are all sorts of science books that explore the physics of comics, Harry Potter and Star Trek, there are also books that look at the historical accuracy of movies.Box Office Archaeology, edited by Julie Schablitsky, focuses on how archaeology shows where certain films may not be very realistic.

For the most part, the authors in this book understand that most films are, first and foremost, stories, and that a historical setting is not meant to be accurate as much as to provide verisimilitude.So this is not a book of spoilsports, but a book that adds depth to your movie watching experience.

Each chapter is by a different author or authors, and as an anthology of essays, the quality is not completely consistent.The early chapters - which focus much more on what most people think of as archaeology - I found more interesting.These topics include mummies, Vikings, pirates and the Titanic.One common thing among these subjects is that there are definite holes in the archaeological record, which does allow speculation (however implausible) on the part of a movie maker.

Later chapters are more erratic.A chapter on the Civil War submarine H.L. Hunley is interesting from a historical standpoint, but with only a couple TV production telling its tale, it doesn't seem to really merit inclusion in the book.Other chapters, dealing with the cinematic depiction of blacks, Indians and Chinese, really don't add much to what most readers will already know:that for a long time, minorities were underrepresented in historical movies and when they did appear, they were typically stereotypes.It's a worthwhile point, but I'm not sure how well it really fits in this book.

The nice thing about historical movies is that they introduce, even if not fully factually, viewers to times and worlds beyond their own.It also gives them an opportunity to learn where history and fiction differ; for example, when Braveheart implied William Wallace was the true father of Edward III, I found that would have quite a feat, considering Wallace died three years before the future king's birth (this dramatic license doesn't diminish this great movie, though).Box Office Archaeology may provoke you to ask such questions of the movies you watch as well.It may not be a perfect book, but if it makes you think, it has its merit.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Best for several reasons
I used this book in my first classical archaeology course as an undergraduate, and later to brush up my weak points before the exams for the American School of Classical Studies at Athens.Now that I am a professor of classical archaeology, I always use this updated edition as a textbook in university courses that I teach on the subject.

In addition to its great academic and pedagogical merits, I feel good using Professor Biers' book on a personal level, because he is, in my own experience and by all accounts, a kind and honest gentleman.

Fast Quality Service
The book arrived in good condition just days after I ordered it.You saved me some good money on my textbooks!Thanks.

Excellent but with some flaws
`The Archaeology of Greece' is an excellent book to introduce you to the numerous treasures the Greek world has left behind. Aside from plain information about the artefacts, the book also pays a lot of attention to the social background of the time. As the modern scope of archaeology lies mainly in explaining the past rather than just discovering pots and pans, this information is very welcome. Overall I find that Biers has done an excellent job in writing the book. His information is thorough and detailed and you never get the feeling that something is unclear. The illustrations are superb: you'll find a lot of nice pictures inside that are not just decoration but an essential part of the text.

Yet, I take one star off because the presentation of the book isn't always as good. First, there is very little `division' in each chapter. Each of the ten chapters has a division into art, architecture, sculpture, painting and mosaics and miscellaneous stuff. But it is not enough. For example, one of the chapters is about a few late-classical sculptors, among them Praxiteles, Skopas and Lysippos. All you see though, is one long batch of text under the header `sculpture'. Especially for students like me, it would be so much more helpful to divide `sculpture' into more parts and put more heads in the text, for example one with `Praxiteles' and one with `Lysippos', etcetera. Now it sometimes becomes unclear what the author is really talking about. Additionally, the author gives a lot of information about different sculptors and styles, but he seldom compares them. And IF he does, the lack of any heads makes the information very difficult to find.

Another strange thing was the connection between pictures and text. It often happens that the picture a text refers to, is one or two pages ahead of the text itself. So if page 167 refers to figure 9.25, you have to turn the page before you know what it is about. I think this problem could have been avoided easily with some better editing. Alas, the book has some typographical problems but on the level of information it's very useful and informative. I just hope these flaws will be removed in the next edition, but still recommend the book.

