Archaeological Theory

Archaeological Theory PDF Author: Norman Yoffee
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
ISBN: 9780521449588
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 156

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Book Description
This volume assesses the real achievements of archaeology in increasing an understanding of the past. Without rejecting the insights either of traditional or more recent approaches, it considers the issues raised in current claims and controversies about what is appropriate theory for archaeology. The first section looks at the process of theory building and at the sources of the ideas employed. The following studies examine questions such as the interplay between expectation and evidence in ideas of human origins, social role and material practice in the formation of the archaeological record, and how the rise of states should be conceptualised; further papers cover issues of ethnoarchaeology, visual symbols, and conflicting claims to ownership of the past. The conclusion is that archaeologists need to be equally wary of naive positivism in the guise of scientific procedure, and of speculation about the unrecorded intentions of prehistoric actors.

Archaeological Theory

Archaeological Theory PDF Author: Norman Yoffee
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
ISBN: 9780521449588
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 156

Get Book Here

Book Description
This volume assesses the real achievements of archaeology in increasing an understanding of the past. Without rejecting the insights either of traditional or more recent approaches, it considers the issues raised in current claims and controversies about what is appropriate theory for archaeology. The first section looks at the process of theory building and at the sources of the ideas employed. The following studies examine questions such as the interplay between expectation and evidence in ideas of human origins, social role and material practice in the formation of the archaeological record, and how the rise of states should be conceptualised; further papers cover issues of ethnoarchaeology, visual symbols, and conflicting claims to ownership of the past. The conclusion is that archaeologists need to be equally wary of naive positivism in the guise of scientific procedure, and of speculation about the unrecorded intentions of prehistoric actors.

Archaeology, Annales, and Ethnohistory

Archaeology, Annales, and Ethnohistory PDF Author: A. Bernard Knapp
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
ISBN: 9780521411745
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 178

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Book Description
This collection considers the relevance of the Annales 'school' for archaeology. The Annales movement regarded orthodox history as too much concerned with events, too narrowly political, too narrative in form and too isolated from neighbouring disciplines. Annalistes attempted to construct a 'total' history, dealing with a wide range of human activity, and combining divergent material, documentary, and theoretical approaches to the past. Annales-oriented research utilizes the techniques and tools of various ancillary fields, and integrates temporal, spatial, material and behavioural analyses. Such an approach is obviously attractive to archaeologists, for even though they deal with material data rather than social facts, they are just as much as historians interested in understanding social, economic and political factors such as power and dominance, conflict, exchange and other human activities. Three introductory essays consider the relationship between Annales methodology and current archaeological theory. Case studies draw upon methodological variations of the multifaceted Annales approach. The volume concludes with two overviews, one historical and the other archaeological.

Archaeology

Archaeology PDF Author: Kevin Greene
Publisher: University of Pennsylvania Press
ISBN: 9780812218282
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 356

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Book Description
A substantially revised and expanded edition of one of the most widely-used and respected general introductions to the field of archaeology.

The Annales School and Archaeology

The Annales School and Archaeology PDF Author: John L. Bintliff
Publisher: Bloomsbury Continuum
ISBN:
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 144

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Book Description


A Dictionary of Archaeology

A Dictionary of Archaeology PDF Author: Ian Shaw
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
ISBN: 0470751967
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 736

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Book Description
This dictionary provides those studying or working in archaeology with a complete reference to the field.

Arch Of Society

Arch Of Society PDF Author: Thomas Levy
Publisher: A&C Black
ISBN: 9780718513887
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 660

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Book Description
This volume marks a departure from earlier descriptive archaeological summaries of the Holy Land. Taking an anthropological and socio-economic perspective, many of the leading archaeologists who work in Israel and Jordan today present timely and concise summaries of the archaeology of this region. Chronologically organized, each chapter outlines the major cultural transitions which occurred in a given archaeological period. To explain the processes which were responsible for culture change, a review is made of the most recent research concerning settlement patterns, innovations and technology, religion and ideology, and social organization. The material culture of every period of human history in the Holy Land is explored from the earliest prehistoric hominids, through the Biblical and historical periods and up to modern (20th century) times. Each chapter is accompanied by settlement pattern maps and a plate highlighting the major artifacts which archaeologists use to identify the material culture of the period. In addition, windows are presented which focus on major social issues and controversies such as "The Agricultural Revolution", the "Israelite Conquest of Canaan" and "Ancient Metal Working and Social Change". This volume should provide students and the general reader with a useful reference volume concerning the archaeology of societies which lived and live in the Holy Land.

