Artifacts linked to projectile technologies traditionally have provided the foundations for time-space systematics and cultural-historic frameworks in archaeological research having to do with foragers. With the shift in archae ological research objectives to processual interpretations, projectile technolo gies continue to receive marked attention, but with an emphasis on the implications of variability in such areas as design, function, and material as they relate to the broader questions of human adaptation. The reason that this particular domain of foraging technology persists as an important focus of research, I think, comes in three parts. A projectile technology was a crucial part of most foragers' strategies for survival, it was functionally spe cific, and it generally was fabricated from durable materials likely to be detected archaeologically. Being fundamental to meat acquisition and the principal source of calo ries, projectile technologies were typically afforded greater time-investment, formal modification, and elaboration of attributes than others. Moreover, such technologies tend to display greater standardization because of con straints on size, morphology, and weight that are inherent to the delivery system. The elaboration of attributes and standardization of form gives pro jectile technologies time-and space-sensitivity that is greater than most other foraging technologies. And such sensitivity is immensely valuable in archae ological research."

In the early 1980s several revolutionary new techniques were introduced to archaeological science - including accelerator C-14 dating, thermoluminescence dating of burnt flint and calcite, and the application of uranium series dating to Palaeolithic material. Developments in analytical chemistry also made possible more detailed and accurate analyses of archaeological material. This book, published in 1986, provides a guide for the archaeologist with little scientific training to these techniques as well as to established techniques from the physical and chemical sciences, and has a chapter on the archaeological uses of computers.

Each chapter describes the archaeological potential of the technique and explains the scientific principles involved, with a number of examples to illustrate the particular technique in practice. Attention is given to common problems which may affect the accuracy or nature of the results obtained and to what constitutes a suitable sample.

In the period A.D. 400-1100, perhaps more than in any other, it is necessary to bring together the results of historical, archaeological and place-name studies. Each provides information that is either badly preserved or not preserved at all in the other two, but it is not always realised how great are the difficulties involves in co-ordination and integration. This book, originally published in 1962, draws attention to the problems and provides a basis for discussion.

Since World War II, there has been tremendous success in the development of new methods for dating artifacts; the so-called radiocarbon revolution' was only the first such discovery. The increasing accuracy of the various new techniques has brought about major changes in archaeological research strategies. This important new text compiles the work of some of today's most innovative archaeologists who summarize progress in their respective techniques over the last 30 years - with an emphasis on developments of the last five - and the status of current research.

Ground-penetrating radar (GPR) has become one of the standard tools in the archaeologist's array of methods, but users still struggle to understand what the images tell us. In this book--illustrated with over 200 full-color photographs--Lawrence Conyers shows how results of geophysical surveys can test ideas regarding people, history, and cultures, as well as be used to prospect for buried remains. Using 20 years of data from more than 600 GPR surveys in a wide array of settings, Conyers, one of the first archaeological specialists in GPR, provides the consumer of GPR studies with basic information on how the process works. He show how the plots are generated, what subsurface factors influence specific profiles, how the archaeologist can help the surveyor collect optimal data, and how to translate the results into useable archaeological information.

The use of computation in archaeology is a kind of magic, a way of heightening the archaeological imagination. Agent-based modelling allows archaeologists to test the 'just-so' stories they tell about the past. It requires a formalization of the story so that it can be represented as a simulation; researchers are then able to explore the unintended consequences or emergent outcomes of stories about the past. Agent-based models are one end of a spectrum that, at the opposite side, ends with video games. This volume explores this spectrum in the context of Roman archaeology, addressing the strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities of a formalized approach to computation and archaeogaming.

Ground-penetrating radar (GPR) has become one of the standard tools in the archaeologist's array of methods, but users still struggle to understand what the images tell us. In this bookOCoillustrated with over 200 full-color photographsOCoLawrence Conyers shows how results of geophysical surveys can test ideas regarding people, history, and cultures, as well as be used to prospect for buried remains. Using 20 years of data from more than 600 GPR surveys in a wide array of settings, Conyers, one of the first archaeological specialists in GPR, provides the consumer of GPR studies with basic information on how the process works. He show how the plots are generated, what subsurface factors influence specific profiles, how the archaeologist can help the surveyor collect optimal data, and how to translate the results into useable archaeological information."

Archaeology in the Making is a collection of bold statements about archaeology, its history, how it works, and why it is more important than ever. This book comprises conversations about archaeology among some of its notable contemporary figures. They delve deeply into the questions that have come to fascinate archaeologists over the last forty years or so, those that concern major events in human history such as the origins of agriculture and the state, and questions about the way archaeologists go about their work. Many of the conversations highlight quite intensely held personal insight into what motivates us to pursue archaeology; some may even be termed outrageous in the light they shed on the way archaeological institutions operate - excavation teams, professional associations, university departments. Archaeology in the Making is a unique document detailing the history of archaeology in second half of the 20th century to the present day through the words of some of its key proponents. It will be invaluable for anybody who wants to understand the theory and practice of this ever developing discipline.