Nice outline of Ancient Greek Archaeology
This book provides the student of Ancient Greece with the foundations of Greek art and architecture.His book is not dry and read fairly quickly (he even managed to make me laugh a few times!) and his expertise is evident in every aspect.I enjoyed reading this book and feel that it deepened my knowledge of this subject.

Good introduction and up-to-date scholarship
If you want a nice introduction to the archaeology of the Greek world, this book is a must. With up-to-date archaeological discoveries and theories, lovely pictures, and useful information on all subjects, one truly feels enlightened about the subject through reading this book. A must for all! ... Read more

Book Description
Significantly revised and expanded, the second edition of this popular book provides a short, readable introduction to historical archaeology. Stressing a global perspective, it shows that this subject has real importance to understanding the world in which we live today. This comprehensive book also includes a look at career prospects in the field for interested readers.The overall approach is descriptive and explanatory: it describes fundamental principles, the history of the field, and basic definitions; moves through methods and discusses topics such as time and space, historical artifacts, survey, and excavation; and then presents basic archaeological theories and research.For readers interested in historical archaeology, a rapidly expanding field that has been recently conducted on every continent in the world. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Historical Archaeology Defined By The Masters
Fagan and Orser, the two foremost names in the field of historicalarchaeology team up to write the definitive book on the subject. A mustread for all archaeologists. ... Read more

Book Description
In this lavishly illustrated book some of Israel`s foremost archaeologists present a thorough, up-to-date, and readily accessible survey of early life in the land of the Bible, from the Neolithic era (eighth millennium B.C.E.) to the fall of Jerusalem and the destruction of the First Temple in 586 B.C.E. It will be a delightful and informative resource for anyone who has ever wanted to know more about the religious, scientific, or historical background of the region. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Archeology of the Levant
This is a very informative study on the modern view of the archeology in the Levant.It compares the traditional Judeao/Christian account with the secular view acknowledging that scripture was formed from many traditions more ancient.I believe that scripture is accurate and the dating of the Bible is more trustworthy than carbon dating.However, that said, it gives you a very detailed, general explanation of contemporary scholarship.

A good introduction to biblical archaeology
This volume, which is an English translation of a Hebrew language university textbook, aims to overview and introduce the archaeology of the biblical period (the Bronze and Iron ages). Though completing this taskquite well, the main drawback of the book is the lack of uniformity of thevarious chapters, each written by scholars with very differentperspectives. Needless to say, due to its publication date, it is a bitoutdated (in light of more recent finds and discussions) but it still canprovide a better than average summary of this topic. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Awsome Book
Absolutely wonderful book, pages chock full of useful information, it's hard to put down. After your done reading it the charts and graphs are the type of concise information useful to anyone in the field.

Excellent Field Book!
A must have for those interested in the field aspects of archaeology. Covers everything from surveying, mapping,sampling, soil stratigraphy, and even about finding a job! If you are new to archaeology, you definately will like this book. ... Read more

Book Description
A unique collection of newly written essays by archaeologists working in a variety of contexts and geographical areas, Archaeologies of Memory is a groundbreaking text that presents a coherent framework for the study of memory in past societies.

• Serves as an accessible introduction to central issues in the study of memory, including authority and identity, and the role memory plays in their creation and transformation.
  
• Presents a collection of newly commissioned essays that provide a coherent framework for the study of memory in past societies.
  
• Brings together essays from both anthropological and classical archaeologists.
  
• Includes contributions drawn from a variety of cultures and time periods, including New Kingdom Egypt and the prehistoric American Southwest.

Book Description
An Introduction to the Archaeology of Ancient Egypt is a comprehensive overview of Egyptian archaeology skillfully organized to guide the reader from Egypt’s prehistoric past through the pharaonic dynasties and the Greco-Roman Period.

