Now including numerous full colour figures, this updated and revised edition of Larsen's classic text provides a comprehensive overview of the fundamentals of bioarchaeology. Reflecting the enormous advances made in the field over the past twenty years, the author examines how this discipline has matured and evolved in fundamental ways. Jargon free and richly illustrated, the text is accompanied by copious case studies and references to underscore the central role that human remains play in the interpretation of life events and conditions of past and modern cultures. From the origins and spread of infectious disease to the consequences of decisions made by humans with regard to the kinds of foods produced, and their nutritional, health and behavioral outcomes. With local, regional, and global perspectives, this up-to-date text provides a solid foundation for all those working in the field.

Ancient DNA refers to DNA which can be recovered and analyzed from clinical, museum, archaeological and paleontological specimens. Ancient DNA ranges in age from less than 100 years to tens of millions of years. The study of ancient DNA is a young field, but it has been revolutionized by the application of polymerase chain reaction technology, and interest is growing very rapidly. Fields as diverse as evolution, anthropology, medicine, agriculture, and even law enforcement have quickly found applications in the recovery of ancient DNA. This book contains contributions from many of the "first generation" researchers who pioneered the development and application of ancient DNA methods. Their chapters present the protocols and precautions which have resulted in the remarkable results obtained in recent years. The range of subjects reflects the wide diversity of applications that are emerging in research on ancient DNA, including the study of DNA to analyze kinship, recovery of DNA from organisms trapped in amber, ancient DNA from human remains preserved in a variety of locations and conditions, DNA recovered from herbarium and museum specimens, and DNA isolated from ancient plant seeds or compression fossils. Ancient DNA will serve as a valuable source of information, ideas, and protocols for anyone interested in this extraordinary field.

The remains that archaeologists uncover reveal ancient minds at work as much as ancient hands, and for decades many have sought a better way of understanding those minds. This understanding is at the forefront of cognitive archaeology, a discipline that believes that a greater application of psychological theory to archaeology will further our understanding of the evolution of the human mind. Bringing together a diverse range of experts including archaeologists, psychologists, anthropologists, biologists, psychiatrists, neuroscientists, historians, and philosophers, in one comprehensive volume, this accessible and illuminating book is an important resource for students and researchers exploring how the application of cognitive archaeology can significantly and meaningfully deepen their knowledge of early and ancient humans. This seminal volume opens the field of cognitive archaeology to scholars across the behavioral sciences.

"Perspectives on the Past" shows how knowledge of the past is contingent and is largely determined by the social and intellectual milieux in which those who study it have received their training. This work examines major components of the general paradigms that structure hunter-gatherer research in the Mediterranean area. In the original essays that comprise the volume, field archaeologists discuss their own biases and the effects these biases have on how they do their research. For example, one contributor describes his shift from the traditional, "essentially historical view of prehistory" to "the evolutionary paradigm now advocated by many archaeologists" and explains the modifications of both theory and method that this change has necessitated. Other topics range from biases in "cave bound" archaeology to "normal science" and preconceptions in Italian hunter-gatherer research, and from paradigms for interpreting chipped stone to those that structure the linkages between foraging, sedentism and adaptive vigour.

This volume features exercises that allow students to use their knowledge of archaeological method and theory to deal with fictitious scenarios and data sets. The authors offer all new, inventive, and often witty problems that pose the same questions being tackled by archaeologists in the field today.

Grounded in critical heritage studies and drawing on a Pacific Northwest Coast case study, Maritime Heritage in Crisis explores the causes and consequences of the contemporary destruction of Indigenous heritage sites in maritime settings. Maritime heritage landscapes are undergoing a period of unprecedented crisis: these areas are severely impacted by coastal development, continued population growth and climate change. Indigenous heritage sites are thought to be particularly vulnerable to these changes and cultural resource management is frequently positioned as a community's first line of defense, yet there is increasing evidence that this archaeological technique is an ineffective means of protection. Exploring themes of colonial dislocation and displacement, Hutchings positions North American archaeology as neoliberal statecraft: a tool of government designed to promote and permit the systematic clearance of Indigenous heritage landscapes in advance of economic development. Presenting the institution of archaeology and cultural resource management as a grave threat to Indigenous maritime heritage, Maritime Heritage in Crisis offers an important lesson on the relationship between neoliberal heritage regimes and global ecological breakdown.

