If all the portable artefacts of Ancient Egypt were in a single location, the lives of students, historians and connoisseurs would be immeasurably simpler – but the objects are scattered in museums and collections all over the world. This book brings together nearly 200 of the most significant artefacts, giving both context and immediacy to the rich culture of Ancient Egypt. From a 5000-year-old Predynastic pottery bowl adorned with model hippopotami, to a pair of sandals carefully woven from grass, reeds and papyrus, to a wooden sundial amulet of the early Roman period, this is a compelling and beautifully illustrated overview of three millennia of civilization on the banks of the Nile.

My interest in the archaeology of the Scottish Highlands began long before I had any formal training in the subject. Growing up on the eastern fringes of the southern Highlands, close to Loch Lomond, it was not hard stumble across ruined buildings, old field boundaries, and other traces of everyday life in the past. This is especially true if you spend much time, as I have done, climbing the nearby mountains and walking and driving through the various glens that give access into the Highlands. At the time, I had no real understanding of these remains, simply accepting them as being built and old. After studying archaeology for a few years at the University of Glasgow, itself only a short commute from the area where I grew up, I became acutely aware that I still had no real understanding of these - miliar, yet enigmatic, buildings and fields. This and a growing interest in Scotland's historical archaeology drove me to take several courses on the subject of rural settlement studies. These courses allowed me to place what I now knew to be houses, barns, mills, shieling (transhumance) settlements, rig-and-furrow cultivation, and other related remains in history. Overwhelmingly, they seemed to date from the period of the last 300 years. I also began to understand how they all worked together as component parts of daily rural life in the past.

Historical archaeology has largely focused on the study of early military sites and homes of upper class. Research on lower classes was viewed as a supplement to local histories documenting political, military and financial leaders of the 18th and 19th centuries.

An Archaeological Study of Rural Capitalism and Material Life will be of interest to historical archaeologists, cultural anthropologists, social historians, and historical sociologists, especially researchers studying the influence of globalization and economic development upon rural regions like Appalachia.

A new view of Sweden's relations with the world beyond its borders, from the sixteenth to the eighteenth century. Sweden's connections to and relationships with the European and wider world is a field of study attracting considerable scholarly attention. The essays here, from archaeologists and historians, offer a new perspective on early modern Sweden as deeply affected by the increasing internationality of the 16th-18th centuries. Set in the socio-political context of an expanding and changing kingdom, they deal with the character and impact of a wide range of cultural encounters - at home, in the colonies and during overseas travel. They consider how new fashions, commodities and ideologies were perceived and appropriated, and they discuss how these encounters shaped the discourses of the familiar and the foreign - from curiosity, acceptance and appreciation, to prejudice, rejection and conflict. In taking a broad and interdisciplinary approach, and by departing from traditional themes of political history, the volume as a whole offers a different view of the kingdom, its people, and its involvement with the outside world. MAGDALENA NAUM is an Associate Professor at the Department of Archaeology and Heritage Studies, Aarhus University, Denmark; FREDRIK EKENGREN is an Associate Professor in Archaeology at the Department of Archaeology and Ancient History, Lund University, Sweden. Contributors: Per Cornell, Christina Dalhede, Lu Ann De Cunzo, Magnus Elfwendahl, Matti Enbuske, Adam Grimshaw, Jens Heimdahl, Lisa Hellman, Kimmo Katajala, Jonas M. Nordin, Risto Nurmi, Kenneth Nyberg, Carl-Goesta Ojala, Joachim OEstlund, Claes B. Pettersson, Christina Rosen, Anna-Kaisa Salmi, Goeran Tagesson, Annemari Tranberg,

This is the first historical study of the whole body of late Viking runic inscription stones in Scandinavia. The 3,000 inscriptions which are more or less complete yield unexpected information on a wide range of topics, including the conversion of Scandinavia to Christianity, the growth of royal power, and, most important of all, the inheritance customs of the period.

Classical Greeks considered the Mycenaean civilization to be the basis of their glorious and heroic heritage, but its material existence was not confirmed until the excavations of Heinrich Schliemann in the late nineteenth century. In the ensuing years, as with the field of archaeology in general, emphasis has shifted from revealing monuments and finding treasure to dealing with less glamorous, more scientifically-oriented investigations concerning aspects such as social and political organization, economic functions and settlement patterns. With its more than 2500 entries, this reference work serves as both an introduction to and a summary of the study of ancient Mycenaean civilization. Considerably expanded from the first edition, there are 500 new entries representing materials published since 1991. The largest part of the book is made up of annotated bibliographies arranged topically with introductory material for each section. The book also includes a general introduction to Mycenaean civilization, an overview of the literature pertaining to Mycenaean civilization, lists of site reports, a section on electronic resources and author, place and subject indexes.

