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Books > Humanities > Archaeology
The objective of Walking through Jordan is to acknowledge and honor
the singular achievements and wider impacts of Jordan's most
prominent survey archaeologist, Burton MacDonald. MacDonald is a
biblical scholar by training who has written extensively about the
Iron Age and early Christianity. However, unlike many biblical
scholars, MacDonald has also undertaken large regional survey
projects which encompass the entire gamut of Jordanian prehistory
and history. Thus, his work is unique in that it attracts the
interest of a wide range of scholars.Contributing scholars from
around the world reflect on three important areas of MacDonald's
archaeological contributions: on archaeological survey in general,
including those focusing on methodology and/or field projects that
depend to a large extent on surveys, MacDonald's five major
surveys- papers that incorporate data from his field projects and
sites tested or excavated by others that were first identified by
his work, and the archaeology of the Bronze and Iron Ages, as well
as the Roman Period and the early Christian era. Despite his
important contributions to prehistoric archaeology, the early
historical periods constitute the main emphasis of Burton's
scholarly output.
Drawing on archaeological findings from the Maya lowlands, War Owl
Falling shows how innovation and creativity led to social change in
ancient societies. Markus Eberl discusses the ways eighth-century
Maya (and Maya commoners in particular) reinvented objects and
signs that were associated with nobility, including scepters,
ceramic vessels, ballgame equipment, and the symbol of the owl.
These inventions, he argues, reflect assertions of independence and
a redistribution of power that contributed to the Maya collapse in
the Late Classic period. Eberl emphasizes that individual
decision-making - the ability to imagine alternate worlds and to
act on that vision - plays a large role in changing social
structure over time. Pinpointing where and when these Maya
inventions emerged, how individuals adopted them and why, War Owl
Falling connects technological and social change in a novel way.
The royal necropolis of New Kingdom Egypt, known as the Valley of
the Kings (KV), is one of the most important-and
celebrated-archaeological sites in the world. Located on the west
bank of the Nile river, about three miles west of modern Luxor, the
valley is home to more than sixty tombs, all dating to the second
millennium BCE. The most famous of these is the tomb of
Tutankhamun, first discovered by Howard Carter in 1922. Other
famous pharaoh's interred here include Hatshepsut, the only queen
found in the valley, and Ramesses II, ancient Egypt's greatest
ruler. Much has transpired in the study and exploration of the
Valley of the Kings over the last few years. Several major
discoveries have been made, notably the many-chambered KV5 (tomb of
the sons of Ramesses II) and KV 63, a previously unknown tomb found
in the heart of the valley. Many areas of the royal valley have
been explored for the first time using new technologies, revealing
ancient huts, shrines, and stelae. New studies of the DNA,
filiation, cranio-facial reconstructions, and other aspects of the
royal mummies have produced important and sometimes controversial
results. The Oxford Handbook of the Valley of the Kings provides an
up-to-date and thorough reference designed to fill a very real gap
in the literature of Egyptology. It will be an invaluable resource
for scholars, teachers, and researchers with an interest in this
key area of Egyptian archaeology. First, introductory chapters
locate the Valley of the Kings in space and time. Subsequent
chapters offer focused examinations of individual tombs: their
construction, content, development, and significance. Finally, the
book discusses the current status of ongoing issues of preservation
and archaeology, such as conservation, tourism, and site
management. In addition to recent work mentioned above, aerial
imaging, remote sensing, studies of the tombs' architectural and
decorative symbolism, problems of conservation site management, and
studies of KV-related temples are just some of the aspects not
covered in any other work on the Valley of the Kings. This volume
promises to become the primary scholarly reference work on this
important World Heritage Site.
The mining industry in North America is an important subject for
archaeological investigation due to its rich and conflicted
history. It is associated with the opening of the frontier and the
rise of the United States as an industrial power but also with
social upheaval, the dispossession of indigenous lands, and
extensive environmental impacts. Synthesizing fifty years of
research on American mining sites that date from colonial times to
the present, Paul White provides an ideal overview of the field for
both students and professionals. Case studies are taken from a wide
range of contexts, from eastern coal mines to Alaskan gold fields,
and special attention is paid to the domestic and working lives of
miners. Exploring what material artifacts can tell us about the
lives of people who left few records, White demonstrates how
archaeologists contribute to understanding mining legacies.
Many factors influence the formation of shipwreck sites: the
materials from which the ship was built, the underwater
environment, and subsequent events such as human activity, storms,
and chemical reactions. In this first volume to comprehensively
catalogue the physical and cultural processes affecting submerged
ships, Matthew Keith brings together experts in diverse fields such
as geology, soil and wood chemistry, micro- and marine biology, and
sediment dynamics. The case studies identify and examine the
natural and anthropogenic processes - corrosion and degradation on
one hand, fishing and trawling on the other - that contribute to
the present condition of shipwreck sites. The contributors also
discuss how these varied and often overlapping events influence the
archaeological record. Offering an in-depth analysis of emerging
technologies and methods-acoustic positioning, computer modeling,
and site reconstruction - this is an essential study for the
research and preservation of submerged heritage sites. Co-published
with The Society for Historical Archaeology.