• Provides an unprecedented introduction to the archaeology of ancient Egypt and its culture, monuments, and civilization
  
• Beautifully illustrated with over 120 color and black and white illustrations, including artifacts, maps, and site and building plans
  
• Includes special sections on such topics of perennial interest as building the pyramids at Giza, mummification, and deciphering hieroglyphs
  
• Organized into eleven chapters, covering: the history of Egyptology and Egyptian archaeology; prehistoric and pharaonic chronology and the ancient Egyptian language; geography, resources, and environment; and seven chapters organized chronologically and devoted to specific archaeological sites and evidence
  
• Includes discussion of new excavations in Egypt, connecting recent work with the results of projects spanning the late 19th and 20th centuries

Book Description

This book is intended to continue the dynamic, current problem-oriented approach to the field of Andean Archaeology that started with Andean Archaeology I and Andean Archaeology II. In this volume, the strong cultural differences between northern and southern regions of the Central Andes are examined and the conditions under which these differences evolved are explored.

Book Description
It is from the discards of former civilizations that archaeologists have reconstructed most of what we know about the past, and it is through their examination of today's garbage that Rathje and Murphy inform us of our present.Rubbish! is their witty and erudite investigation into all aspects of the phenomenon of garbage. They show what the study of garbage tells us about a population's demographics and buying habits. Along the way, they dispel the common myths about our "garbage crisis"--about fast-food packaging and disposable diapers, about biodegradable garbage and the acceleration of the average family's garbage output.They alsosuggest methods for dealing with garbage. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

What Our Rubbish Says About Us
This is an overview of the University of Arizona's continuing trash sorting project started in 1972 to document the lifestyle habits of the American public through observing what we eat, what we use in household goods, etc., and then throw out.Socio, political andeconomic behaviors become evident while recording the fascinating finds in daily trash digging,probing, and quantifying.

This project also included studies at the now closedFresh Kills landfill on Staten Island in New York City where holes were bored all the way to the bottom of the fill and where the studies then took on a more ominous dimension of environmental impact discoveries such as: that the breakdown of trash, even over years, is a myth. The research showed that there is little biodegradation occurring due to compaction and lack of bacterial decomposition, so the researchers found completely intact and recognizable items from food to readable newsprint- even at the bottom of the heap where it was at least 50 years old- same type discoveries of intact trash heaps discovered in ancient Rome, Greece, etc.

Most distressing of the discoveries in the landfill was the discovery of the huge quantity of "leachate"- a toxic liquid stew, that is leaking at the rate of a million gallons a day into New York Harbor.

The book concludes with recommendations on alternatives to landfill as a means to dispose of trash plus recycling and lifestyle changes.

For another enlighteningread on all things trash, there is Elizabeth Royte's "Garbage Land"- a personal story of discovery of what her family's trash footprint is and where everything including recyclables ends up- a real eye-opener and an entertaining read!

There is a link between owning a cat and reading "The National Enquirer"!
"Rubbish" is a highly academic book about "The Garbage Project" at the University of Arizona's Anthropology Department.The main idea behind "The Garbage Project" is to gain information about society by analyzing garbage patterns in various locations.

Despite being a book about garbage, the contents of the book are quite diverse.The book is divided into 4 parts.The first section, An Introduction to the Garbage Project, gives the background of "The Garbage Project", why it started, what they do, and what they hope to accomplish.This section also discusses how anthropologists use garbage to learn about ancient civilizations.The second section, The Landfill Excavations, discuss the basic theories of landfills, how the team takes samples from landfills, and discusses why biodegradation does not work in landfills.The third section, Interlude: Diapers and Demographics, I found to be highly entertaining.This section has a fascinating chapter on estimating the population of a neighborhood (as well as sex and age) based on the garbage collected from this neighborhood (a study done to initially help the Census Bureau).This section is also filled with useless information such as "There is a link between owning a cat and reading "The National Enquirer"".There is also a detailed discussion about disposable diapers in landfills.The final section, Garbage and the Future, was the most educational by far.This part discusses the serious shortcomings of citywide recycling programs and side effects people never hear about.There are also discussions on alternate garbage disposal methods, such as high tech incinerators used to generate electricity, as well as several other attempts at using technology to turn garbage into a useful product.The section and the book end with a chapter on reducing and addressing garbage disposal.

I think this book will not be for everyone.The book reads like a Master's Thesis at times, rather long and seems to ramble.However, some parts of the book are exceptional (such as the chapter on recycling or "Closing the Loop") and are really an eye opener.