Quantitative Methods in Archaeology Using R is the first hands-on guide to using the R statistical computing system written specifically for archaeologists. It shows how to use the system to analyze many types of archaeological data. Part I includes tutorials on R, with applications to real archaeological data showing how to compute descriptive statistics, create tables, and produce a wide variety of charts and graphs. Part II addresses the major multivariate approaches used by archaeologists, including multiple regression (and the generalized linear model); multiple analysis of variance and discriminant analysis; principal components analysis; correspondence analysis; distances and scaling; and cluster analysis. Part III covers specialized topics in archaeology, including intra-site spatial analysis, seriation, and assemblage diversity.

Archaeology is a way of acting and thinking--about what is left of the past, about the temporality of what remains, about material and temporal processes to which people and their goods are subject, about the processes of order and entropy, of making, consuming and discarding at the heart of human experience. These elements, and the practices that archaeologists follow to uncover them, is the essence of the archaeological imagination. In this extended essay, renowned archaeological theorist Michael Shanks offers his colleagues and students a window on this imaginative world of past and present and the creative role archaeology can play in uncovering it, analyzing it, and interpreting it.

Offers an overview of the analysis of art and archaeological materials using techniques based on mass spectrometry Illustrates basic principles, procedures and applications of mass spectrometric techniques. Fills a gap in the field of application on destructive methods in the analysis of museum objects Edited by a world-wide respected specialists with extensive experience of the GC/MS analysis of art objects Such a handbook has been long-awaited by scientists, restorers and other experts in the analysis of art objects

Technology transfer has played an increasingly important role in historic preservation during the latter half of the twentieth century, a situation attested to by the undertaking of an important congressional study in 1986 that assessed the role of federal agencies in the field. In this book leading researchers update the earlier findings and contribute state-of-the-art reviews and evaluations of technological progress in their areas of expertise.

'Archaeology is for people' is the theme of this book. Split between the academic and commercial sectors, archaeological investigation is also deeply embedded in the needs of local communities, making it simultaneously an art, science and social science. Such a multi-disciplinary discipline needs special methods and creative freedom, not repetitive responses. Carver argues that commercial procedures and academic theory are both suffocating creativity in fieldwork. He'd like to see us bring much more diversity and technical ingenuity to every opportunity, and maintains this is more a matter of getting ourselves free of dogma than needing more time and money. This has many implications for the way archaeology is designed and procured - moving archaeologists up the professional ladder from builder to architect, with contracts based on quality of design, not the price.

This collection of original articles compares various key archaeological topicsOCoagency, violence, social groups, diffusionOCofrom evolutionary and interpretive perspectives. These two strands represent the major current theoretical poles in the discipline. By comparing and contrasting the insights they provide into major archaeological themes, this volume demonstrates the importance of theoretical frameworks in archaeological interpretations. Chapter authors discuss relevant Darwinian or interpretive theory with short archaeological and anthropological case studies to illustrate the substantive conclusions produced. The book will advance debate and contribute to a better understanding of the goals and research strategies that comprise these distinct research traditions.

This collection of original articles compares various key archaeological topics-agency, violence, social groups, diffusion-from evolutionary and interpretive perspectives. These two strands represent the major current theoretical poles in the discipline. By comparing and contrasting the insights they provide into major archaeological themes, this volume demonstrates the importance of theoretical frameworks in archaeological interpretations. Chapter authors discuss relevant Darwinian or interpretive theory with short archaeological and anthropological case studies to illustrate the substantive conclusions produced. The book will advance debate and contribute to a better understanding of the goals and research strategies that comprise these distinct research traditions.

First published in 2005, this brief introduction to methods of studying rock art has become the standard text for courses on this topic. It was also selected as a Choice Magazine Outstanding Academic Book in 2005. Internationally-known rock art researcher David Whitley takes the reader through the various processes needed to document, interpret, and preserve this fragile category of artifact. Using examples from around the globe, he offers a comprehensive guide to rock art studies of value to archaeologists and art historians, their students, and rock art aficionados. The second edition of this classic work has additional material on mapping sites, ethnographic analogy, neuropsychological models, and Native American consultation.

First published in 2005, this brief introduction to methods of studying rock art has become the standard text for courses on this topic. It was also selected as a Choice Magazine Outstanding Academic Book in 2005. Internationally-known rock art researcher David Whitley takes the reader through the various processes needed to document, interpret, and preserve this fragile category of artifact. Using examples from around the globe, he offers a comprehensive guide to rock art studies of value to archaeologists and art historians, their students, and rock art aficionados. The second edition of this classic work has additional material on mapping sites, ethnographic analogy, neuropsychological models, and Native American consultation.