This book provides a comprehensive overview of international
cultural heritage law from the perspectives of non-state actors
(NSAs). In keeping with the significant developments concerning the
status and roles of NSAs in international law over the last
century, NSAs such as communities, experts, NGOs, and international
organizations have become important participants in the
implementation of international cultural heritage conventions.
Indeed, due to the emergence of new ideas on common heritage and
cultural rights in the 20th century, international cultural
heritage law has become inconsistent with States' claim to sole
authority regarding the protection of cultural heritage. The author
analyzes the texts of international cultural heritage conventions,
as well as their operational texts, to track essential changes in
the rights, obligations, and roles of NSAs since the mid-20th
century. Practical cases on the status and roles of NSAs are
introduced to glean empirical ideas and facilitate an in-depth
understanding of their effectiveness. The analysis reveals that
NSAs do have certain rights and responsibilities concerning the
implementation of cultural heritage conventions, and their roles
have been increasingly recognized. At the same time, however,
discrepancies between text and practice can be observed when it
comes to the status and roles of NSAs. They have emerged for
various reasons, one of which is the politicization of conventions'
governance. Adopting the standpoint of the NSAs, the book
emphasizes the need to explore innovative and practical mechanisms
that will allow NSAs to attain their proper status and take on
practical roles under international cultural heritage law, which
will in turn ensure the sustainable protection of cultural
heritage. This message becomes more pertinent to the current
conflicts where various tensions between states and NSAs have
arisen and the roles of NSAs have become more important.Given its
scope, the book will be of special interest to students,
researchers and professionals at government and non-government
organizations in the fields of heritage, the arts, law,
administration, and development.
From 5 May through 19 May, 1969, units of the 1st Squadron, 1st
Cavalry were ordered to clear elements of the VC (Viet Cong) from
the Tam Ky area in the wake of the Post-Tet Offensive of 1969. They
began an assault on a hilltop, Nui Yon Hill, which was a South
Vietnamese Army outpost that had been overrun by VC and NVA troops
a few days before. After the initial assault to retake the hill
failed, the 3rd Battalion, 21st Infantry Regiment was air assaulted
in to reinforce the 1st Cavalry. A, B, C, and D Companies of the
3/21 were committed to this operation.
On 13 May, 1969, the men of C Company were combat assaulted
into a hot landing zone near the South Vietnamese village of Tam
Ky. Their objective was to take Nui Yon Hill. As the Hueys carrying
C Company began to descend, they were hit by heavy enemy fire. Once
the U.S. soldiers had their boots on the ground, they became
embroiled in a fierce two-day battle that claimed the lives of
twelve Charlie Tigers. This is the compelling story of that battle
told by the men who were there.
In his illuminating, well-researched book examining the site of
Et-Tell, also known as Bethsaida, Carl E. Savage explores
archaeological evidence to offer readers a portrait of the
religious beliefs and practices of the community living near the
north shore of the Sea of Galilee during the first century CE. In
the study of the cultural and social matrix of the first century in
the Galilee, scholars have commonly prioritized written sources
over archaeological evidence because written sources seem to
contribute more directly to an understanding of the religious
beliefs and practices of a community. However, there exist many
competing views of the landscape during that time due to the
varying interpretations of the textual sources. Using
archaeological data from Bethsaida itself, Savage investigates the
material practices of Bethsaida's ancient inhabitants, describing
these practices as significant indicators of their sense of place
both ideologically and geographically. He evaluates the historical
plausibility of various social reconstructions for the region, and
finds that the image that emerges of first-century Bethsaida is one
similar to those of other Jewish communities in the Galilee.
Britain's pagan past, with its mysterious monuments, atmospheric
sites, enigmatic artifacts, bloodthirsty legends, and cryptic
inscriptions, is both enthralling and perplexing to a resident of
the twenty-first century. In this ambitious and thoroughly
up-to-date book, Ronald Hutton reveals the long development, rapid
suppression, and enduring cultural significance of paganism, from
the Paleolithic Era to the coming of Christianity. He draws on an
array of recently discovered evidence and shows how new findings
have radically transformed understandings of belief and ritual in
Britain before the arrival of organized religion. Setting forth a
chronological narrative, Hutton along the way makes side visits to
explore specific locations of ancient pagan activity. He includes
the well-known sacred sites-Stonehenge, Avebury, Seahenge, Maiden
Castle, Anglesey-as well as more obscure locations across the
mainland and coastal islands. In tireless pursuit of the elusive
"why" of pagan behavior, Hutton astonishes with the breadth of his
understanding of Britain's deep past and inspires with the
originality of his insights.