I'd recommend this book to anyone interested in Environmental Sciences.Also, if you can manage to wade through pages of various scientific theories and facts, I'd highly recommend picking this book up!While a little slow reading at times, it is quite informative and I think a real eye opener.

One of the best books Iýve read this year
This is a fascinating overview of the world of garbology, the science of garbage.The authors begin by describing how the Garbage Project came to be, when students in a 1971 anthropology class at the University of Arizona hit upon studying garbage as a way to study people and culture.The Garbage Project has grown to become one of the leading scientific explorations into garbage, where it comes from, where it goes, and what it does when it gets there.Published results from the Garbage Project have covered such varied topics as changing patterns of meat consumption, using garbage volume to estimate population, and the relative quantities of diapers, newspapers, and plastics in landfills.

One of the most valuable contributions of the book is that it provides historical data to put garbage in perspective.Contrary to many people's beliefs, the authors argue that garbage and where to put it is not a new problem at all.They point out that one of the characteristics that make us human is that we create garbage, and we always have, back to the very first time a humanoid discovered how to create tools by chipping flint.To those who worry about our non-biodegradable trash, the authors remind us that the pottery shards of ancient archeological sites are nothing more than the indestructible refuse of yesteryear.And yet others worry about burying our trash in landfills which doesn't allow normal biodegradation to occur, but the authors point out that this also isn't new, describing an archeological dig of a putrid 2,000-year-old buried dump in Italy.Of course, the main message that the authors express is not that garbage is benign, but that the problem isn't new, and that garbage issues have been a concern since the dawn of civilization.They also point out that sanitation issues are even getting better.They give an overview of the history of garbage treatment in the US, from burying it under the kitchen floor, to building dumps, incinerators, and sanitary landfills. They point out that cities in the past weren't as clean as they are now.Cities used to produce mountains of coal dust and horse manure, and garbage would often simply sit on the corner, waiting to be dispersed by scavengers or pigs. They point out that "...ever since governments began facing up to their responsibilities, the story of the garbage problem in the industrialized world has been one of steady amelioration, of bad giving way to less bad and eventually to not quite so bad."

Scientists as well as ordinary people have very inaccurate ideas of what's in landfills today and how landfills work.Until the Garbage Project actually studied landfills, many landfill planners believed that trash would biodegrade somehow once it went into the landfill, and that the trash would eventually settle, producing large quantities of methane gas.By drilling into landfills and studying their contents, Garbage Project scientists have found that very little biodegradation actually occurs in landfills at all- -basically, only food scraps and perhaps a few lawn clippings break down.Since food scraps make up only a small portion of landfill volume, then settling and methane gas production is much less than expected.

If you think garbage is a problem, then an obvious way to address the problem is to reduce garbage volume.So what items take up the most space in our landfills?Many environmentalists would guess disposable diapers and plastics.But by meticulouslyanalyzing landfill samples, Garbage Project scientists have determined that diapers comprise less than 2% of landfill volume and all plastics less than 20%.Paper, on the other hand, especially newspaper, doesn't compress well, doesn't biodegrade in landfill any better than plastic, and takes up 40% of landfill volume on average.Think of that next time you need to answer "Paper or plastic?" at the supermarket.By studying what's in our landfills and what actually happens to the stuff once it's been down there for a few decades, we can get better ideas about what the real garbage problems are and how to address them.

The authors suggest that the best solutions to garbage problems may be to ensure that there are economic incentives to garbage reduction.They point out that the weight and volume of packaging plastics has decreased dramatically since the 1960s- - plastic beverage bottles now weigh much less than they used to- -because it's cheaper for companies to pack and ship their items in lighter weight packaging.One of the persistent problems for garbage reduction is cities that charge a flat rate for garbage removal, rather than a per-can rate.In localities where residents pay a nominal fee for each bag of garbage to be disposed of, recycling participation rates are much higher, and garbage volume is less.The worst thing a city can do is to adopt uniform large containers for mechanized garbage collection, since garbage production magically increases to fill the space allotted to it.