Medical and industrial imaging methods have come to be recognized as powerful tools for documentation and data collection in many nontraditional settings. In Paleoimaging: Field Applications for Cultural Remains and Artifacts, two of the most preeminent experts in the field provide an in-depth examination of a range of imaging techniques and explain how these techniques can be applied to all aspects of forensic and archaeological analysis. The first part of the book examines paleoimaging multimodalities, highlighting the advantages and disadvantages of each imaging technique in different scenarios. The authors explore photography, conventional radiography, endoscopy, and various forms of computer-based imaging. Next, they present methodological and procedural standards for the various imaging techniques. They also demonstrate how multimodal imaging can assist nondestructive data collection of non-biological cultural artefacts. A final section addresses radiation safety and field safety concerns. Case studies, tables, and templates of forms for documentation of findings enhance the text with practical information. Filled with over 380 images, this book is supplemented with an accompanying downloadable resource in which the authors draw from their global experience in the paleoimaging of cultural remains and artefacts, offering a view of the diverse environments in which field paleoimaging is conducted. The breadth of the authors' expertise and the rich images contained in the book and downloadable resources make this resource an essential reference for those who seek to explore the mysteries of the past.

The book presents the discoveries made by the Polish archaeological mission in Saqqara, the central part of the largest ancient Egyptian royal necropolis. The area adjacent to the Pyramid of King Djoser on the monument's west side, so far neglected by archaeologists, turned out to be an important burial place of the Egyptian nobility from two periods of Pharaonic history: the Old Kingdom (the late third millennium BC) and the Ptolemaic Period (the late first millennium BC). The earlier, lower cemetery yielded rock-hewn tombs with splendid wall decoration in relief and painting. The book also describes methods of conservation applied to the discovered artefacts and episodes from the mission's life.

Charred, badly decomposed, or mummified corpses, as well as those restrictions forced upon coroners by certain religious sects, often make autopsies impossible to perform. In addition, lack of manpower among the personnel charged with performing autopsies frequently creates a backlog of cases in the coroner's office. This delay increases the likelihood that causes of death will go undetermined and criminal perpetrators will go unpunished. The solution can be found in what has come to be known as the virtopsy (R), a minimally invasive and efficient way to perform an autopsy through state-of-the-art imaging-guided means. A term coined by noted forensic pathologist Richard Dirnhofer, virtopsy refers to "virtual autopsy," a modality that employs a spectrum of technologies including computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging and spectroscopy, and 3D photogrammetry and surface scanning. In The Virtopsy Approach: 3D Optical and Radiological Scanning and Reconstruction in Forensic Medicine, the authors reveal a comprehensive summary of the virtopsy procedure. Well-organized, detailed enough to serve as a how-to guide for newcomers to the field, and copiously illustrated with many color figures accompanied by appropriate explanatory captions, this volume breaks new ground in the world of autopsy science.

Collection of original research articles by European scholars assessing the state of environmental archaeology and its relationship to the field; along with discussions on how to present environmental issues in prehistory to the public.

In the hands of dissenting religious zealots faith and ritual can be powerful means in mobilizing people towards radical change. From the viewpoint of many historical rebel-zealots shattering existing political and social institutions was a pre-condition for the forthcoming regency of God. Repercussions were traumatic, often catastrophic. This book examines several intense religious movements from various historical backgrounds. Even though there were no known communications between the cultures and groups from which the movements arose, they show striking similarities in the ways they emerged, in the characters of their leaders and followers, as well as in their often tragic conclusion. The earliest of these cases, the First Jewish Revolt against Rome (66-73 CE) is discussed in particular detail. The importance of this case is in its historical and ideological affiliations to Jewish, Christian, and in a less direct way Muslim messianism. In addition, it offers a rich variety of archaeological materials that reflect the intense religious ideology which guided the rebels. Some classes of finds can be used in the investigation of religious intensification in other times, cultures and circumstances. Overall, this book joins archaeological and textual evidence to anthropological theory to present a previously untested model of mass action inspired by intense religion. New light is shed on dramatic developments that altered the history of the peoples involved, with meaningful insights on some pressing issues in our own modern realities.

A collection of papers focusing on the links between archaeology and the study of geological sediments and soils.

Why do we fight? Have we always been fighting one another? This book examines the origins and development of human forms of organized violence from an anthropological and archaeological perspective. Kim and Kissel argue that human warfare is qualitatively different from forms of lethal, intergroup violence seen elsewhere in the natural world, and that its emergence is intimately connected to how humans evolved and to the emergence of human nature itself.

Atlantis, ancient astronauts, and pyramid power. Archaeologists are perennially bombarded with questions about the "mysteries" of the past. They are also constantly addressing more realistic controversies: origins of the First Americans, the ownership of antiquities, and national claims to historical territories. Alice Beck Kehoe offers to introductory students a method of evaluating and assessing these claims about the past in this reader-friendly, concise text. She shows how to use the methods of science to challenge the legitimacy of pseudoscientific proclamations and develop reasonable interpretations on controversial issues. Not one to shy away from controversy herself, Kehoe takes some stands-on transpacific migration, shamanism, the Kensington Runestone-which will challenge instructor and students alike, and foster class discussion.