With contributions from 70 experienced practitioners from around the world, this second edition of the authoritative Handbook of Forensic Archaeology and Anthropology provides a solid foundation in both the practical and ethical components of forensic work. The book weaves together the discipline's historical development; current field methods for analyzing crime, natural disasters, and human atrocities; an array of laboratory techniques; key case studies involving legal, professional, and ethical issues; and ideas about the future of forensic work--all from a global perspective. This fully revised second edition expands the geographic representation of the first edition by including chapters from practitioners in South Africa and Colombia, and adds exciting new chapters on the International Commission on Missing Persons and on forensic work being done to identify victims of the Battle of Fromelles during World War I. The Handbook of Forensic Anthropology and Archaeology provides an updated perspective of the disciplines of forensic archaeology and anthropology.

The Great Houses of the prehistoric and early medieval periods were enormous structures whose forms were modelled on those of domestic dwellings. Most were built of wood rather than stone; they were used over comparatively short periods; they were frequently replaced in the same positions; and some were associated with exceptional groups of artefacts. Their construction made considerable demands on human labour and approached the limits of what was possible at the time. They seem to have played specialised roles in ancient society, but they have been difficult to interpret. Were they public buildings or the dwellings of important people? Were they temples or military bases, and why were they erected during times of crisis or change? How were their sites selected, and how were they related to the remains of a more ancient past? Although their currency extended from the time of the first farmers to the Viking Age, the similarities between the Great Houses are as striking as the differences. This study focuses on the monumental buildings of northern and northwestern Europe, but draws on structures over a wide area, extending from Anatolia as far as Brittany and Norway. It employs ethnography as a source of ideas and discusses the concept of the House Society and its usefulness in archaeology. The main examples are taken from the Neolithic and Iron Age periods, but this account also draws on the archaeology of the first millennium AD. The book emphasises the importance of comparing archaeological sequences with one another rather than identifying ideal social types. In doing so, it features a range of famous and less famous sites, from Stonehenge to the Hill of Tara, and from Old Uppsala to Yeavering.

Archaeology is a vast subject - it is the study of human society everywhere in the world, from distant human origins 3-4 million years ago up to the present day. The Oxford Handbook of Archaeology brings together 35 authors - all specialists in their own fields - to explain what archaeology is really about. This is one of the most comprehensive treatments of the subject and of the key debates ever attempted. It is designed to open up the world of archaeology to non-specialists and to provide an essential starting point for those who want to pursue particular topics in more depth.

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.

Advances in Paleoimaging: Applications for Paleoanthropology, Bioarchaeology, Forensics, and Cultural Artifacts builds on the research and advances in technology since the writing of the authors' first book, Paleoimaging: Field Applications for Cultural Remains and Artifacts (ISBN: 978-1-4200-9071-0). Since Paleoimaging was published in 2009, additional research settings for the application of advanced imaging technologies have been identified. Practices are now more widespread and standardized with the capabilities and utilization of imaging methodologies increasing dramatically. Given the numerous advances in paleoimaging technique and technology, this book chronicles the evolution that has taken place in all the imaging modalities. Chapters include the coverage of magnetic resonance imaging, computed tomography, plane and digital radiography, endoscopy, and applications of x-ray fluorescence, as well as the principles of industrial radiography. While the book focuses on a multimodal imaging approach to anthropological and archaeological research, the authors and contributing authors have vast experience in other areas and present coverage of biological applications as well. The multidisciplinary chapters provide a foundation to understand the application of various imaging modalities in archaeological, anthropological, bioanthropological, and forensic settings. As such, Advances in Paleoimaging will serve as an essential reference for conservators, museum archivists, forensic anthropologists, paleopathologists, and archaeologists, who perform non-destructive research on historical or culturally significant artifacts, remains, or material from a forensic investigation. The concepts and methods presented in this text are supported with case presentations of the authors' vast experience in the new companion book, Case Studies for Advances in Paleoimaging (ISBN: 978-0-367-25166-6) by Beckett, Conlogue, and Nelson (2020).