After reading this book, I have a new-found respect for the Styrofoam cup and disposable diapers.I better understand why newspapers are so hard to get rid of, even through recycling.But there is one fishy result that leaves me a little suspicious- -at one point the authors argue that processed food creates less garbage than fresh food.The basis for this claim is a cross-cultural study they did in Mexico City and Arizona.They found that Mexican households produce a lot more garbage than American households, and that the larger volume is mostly attributable to the fact that Americans use processed foods where Mexicans use fresh foods.But wait, didn't the authors find in a different study that it was precisely food wastes that biodegrade in landfills, so in the end, isn't it better to produce more food scrap waste than packaging waste?This odd loose end leaves a bit of doubt in my mind that the book is entirely unbiased.But overall, I found the book incredibly informative and quite well written.

Sheds light on Human Behavior
As someone from a a profession where problem solving is a core ability, I was amazed from chapter to chapter how the members of the Garbage Project went about their endeavors to successful results.They truly show how something so ubiquitous(garbage)can contain so much information about our lives and our behaviors.

The men and women involved in this research project open the bag on the realities of this human behavior to shed light on how we act as consumers and as members of society in general.Our political tendencies are also exposed in investigating how groups endeavor to address the issue of solid waste disposal, often to unbelievable results, totally contrary to the desired end goal.

I wholeheartedly agree with some other reviewers in that this should be required reading for anyone interested in environmental issues, from the simplest aluminum can collector to the most active environmentalists.

This is billed as an archaeology book, but I would call it more accurately an environmental/psycological/science read, never very technical, often entertaining and always eye-opening.

Informative, Fascinating, Easy to Read
Rubbish should be required reading for anybody who things he/she cares about environmentalal issues. Until reading the book, I would have never guessed all the facts--yes, hard, cold facts--documented in its pages. Garbage disposal is the ultimate out-of-sight-out-of-mind issue in our hurried consumer culture. So much of our opinions on garbage comes from an uninformed media (i.e. the ridiculously high estimates of landfill space taken up by disposal diapers). People act, lobby and debate based on knowledge that, as the book shows, is usually false.

As wasteful as we are, the authors present interesting comparisons of American families and Mexican families. The results will surprise you, to say the least. Also well presented are rational comments on the always present issue of recycling.

In all, this is a fascinating book. Like all great book of this nature, it is scientific but an easy read. Highly recommended! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Intro to Archaeology
I used this book for my Intro to Archaeology class. The inside of the book was very clean and not written on. The outside front cover was folded at the top-right hand corner. I don't know if it was due to the shipping or if the seller had described that in the description. All in all, good purchase, good experience. ... Read more

Book Description
The Archaeology of Ancient Greece provides an up-to-date synthesis of current research on the material culture of Greece in the Archaic and Classical periods. Its rich and diverse material has always provoked admiration and even wonder, but it is seldom analyzed as a key to our understanding of Greek civilization. Dr. Whitley shows how the material evidence can be used to address central historical questions for which literary evidence is often insufficient, and he also situates Greek art within the broader field of Greek material culture. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Tell me more !! Tell me more !!
This book is mainly a general synthesis of the state of archaeological knowledge and research on the Greek Archaic and Classical periods, with some great explanation of the most important controversies (such as the gender division in society, the continuity of religion from the Dark Age, or the Orientalizing influence, etc) to be found in the study of this culture and period. However, the author takes great pains with his writing, so as not to have another dry accademic book with piles of extremely interesting information buried under tones of arid sentences.

As a result, you soon find yourself immerse in a fascinating, colourful world, so different from what many classicists want to give as as "Classic Greek Culture" as to really be a totally "New World". Here, temples and stoas are painted in bright colours, fire-eaters and dancers perform in the Agoras next to philosophers who discuss ethics. This is not, however, a way to make Greek culture look less important than it was. I think the author succeeds in communicating to his readers what the archaeologists have known for some time. These very same archaeologists, though, had to first overcome the reticence shown by the "Classicist Establishment" to consider the overwhelming evidence that Ancient Greece had very little to do with what they had been teaching at Western universities for decades (if not centuries).