This volume provides new insights into the distinctive contributions that community archaeology and heritage make to the decolonization of archaeological practice. Using innovative approaches, the contributors explore important initiatives which have protected and revitalized local heritage, initiatives that involved archaeologists as co-producers rather than leaders. These case studies underline the need completely reshape archaeological practice, engaging local and indigenous communities in regular dialogue and recognizing their distinctive needs, in order to break away from the top-down power relationships that have previously characterized archaeology in Africa. Community Archaeology and Heritage in Africa reflects a determined effort to change how archaeology is taught to future generations. Through community-based participatory approaches, archaeologists and heritage professionals can benefit from shared resources and local knowledge; and by sharing decision-making with members of local communities, archaeological inquiry can enhance their way of life, ameliorate their human rights concerns, and meet their daily needs to build better futures. Exchanging traditional power structures for research design and implementation, the examples outlined in this volume demonstrate the discipline's exciting capacity to move forward to achieve its potential as a broader, more accessible, and more inclusive field.

At a time early in the twenty-first century when the nature and future of British farming is very much a matter of public debate, this volume presents an up-to-date overview of the subject between one and two thousand years ago. Its importance lies in providing an authoritative and scholarly synthesis of a great deal of research--environmental, archaeological and historical --which cumulatively makes a significant shift in the understanding of Britain and its farming peoples, of the British landscape and of farming itself.

The Vandals is the first book available in the English Language dedicated to exploring the sudden rise and dramatic fall of this complex North African Kingdom. This complete history provides a full account of the Vandals and re-evaluates key aspects of the society including: * Political and economic structures such as the complex foreign policy which combined diplomatic alliances and marriages with brutal raiding * The extraordinary cultural development of secular learning, and the religious struggles that threatened to tear the state apart * The nature of Vandal identity from a social and gender perspective.

This integrated collection of new and newly revised essays by archaeologist Timothy Earle represents both a personal journey and a growing synthesis of how political economies emerged in human societies. Drawing in detail on the cases of chiefdoms in Hawaii, the Andes, and Denmark, "Bronze Age Economics" documents how intensification of economies, surplus mobilization, and controlled distribution of both staple and prestige goods fundamentally drove the political evolutionary processes that prefigured states. Representing as it does the trajectory of Earle's lifework, this book fairly encapsulates the history of processual archaeology and social evolutionary theory over the past quarter century.

Mesoamerica is one of several cradles of civilization in the world. In this book, Robert M. Rosenswig proposes that we understand Early Formative Mesoamerica as an archipelago of complex societies that interacted with one another over long distances and that were separated by less sedentary peoples. These early 'islands' of culture shared an Olmec artistic aesthetic, beginning approximately 1250 BCE (uncalibrated), that first defined Mesoamerica as a culture area. Rosenswig frames the Olmec world from the perspective of the Soconusco area on Pacifica Chiapas and Guatemala. The disagreements about Early Formative society that have raged over the past thirty years focus on the nature of inter-regional interaction between San Lorenzo and other Early Formative regions. He evaluates these debates from a fresh theoretical perspective and integrates new data into an assessment of Soconusco society before, during, and after the apogee of the San Lorenzo polity.

The Germania of Tacitus is the most extensive account of the ancient Germans written during the Roman period. This new translation, introduction, and commentary provides an up-to-date guide to the relevant literary and archaeological evidence, and discusses the methodological issues involved in understanding this important historical source.

Drawing together a century of widely scattered scientific and technical reports, as well as 25 years of first-hand experience in the field, Scott Anfinson provides the first comprehensive overview of the people who inhabited the Prairie Lake Region of the northwestern Plains before the arrival of European explorers. Focusing on southwestern Minnesota, north-central Iowa, and south-eastern South Dakota, the author describes the dramatic environmental changes that occurred during the precontact millennia, and the impact on the human, animal, and plant cultures of the region once treated as the insignificant edge of the Great Plains and Eastern Woodlands. His synthesis reveals how the successions of peoples in this transition region selectively accepted -- and denied -- influences from the better-known cultures around them. Archaeologists and historians of Native Americans, as well as amateur and armchair archaeologists, will welcome this valuable addition to the region's geological, natural and cultural history.

Reprint of the leading book on the methods of stone construction in Egypt from the beginnings at the pyramid complex of Djoser at Saqqara in 2700 B.C. through the pyramids of the Old and Middle Kingdoms to the hypostyle hall at Karnak and other buildings.

Imagine the whole of British history laid out in one long line, giving a shape to the mysterious prehistoric past, detailing the major English, Scottish and Welsh rulers (including emperors, kings and queens), prime ministers, important events and battles. To be even more useful such a time scale should be in full colour and include the populations, climate, maps, architectural heritage and technological/scientific advances... and it could cover 500,000 years. Filling a gap left by other reference sources, The British Time Scale is a unique and invaluable production. In a conveniently portable folded book format, the timescale will also expand into a chart of 2 metres in length and includes 25 maps. An illustrated overview including climate, population and maps. Richly detailed and in full colour, this is the easiest way to appreciate the whole sweep of human history of this island/peninsula. It can be used fold by fold, book-fashion, whilst touring or as a wall or table chart. Either way, it makes a convenient and enjoyable work of reference.

Archaeology Under Fire addresses archaeology's role in current political issues, whether it be the ethnic cleansing in the Balkans, the division of Cyprus, or the continued destruction of Beirut.