In ancient Egypt, one of the primary roles of the king was to
maintain order and destroy chaos. Since the beginning of Egyptian
history, images of foreigners were used as symbols of chaos and
thus shown as captives being bound and trampled under the king's
feet. The early 18th dynasty (1550-1372 BCE) was the height of
international trade, diplomacy and Egyptian imperial expansion.
During this time new images of foreigners bearing tribute became
popular in the tombs of the necropolis at Thebes, the burial place
of the Egyptian elite. This volume analyses the new presentation of
foreigners in these tombs. Far from being chaotic, they are shown
in an orderly fashion, carrying tribute that underscores the wealth
and prestige of the tomb owner. This orderliness reflects the
ability of the Egyptian state to impose order on foreign lands, but
also crucially symbolises the tomb owner's ability to overcome the
chaos of death and achieve a successful afterlife. Illustrated with
colour plates and black-and-white images, this new volume is an
important and original study of the significance of these images
for the tomb owner and the functioning of the funerary cult.
The Peace of Westphalia (1648), ending the Thirty Years' War,
resulted in the rise of the modern European states system. However,
dynasticism, power politics, commerce, and religion continued to be
the main issues driving International politics and warfare.
William Young examines war and diplomacy during the Age of Louis
XIV and Peter the Great. His study focuses on the later part of the
Franco-Spanish War, the Wars of Louis XIV, and the Anglo-Dutch Wars
in the West. In addition, the author explores the wars of the
Baltic Region and East Europe, including the Thirteen Years' War,
Second Northern War, War of the Holy League, and the Great Northern
War.
The study includes a guide to the historical literature
concerning war and diplomacy during this period. It includes
bibliographical essays and a valuable annotated bibliography of
over six hundred books, monographs, dissertations, theses, journal
articles, and essays published in the English language.
"International Politics and Warfare in the Age of Louis XIV and
Peter the Great" is a valuable resource for individuals interested
in the history of diplomacy, warfare, and Early Modern Europe.
This handbook is unique in its consideration of social and cultural
contributions to sustainable oceans management. It is also unique
in its deconstruction of the hegemonic value attached to the oceans
and in its analysis of discourses regarding what national
governments in the Global South should prioritise in their oceans
management strategy. Offering a historical perspective from the
start, the handbook reflects on the confluence of (western)
scientific discourse and colonialism, and the impact of this on
indigenous conceptions of the oceans and on social identity. With
regard to the latter, the authors are mindful of the
nationalisation of island territories worldwide and the impact of
this process on regional collaboration, cultural exchange and the
valuation of the oceans. Focusing on global examples, the handbook
offers a nuanced, region relevant, contemporary conceptualisation
of blue heritage, discussing what will be required to achieve an
inclusive oceans economy by 2063, the end goal date of the African
Union's Agenda 2063. The analysis will be useful to established
academics in the field of ocean studies, policymakers and
practitioners engaged in research on the ocean economy, as well as
graduate scholars in the ocean sciences.
This book compares consumer behavior in two nineteenth-century
peripheral cities: Melbourne, Australia and Buenos Aires,
Argentina. It provides an analysis of domestic archaeological
assemblages from two inner-city working class neighborhood sites
that were largely populated by recently arrived immigrants.The book
also uses primary, historical documents to assess the place of
these cities within global trade networks and explores the types of
goods arriving into each city. By comparing the assemblages and
archival data it is possible to explore the role of choice,
ethnicity, and class on consumer behavior. This approach is
significant as it provides an archaeological assessment of consumer
behavior which crosses socio-political divides, comparing a site
within a British colony to a site in a former Spanish colony in
South America. As two geographically, politically and ethnically
distinct cities it was expected that archaeological and archival
data would reveal substantial variation. In reality, differences,
although noted, were small. Broad similarities point to the
far-reaching impact of colonialism and consumerism and widespread
interconnectedness during the nineteenth century. This book
demonstrates the wealth of information that can be gained from
international comparisons that include sites outside the British
Empire.
This book analyses the theoretical and methodological foundations
of ecotourism and geotourism and examines the essence, content,
factors, and models of ecotourism development. The authors
conducted research to assess the tourist and recreational potential
of ecotourism in Kazakhstan. The study analyses the current state
and describes the problems of the long-term development of
ecotourism. Besides, the authors also show the role of specially
protected natural areas in ecotourism development, including a list
of organizations that can create tourist products in the
environmental direction. This book also defines the primary
conditions necessary for ecotourism in protected natural and rural
areas. The resulting cartographic material visualizes the
geospatial potential of the regions of Kazakhstan, aiming a more
targeted expenditure of financial resources allocated to tourism
development. Thus, the presented book is relevant from a practical
perspective to scientists and researchers and is of value to
business structures and stakeholders.
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