Thus, the author begins his book by making the point that much of the vision of "Classical Greece" that we have inherited is really a 18th-century-cum-Victorian Eurocentrist construct, a somewhat imperialistic (one could even say [...]?)ideal of what a "perfect society" should be, and an excuse to model many typical western institutions on.

But don't get the wrong idea that this is the aim of the book. As I said before, the author just intends to give an up-to-date synthesis on what archaeologists have to say. Of course, when the subject is one so dear to,and near, the very core of European identity, controversy is unavoidable. Whitley just states the most important of these controversies, but sometimes, and although he doesn't seem keen on taking positions, his own views show through.

On the whole, the world glimpsed through the pages of this book is so fascinating that I found I needed to know more about some of the issues, so I went to the "Further reading for each chapter" section, and nowhave a nice pile of books to read on the subjects of Greek Sanctuaries (a truly fascinating topic, especially once you've visited Delphi).

I recomend this book for people who are intersted in the subject and want to have up-to-date information, but also as a well-written, never boring introduction to the wonders of Ancient Greece, a culture that, even if we don't know it, is part of ourselves and does not deserve the many clichés we have attached to it.....It needs to be better known....just as we need to know it better ... Read more

Book Description
This entertaining Very Short Introduction reflects the enduring popularity of archaeology-a subject which appeals as a pastime, career, and academic discipline, encompasses the whole globe, and surveys 2.5 million years. From deserts to jungles, from deep caves to mountain tops, from pebble tools to satellite photographs, from excavation to abstract theory, archaeology interacts with nearly every other discipline in its attempts to reconstruct the past. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

You'll dig this book
This is a great book for anyone interested in archaeology. It is well written and concise, and it is highly readable for the layperson. I would even go so far as to call it entertaining! The author brings a lot of information to the table, cuts it down into bite-size bits, and serves it up with a distinct tongue-in-cheek flavor.

Dig this
In the Preface to this excellent little book, the author says his intention is to give the reader a taste of the subject and to help students decide if they want to study archeology at University.It performs those tasks admirably.It quite rightly provides a very broad overview rather than going deeply into specific topics, but manages to cram in loads of interesting facts along the way.The tone is jocular, and sometimes the humor is rather forced ("Relative dating does not mean going out with your cousin") but for the most part it works, and Bill Tidy's cartoons are well up to standard.

Bahn is pretty harsh with some modern archeological notions, and objectivity toward his peers is clearly not a priority with him, but I don't think this seriously distorts what he has to say.

The very title betrays the fact that this is a British publication with British usage and spellings, but I did not spot anything that would cause a problem for an American reader.

I do not know of a better short introduction to the subject than this book.Following this, you might want to read Egyptology, another excellent entry in the same series.

A very short book....
...maybe a tad too short.The book does a good job of explaining what archaeology is and how is works.From microwear to monuments, from dating methods to grave robbing, from gender issues to mass tourism, the book tries to touch on almost everything that is linked to archaeology or related to it.In some ways it tries to cover too much for such a small book and I finished the book wishing for more details on the history of archaeology and how it works.

Short on Specifics
This would have been a better book if the author had given more examples of the aspects of archeology of which he spoke. For instance, Bahn wrote about theoretical archeology, but he never described an instance in which a researcher used theoretical archeology to arrive at a particular conclusion.

The book was easy to read, but I did not learn that much from it. Mostly what I got out of it was that carbon dating does not assume that the levels of radioactive carbon have been constant throughout history. Varves are a way of dating that involves counting the layers of annual sedimentation deposits in certain frosty locales.

The book needed to be short, but I thought he should cut back on the breadth and provide more specific info about what he does discuss. Some of the discussions are pointless. He goes on at length about archeology's obligation to teach us about the past, but we all knew that anyway.

The humor was mildly amusing, but the writer is not a gifted comic.

A very good intro, but with a lot of rambling
It is a very good book if you want to learn about Archaeology, but not if you want information about the subject.It isa VERY quick overview.Nothing radical or extreme, and very objective. ... Read more

Book Description
This volume offers lively current debates and case studies in historical archaeology selected from around the world, including North America, Latin America, Africa, the Pacific, and Europe.

• Authored by 19 experts in the field.
  
