Archaeology A Brief Introduction

Archaeology is a jargon-free and accessible introduction to the field which details how archaeologists study the human past in all its fascinating diversity. Now in its thirteenth edition, this classic textbook has been updated to include the latest research and new findings in the field. Reflecting the global scope of the discipline, the book has a truly international coverage of important discoveries and sites from many corners of the globe. Individual chapters examine archaeology and its history, considering the role of the archaeologist and how they discover, investigate and classify sites and artifacts. This journey through archaeology also includes a discussion of important individuals and groups, and some of the ways in which archaeologists attempt to explain major social and cultural changes in the remote past. Archaeology ends with an outline of the complex world of cultural resource management and gives invaluable advice on how to become an archaeologist. Richly illustrated throughout, this popular and engaging textbook on archaeological methods has introduced generations of students to the captivating world of archaeology.

1. Fossils, Cities and Civilizations: The Birth of a Science; 2.Introducing Archaeology and Prehistory; 3. Culture and Context; 4. Space and Time; 5.They Sought It Here, They Sought It There: Process and Discovery; 6. Excavation; 7. Technologies, Ancient and Modern; 8.Ancient Climate and Environment; 9. Come Tell Me How you Lived; 10. Settlement and Landscape; 11. The Archaeology of People; 12. Explaining the Past; 13. Managing the Past; 14. Stewards, Stakeholders, Communities, and Tourists; 15. So You Want to Become an Archaeologist?

Brian M. Fagan is one of the world’s leading archaeological writers and an internationally recognized authority on world prehistory. He is Distinguished Emeritus Professor of Anthropology at the University of California, Santa Barbara and author of numerous general books on archaeology. Nadia Durrani is a Cambridge University-trained archaeologist and writer, with a PhD from University College London in Arabian archaeology. She is the founder and editor of Past Worlds magazine, the former editor of Britain’s best-selling archaeology magazine, Current World Archaeology and has authored and edited many articles and books on archaeology from every corner of the world.