Major advances in the use of geographic information systems have been made in both anthropology and archaeology. Yet there are few published discussions of these new applications and their use in solving complex problems. This book explores these techniques, showing how they have been successfully deployed to pursue research previously considered too difficult - or impossible - to undertake. Among the projects described here are studies of land degradation in the Peruvian Amazon, settlement patterns in the Pacific northwest, ethnic distribution within the Los Angeles garment industry, and prehistoric sociopolitical development among the Anasazi. Following an introduction that discusses the theory of geographic information systems in relation to anthropological inquiry, the book is divided into sections demonstrating actual applications in cultural anthropology, archaeology, opaleoanthropology, and physical anthropology. The work will be of much interest within all these communities.

This handbook gathers original, authoritative articles from leading archaeologists to compile in a single place the latest thinking about archaeological methods. Topics range from theoretical models undergirding research to concrete strategies for field work and laboratory analysis. Public archaeology topics such as curation, collaboration, funding, and publication are also included among the 34 chapters in the book. Chapters are authored by well-known scholars on both sides of the Atlantic including Fagan, Hodder, Chippindale, Kvamme, McManamon, and many others. An extensive bibliography accompanies each chapter. As a single reference for current information on contemporary archaeological field methods, this volume is unmatched.