• Explores how historical archaeologists think about their work, piecing together information from both material culture and documents in an attempt to understand the lives of the people and societies they study.
  
• Engages with current theory in an accessible manner.
  
• Truly global in its approach but avoids subsuming local experiences of people into global patterns.
  
• Summarizes not only the current state of historical archaeology, but also sets the course for the field in decades to come.

Book Description
In an age of globalization characterized by the dizzying technologies of the First World, and the social disintegration of the Third, is the concept of utopia still meaningful?

Archaeologies of the Future, Jameson's most substantial work since Postmodernism, Or, the Cultural Logic of Late Capitalism, investigates the development of this form since Thomas More, and interrogates the functions of utopian thinking in a post-Communist age.

The relationship between utopia and science fiction is explored through the representations of otherness—alien life and alien worlds—and a study of the works of Philip K. Dick, Ursula LeGuin, William Gibson, Brian Aldiss, Kim Stanley Robinson and more. Jameson's essential essays, including "The Desire Called Utopia," conclude with an examination of the opposing positions on utopia and an assessment of its political value today. Archaeologies of the Future is the third volume, after Postmodernism and A Singular Modernity, of Jameson's project on the Poetics of Social Forms. ... Read more

Book Description
Jeremy Green's systematic overview of maritime archaeology offers a step-by-step description of this fast-growing field. With new information about the use of computers and Global Positioning Systems, the second edition of this handbook shows how to extract as much information as possible from a site, how to record and document the data, and how to act ethically and responsibly wth the artifacts. Treating underwater archaeology as a discipline, the book demonstrates how archaeologists, "looters," academics, and governments interact and how the market for archaeological artifacts creates obstacles and opportunities for these groups. Well illustrated and comprehensive in its approach to the subject, this book provides an essential foundation for everybody interested in underwater environments, submerged land structures, and conditions created by sea level changes.

*Covers five broad areas: searching for sites, recording sites, excavation, management of collections, and study, research and publication
*Describes a variety of techniques and procedures in considerable detail, accessible to both professional and amateur archaeologists
*More than 250 photographs, charts, and diagrams explain everything from how to operate a sextant and a hand-held GPS to how a swim line should be laid out by the dive team before excavation begins ... Read more

Book Description
This eighth edition of ANNUAL EDITIONS: ARCHAEOLOGYprovides convenient, inexpensive access to current articles selected from the best of the public press. Organizational features include: an annotated listing of selected World Wide Web sites; an annotated table of contents; a topic guide; a general introduction; brief overviews for each section; a topical index; and an instructor’s resource guide with testing materials. USING ANNUAL EDITIONS IN THE CLASSROOM is offered as a practical guide for instructors. ANNUAL EDITIONS titles are supported by our student website, www.mhcls.com/online. ... Read more

Book Description
A pioneering book in the relatively recent field of African American archaeology.

Winner of the Southern Anthropological Society's prestigious James Mooney Award, Uncommon Ground takes a unique archaeological approach to examining early African American life. Ferguson's provocative results show black pioneers working within the bars of bondage to shape their distinct identity and to lay a rich foundation for the multicultural adjustments that became colonial America. Through artifacts gathered from plantations and urban slave communities during the pre-Revolutionary period, Ferguson integrates folklore, history, and research to reveal how these enslaved people actually lived. Recovered potshards tell of economic interrelations between plantation slaves and Native Americans, and ritual objects open up a discussion of African slave religion. Impeccably researched and beautifully written. 41 b/w photographs, 37 b/w illustrations. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

History from the ground up.
This book provides insight into the physical evidence being unearthed and explored by archaeologists engaged in the study of early colonial African American sites. While some of the content is a tad dry ,Professor Ferguson's enthusiasm for his subject manages to infuse much of this book with a sense of excitement that obviously drives the individuals engaged in this research.

Primarily focused on early plantation life in South Carolina, the book provides some fascinating comparisons between the rice culture there and the tobacco culture in Virginia explaining the effect of these differing lifestyles and then integrating the physical evidence into that discussion.

The book contains extensive appendices that list the major findings by location. ... Read more

Book Description