Description
In the Beginning describes the basic methods and theoretical approaches of archaeology. This is a book about fundamental principles written in a clear, flowing style, with minimal use of technical jargon, which approaches archaeology from a global perspective.
Starting with a broad-based introduction to the field, this book surveys the highlights of archaeology’s colorful history, then covers the basics of preservation, dating the past, and the context of archaeological finds. Descriptions of field surveys, including the latest remote-sensing methods, excavation, and artifact analysis lead into the study of ancient environments, landscapes and settlement patterns, and the people of the past. Two chapters cover cultural resource management, public archaeology, and the important role of archaeology in contemporary society. There is also a chapter on archaeology as a potential career. In the Beginning takes the reader on an evenly balanced journey through today’s archaeology. This well-illustrated account, with its numerous boxes and sidebars, is laced with interesting, and sometimes entertaining, examples of archaeological research from all parts of the world.
This classic textbook of archaeological method and theory has been in print for nearly 50 years and is used in many countries around the world. It is aimed at introductory students in archaeology and anthropology taking survey courses on archaeology, as well as more advanced readers.
Table of Contents
PART I BACKGROUND TO ARCHAEOLOGY; 1 Introducing Archaeology; 2 The Beginnings of Scientific Archaeology: Sixth Century B.C. to the 1950s; 3 The Many-Voiced Past: Archaeological Thought from the 1950s to Now; PART II THE BASICS; 4 Matrix and Preservation; 5 Doing Archaeological Research; 6 Culture, Data, and Context; 7 Dating the Past; PART III RECOVERING THE DATA; 8 They Sought It Here, They Sought It There: Finding the Past; 9 Excavation; PART IV ANALYZING THE PAST: ARTIFACTS AND TECHNOLOGY; 10 Classifying Artifacts; 11 Technologies of the Ancients; PART V STUDYING ENVIRONMENTS AND PEOPLE; 12 Ancient Environments; 13 Studying Subsistence; 14 The Living Past; 15 Landscape and Settlement; 16 Interactions: People of the Past; 17 Archaeology and the Intangible; PART VI MANAGING THE PAST; 18 Cultural Resource Management (CRM) and Public Archaeology; 19 Archaeology and Contemporary Society; PART VII CAREERS AND RESOURCES; 20 So You Want to Become an Archaeologist?; Useful Addresses; Glossary; Bibliography; Index