The Texture of Industry is an overview of the industrialization of North America using material evidence - sites, structures, and artifacts - to fill out the story of America's `industrial archaeology', drawing upon techniques from archeometry, field archaeology, art history, and architectural recording. The book is organized around a discussion of the industrial experience. Several sites and artifacts - ones that can be visited by the public - are studied in depth.

A short history of the ancient civilization of Angkor, home to the spectacular temple of Angkor Wat. In the late sixteenth century a mythical encounter was reported on an elephant hunt in the dense jungle north of the Tonle Sap, or Great Lake, of central Cambodia. King Satha of Cambodia and his retainers were beating a path through the undergrowth when they were halted by stone giants, and then a massive wall. The King, the fable reported, ordered 6,000 men to bring down the wall, thereby exposing the city of Angkor 'lost' for over a century. Subsequent reports from Portuguese missionaries described its four gateways, with bridges flanked by stone figures leading across a moat. There were idols covered in gold, inscriptions, fountains, canals, and 'a temple with five towers, called Angor [sic]'. For four centuries, this huge complex has inspired awe amongst visitors from all over the world, but only now are its origins and history becoming clear. This book begins with the progress of the prehistoric communities of the area and draws on the author?s recent excavations to portray the rich and expansive chiefdoms that existed at the dawn of civilization. It covers the origins of early states, up to the establishment, zenith and decline of this extraordinary civilization, whose most impressive achievement was the construction of the gilded temple mausoleum of Angkor Wat, in the twelfth century, allegedly by 70,000 people.

Interrogating Human Origins encourages new critical engagements with the study of human origins, broadening the range of approaches to bring in postcolonial theories, and begin to explore the decolonisation of this complex topic. The collection of chapters presented in this volume creates spaces for expansion of critical and unexpected conversations about human origins research. Authors from a variety of disciplines and research backgrounds, many of whom have strayed beyond their usual disciplinary boundaries to offer their unique perspectives, all circle around the big questions of what it means to be and become human. Embracing and encouraging diversity is a recognition of the deep complexities of human existence in the past and the present, and it is vital to critical scholarship on this topic. This book constitutes a starting point for increased interrogation of the important and wide-ranging field of research into human origins. It will be of interest to scholars across multiple disciplines, and particularly to those seeking to understand our ancient past through a more diverse lens.

The roots of our modern world lie in the civilization of Mesopotamia, which saw the development of the first urban society and the invention of writing. The cuneiform texts reveal the technological and social innovations of Sumer and Babylonia as surprisingly modern, and the influence of this fascinating culture was felt throughout the Near East. Early Mesopotamia gives an entirely new account, integrating the archaeology with historical data which until now have been largely scattered in specialist literature.

The lowland American tropics have posed great challenges for archaeologists. Working in awkward terrain, in humid conditions where preservation is difficult, modern scholars pioneered new methods that increasingly influence archaeological practice internationally. The contributors to this volume all have substantial experience in the region. Their essays explore problems including site discovery, excavation, the preservation of artifacts, and methods of analysis. This book will be welcomed by all archaeologists, ecologists and paleontologists working in the tropics.

Before Alexander, the Near East was ruled by dynasts who could draw on the significant resources and power base of their homeland, but this was not the case for the Seleukids who never controlled their original homeland of Macedon. The Early Seleukids, their Gods and their Coins argues that rather than projecting an imperialistic Greek image of rule, the Seleukid kings deliberately produced images that represented their personal power, and that were comprehensible to the majority of their subjects within their own cultural traditions. These images relied heavily on the syncretism between Greek and local gods, in particular their ancestor Apollo. The Early Seleukids, their Gods and their Coins examines how the Seleukids, from Seleukos I to Antiochos IV, used coinage to propagandise their governing ideology. It offers a valuable resource to students of the Seleukids and of Hellenistic kingship more broadly, numismatics, and the interplay of ancient Greek religion and politics.

How and why did the Greek city-states come into being? The study of Greece in the Archaic period is changing due to new discoveries and interpretations. The 14 essays presented here explore many aspects of this rapidly changing world. The essays detail re-interpretations of archaeological material, emphasize the diversity in patterns of settlement, sancturies and burial practices of the Greek-speaking world and trace the complex trends and motivations underlying the expanding exchange of goods and the settlement of new communities. Local studies of archaeology and iconography revise our image of the peculiarity of Spartan society, and texts, from Homer and Hesiod to a newly discovered poem of Simonides, are given fresh interpretations, as are significant developments in maritime warfare, the roles of literacy and law-making in Crete, the emergence of a less violent lifestyle and the articulation of rational political thought.

Analyzing the material remains left by Maryland's colonists in the eighteenth century in conjunction with historical records and works of art, archaeologists have reconstructed the daily life of the aristocratic British Calvert family, whose head was governor of Maryland. In this large household people from different cultures interacted, and English and West African lifestyles merged. Using this fascinating case study, Anne Yentsch illustrates the way in which historical archaeology draws on different disciplines to interpret the past.