One of the classic works of archaeology, The Early Mesoamerican Village was among the first studies to fully embrace the processual movement of the 1970s. Dancing around an ongoing dialogue on methods and goals between the Real Mesoamerican Archaeologist, the Great Synthesizer, and the Skeptical Graduate Student, it is both a seminal tract on scientific method in archaeology and a series of studies on formative Mesoamerica. It critically evaluates techniques for excavation, sampling of sites and regions, and stylistic analysis, as well as such theoretical factors of explanation as population pressure, trade, and religion and launched similar studies for several later generations of archaeologists. A new Foreword by Jeremy Sabloff is featured in this edition.

If human burials were our only window onto the past, what story would they tell? Skeletal injuries constitute the most direct and unambiguous evidence for violence in the past. Whereas weapons or defenses may simply be statements of prestige or status and written sources are characteristically biased and incomplete, human remains offer clear and unequivocal evidence of physical aggression reaching as far back as we have burials to examine. Warfare is often described as 'senseless' and as having no place in society. Consequently, its place in social relations and societal change remains obscure. The studies in The Routledge Handbook of the Bioarchaeology of Human Conflict present an overview of the nature and development of human conflict from prehistory to recent times as evidenced by the remains of past people themselves in order to explore the social contexts in which such injuries were inflicted. A broadly chronological approach is taken from prehistory through to recent conflicts, however this book is not simply a catalogue of injuries illustrating weapon development or a narrative detailing 'progress' in warfare but rather provides a framework in which to explore both continuity and change based on a range of important themes which hold continuing relevance throughout human development.

Preservation of Archaeological Remains In-Situ: A Reader reveals to the heritage practitioner (archaeologist, conservator, inspector of ancient monuments, conservation officer) and archaeology and heritage studies student, the issues surrounding the preservation of archaeological remains in-situ. Offering contemporary and classic readings, it provides professionals and students alike with a strong understanding of contemporary preservation practice. The book illustrates the wide variety of threats to in-situ archaeological remains, develops the concept of a holistic appreciation of the threats, and appreciates the need to prioritise the appropriate forms of response and to developing appropriation mitigation strategies. Using a careful balance of sources, some technical, some theoretical, some practical as well as case studies to explore the threats and their mitigation, it provides a holistic statement on preserving archaeological remains in-situ.

Papers in English, French, and German. Sponsored by the Division of History of Chemistry of the American Chemical Society. Includes bibliographical references. This collection of studies in archeological chemistry is the most important ever devoted to this field. In these pages its difficult experimental problems are treated by an impressive group of experts from all over the globe. Nearly all archeological chemistry's investigative methods are described: infrared spectra, emission spectroscopy, chemical analysis, X-ray fluorescent spectroscopy, petrographic examination, probing by electronic sound and micrography, C 14 dating, and others. These papers were first presented at the Third Symposium on Archeological Chemistry in September 1962 under the auspices of the American Chemical Society. The symposium was to bring together the knowledge and techniques so that more and better investigation might be encouraged and receive the proper recognition. The studies in this book possess not only great qualitative interest in their own areas but have a collective value in their portrayal of the state of affairs in the chemistry of ancient artifacts.

This volume analyses previous attempts to delineate ethnic groupings with the help of archaeological finds. After a short review of the history of these interpretations, central concepts are examined (people, culture, race, language) and ethnological and sociological concepts of identity are adduced. Against this background, Brather undertakes a comparative description of the methodological problems of ethnic reconstructions for the period between the Iron Age and the Middle Ages, and contrasts them with interpretations from cultural, economic and social history as alternative approaches to an explanation which is closer to the sources. This structural historical analysis places the explanatory power of archaeological sources on a footing with those of literary texts.