Archaeological Theory

Archaeological Theory PDF Author: Matthew Johnson
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
ISBN: 111847502X
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 400

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Book Description
A lively and accessible introduction to themes and debates in archaeological theory for students of all levels Archaeological Theory is a relatable, accessible, reader-friendly first step into the world of theory for archaeology students. Recognizing that many students shy away from the study of theory for fear that the material is too difficult or obscure, Archaeological Theory maintains that any student can develop an understanding of theory and that a knowledge of theory will lead to better practice. As one of the leading texts for introductory courses in archaeology and archaeological theory, it has provided many students with the essential foundation for a complete education in the discipline. With a focus on clarifying the history and development of archaeological theory, this valuable text serves as a roadmap to the different schools of theory in archaeology, clarifying the foundations of these schools of thought, the relationships between them, and the ideas that distinguish each from the other. Students will also learn about the relationship between archaeology and cultural and political developments, the origins of New and ‘post-processual’ archaeology, and current issues shaping the field. Written in a clear and informal style and incorporating examples, cartoons, and dialogues, this text provides an ideal introduction for students at all levels. The revised third edition has been updated with new and revised chapters and an expanded glossary and bibliography, as well as new readings to guide further study. Engages readers with informal and easy-to-understand prose, as well as examples, cartoons, and informal dialogues Prepares students to understand complex topics and current and perennial issues in the field such as epistemology, agency, and materiality in the context of archaeological practice Discusses current developments in associated disciplines New and revised chapters on the material turn, politics and other issues, and an expanded glossary and bibliography with updated reading suggestions Offers expanded coverage of materiality, cultural-historical archaeology, evolutionary theory, and the work of scholars of diverse backgrounds and specializations Engaging and illuminating, Archaeological Theory is an indispensable resource for undergraduate and graduate students in archaeology and related disciplines.

The Archaeology of Society in the Holy Land

The Archaeology of Society in the Holy Land PDF Author: Thomas Evan Levy
Publisher: Burns & Oates
ISBN:
Category : Architecture
Languages : en
Pages : 648

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Book Description
This comprehensive and highly illustrated study explores the human history in the Holy Land, from the earliest prehistoric hominids, through the biblical and historical periods, up to the twentieth century. Chronologically organized, each chapter outlines the major cultural transitions which occurred in a given archaeological period and provides a review of the most recent research concerning settlement patterns, innovations and technology, religion and ideology, and social organization.

International Handbook of Historical Archaeology

International Handbook of Historical Archaeology PDF Author: Teresita Majewski
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN: 0387720715
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 689

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Book Description
In studying the past, archaeologists have focused on the material remains of our ancestors. Prehistorians generally have only artifacts to study and rely on the diverse material record for their understanding of past societies and their behavior. Those involved in studying historically documented cultures not only have extensive material remains but also contemporary texts, images, and a range of investigative technologies to enable them to build a broader and more reflexive picture of how past societies, communities, and individuals operated and behaved. Increasingly, historical archaeology refers not to a particular period, place, or a method, but rather an approach that interrogates the tensions between artifacts and texts irrespective of context. In short, historical archaeology provides direct evidence for how humans have shaped the world we live in today. Historical archaeology is a branch of global archaeology that has grown in the last 40 years from its North American base into an increasingly global community of archaeologists each studying their area of the world in a historical context. Where historical archaeology started as part of the study of the post-Columbian societies of the United States and Canada, it has now expanded to interface with the post-medieval archaeologies of Europe and the diverse post-imperial experiences of Africa, Latin America, and Australasia. The 36 essays in the International Handbook of Historical Archaeology have been specially commissioned from the leading researchers in their fields, creating a wide-ranging digest of the increasingly global field of historical archaeology. The volume is divided into two sections, the first reviewing the key themes, issues, and approaches of historical archaeology today, and the second containing a series of case studies charting the development and current state of historical archaeological practice around the world. This key reference work captures the energy and diversity of this global discipline today.

The Quality of the Archaeological Record

The Quality of the Archaeological Record PDF Author: Charles Perreault
Publisher: University of Chicago Press
ISBN: 022663101X
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 265

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Book Description
Paleobiology struggled for decades to influence our understanding of evolution and the history of life because it was stymied by a focus on microevolution and an incredibly patchy fossil record. But in the 1970s, the field took a radical turn, as paleobiologists began to investigate processes that could only be recognized in the fossil record across larger scales of time and space. That turn led to a new wave of macroevolutionary investigations, novel insights into the evolution of species, and a growing prominence for the field among the biological sciences. In The Quality of the Archaeological Record, Charles Perreault shows that archaeology not only faces a parallel problem, but may also find a model in the rise of paleobiology for a shift in the science and theory of the field. To get there, he proposes a more macroscale approach to making sense of the archaeological record, an approach that reveals patterns and processes not visible within the span of a human lifetime, but rather across an observation window thousands of years long and thousands of kilometers wide. Just as with the fossil record, the archaeological record has the scope necessary to detect macroscale cultural phenomena because it can provide samples that are large enough to cancel out the noise generated by micro-scale events. By recalibrating their research to the quality of the archaeological record and developing a true macroarchaeology program, Perreault argues, archaeologists can finally unleash the full contributive value of their discipline.