The modern manifestation of mummy studies began to take shape in the 1970s and has experienced significant growth during the last several decades, largely due to biomedical interest in soft tissue pathology. Although this points to a vibrant field, there are indications that we need to take stock of where it is today and how it may develop in the future, and this volume responds to those demands. In many ways, mummy studies and skeletal bioarchaeology are "sister-disciplines," sharing data sources, methodologies, and practitioners. Given these close connections, this book considers whether paradigmatic shifts that influenced the development of the latter also impacted the former. Whilst there are many available books discussing mummy research, most recent field-wide reviews adopt a biomedical perspective to explore a particular mummy or collection of mummies. The Bioarchaeology of Mummies is a unique attempt at a synthetic, state-of-the-field critical analysis which considers the field from an explicitly anthropological perspective. This book is written for both skeletal bioarcheologists that may not be familiar with the scope of mummy research, and mummy researchers from biomedical fields that may not be as acquainted with current research trends within bioarchaeology.

Field Methods in Archaeology has been the leading source for instructors and students in archaeology courses and field schools for 60 years since it was first authored in 1949 by the legendary Robert Heizer. Left Coast has arranged to put the most recent Seventh Edition back into print after a brief hiatus, making this classic textbook again available to the next generation of archaeology students. This comprehensive guide provides an authoritative overview of the variety of methods used in field archaeology, from research design, to survey and excavation strategies, to conservation of artifacts and record-keeping. Authored by three leading archaeologists, with specialized contributions by several other experts, this volume deals with current issues such as cultural resource management, relations with indigenous peoples, and database management as well as standard methods of archaeological data collection and analysis.

This provocative introduction examines the most important new school of archaeological thought and practice to have emerged over the last two decades and provides students with an assessment of the impact and importance of recent theoretical debates. Written by a leading figure in the field of theoretically-informed archaeology, the book provides an interpretation of the archaeological process, reassessing the origins and aims of archaeology, and setting forth an innovative agenda for the future.

In particular the author argues for a plural and diverse perspective and for a new "reflexive" methodology: one that opens archaeology up to critique and interaction between different communities. This approach has implications not only for the interpretation of evidence, but for the kind of evidence that is sought in excavating, and the manner of its recovering and recording. It has implications too for the role of archaeology and heritage within new global environments and in the context of new information technologies.

This book discusses the application of geological methods and theory to archaeology. Written as a survey text covering appropriate methods and techniques taken from geology, geophysics, geochemistry, and geochronology, it shows the student the practicality and importance of each technique's use in solving archaeological problems. Specific techniques are illustrated by practical results obtained from the authors' use on archaeological digs.
With an international geographical scope, the book draws on sites from both hemispheres, including the Franchthi Cave in Greece, St. Catherines Island in the U.S., the Roman site of Drand in France, and Monte Verde, Chile. The authors also address applications in less traditional areas such as underwater, historical, industrial, and conservation archaeology.

Most students who pursue a career in archaeology will find employment in cultural resource management (CRM), rather than in academia or traditional fieldwork. It is CRM, the protection and preservation of archaeological and other resources, that offers the jobs and provides the funding. Few textbooks, however, are dedicated to teaching students the techniques and practices of this field. Cultural Resources Archaeology, now brought completely up date in this second edition and replete with new case studies from the western U.S., fills in the gap. Drawing on their decades of teaching and field experience, the authors walk students through the intricacies of CRM. They clearly describe the processes of designing a project, conducting assessment, testing, doing essential mitigation work (Phases I, II, and III), and preparing reports. The book's emphasis on real-world problems and issues, use of extensive examples from around the country, and practical advice on everything from law to logistics make it an ideal teaching tool for archaeology students who dream of becoming practicing archaeologists.

Veteran science writer Michael Balter skillfully weaves together many threads in this fascinating book about one of archaeology's most legendary sites- Catalhoeyuk. First excavated forty years ago, the site is justly revered by prehistorians, art historians, and New Age goddess worshippers alike for its spectacular finds dating almost 10,000 years ago. Archaeological maverick Ian Hodder, leader of the recent re-excavation at this Turkish mound, designated Balter as the project's biographer. The result is a skillful telling of many stories about both past and present: of the inhabitants of Neolithic Catalhoeyuk and the development of human creativity and ingenuity, as revealed in the recent excavation; of James Mellaart, the original excavator, whose troubles off the mound eventually overshadowed his incisive work at the site; of Hodder and his intense, brilliant crew who marveled and squabbled over the meaning of finds in dusty trenches while attempting to reintepret Mellaart's work; and of the recent history of the theory and methods of archaeology itself. Part story of the human past, part soap opera of modern scholarly life, part textbook on the practice of modern archaeology, this book should appeal to general readers and archaeological students alike.

Archaeological resource management (ARM) is the practice of recording, evaluating, preserving for future research and presenting to the public the material remains of the past. Almost all countries uphold a set of principles and laws for the preservation and professional management of archaeological remains. This book offers a critical and comparative perspective on the law and professional practices of managing archaeological remains. Beginning with a global history of ARM, John Carman provides an overview of legal and professional regulations governing ARM today. He then turns to consider the main practices involved in managing archaeological remains, namely, their identification and recording, their evaluation for 'significance', their preservation and their presentation to the public. As a whole, the book offers an overview of what ARM 'does' in the world, with implications for understanding the role of archaeology as a contemporary set of practices that determine how future generations will access material remains of the past.

Archaeological remains are ‘fragmented by definition’: apart from exceptional cases, the study of the human past takes into account mainly traces, ruins, discards, and debris of past civilisations. It is rare that things have been preserved as they were originally made and conceived in the past. However, not all the ancient fragmentary objects were the ‘leftovers’ from the past. A noticeable portion of them was part and parcel of the ancient materiality already in the form of a fragment or damaged item. In 2000, John Chapman, with his volume Fragmentation in Archaeology, attracted the attention of scholars on the need to reconsider broken artefacts as the result of the deliberate anthropic process of physical fragmentation. The phenomenon of fragmentation can be thus explored with more outcomes for a category of objects that played an important role inside the society: the figurines. Due to their portability and size, figurines are particularly entangled and engaged in social, spatial, temporal, and material relations, and – more than other artefacts – can easily accommodate acts of embodiment and dismemberment. The act of creation symmetrically also involves the act of destruction, which in turn is another act of creation, since from the fragmentation comes a new entity with a different ontology. Breaking contains the paradigms of life: creation and reparation, destruction and regeneration. The scope of this volume is to search for traces of any voluntary and intentional fragmentation of ancient artefacts, creating, improving, and sharpening the methods and principles for a scientific investigation that goes beyond single author impression or sensitivity. The comparative lens adopted in this volume can allow the reader to explore different fields taken from ancient societies of how we can address, assess, detect, and even discuss the action of breaking and mutilation of ancient figurines.

This book presents guidance, theory, methodologies, and case studies for analyzing tree rings to accurately date and interpret historic buildings and landscapes. Written by two long-time practitioners in the field of dendrochronology, the research is grounded in the fieldwork data of approximately 200 structures and landscapes. By scientifically analyzing the tree rings of historic timbers, preservationists can obtain valuable information about construction dates, interpret the evolution of landscapes and buildings over time, identify species and provenance, and gain insight into the species matrix of local forests. Authors Darrin L. Rubino and Christopher Baas demonstrate, through full-color illustrated case studies and methodologies, how this information can be used to interpret the history of buildings and landscapes and assist preservation decision-making. Over 1,000 samples obtained from more than 40 buildings, including high style houses, vernacular log houses, and timber frame barns, are reported. This book will be particularly relevant for students, instructors, and professional readers interested in historic preservation, cultural landscapes, museum studies, archaeology, and dendrochronology globally.