A Dictionary of Archaeology

This dictionary provides those studying or working in archaeology with a complete reference to the field. The entries, which range from key–word definitions to longer articles, convey the challenges, ambiguities and theoretical context of archaeology as well as the surveyed and excavated data. The dictionary is based on the premise that archaeology is a process rather than simply a body of knowledge, and includes contributions from more than forty of the world′s leading archaeologists. Unlike other dictionaries of archaeology, this volume provides comprehensive coverage of recent archaeological theory together with examples of practical applications and cross–references to site entries. The Dictionary also incorporates concepts and movements from adjacent fields such as anthropology, sociology, philosophy and human biology. There are also numerous entries on previously neglected areas such as China, Japan and Oceania. The bibliographies that follow virtually every entry enable the reader to easily locate primary or most recent sources.

List of Illustrations. List of Contributors. Preface and Acknowledgements. Bibliographical Abbreviations. A–Z Entries.

Ian Shaw is lecturer in Egyptian archaeology at the Institute of Archaeology, University College London. He is author of Ancient Egyptian Warfare and Weapons , co–author (with Paul Nicholson) of The British Museum Dictionary of Ancient Egypt and Ancient Egyptian Materials and Technology, and the editor of the Oxford Illustrated History of Ancient Egypt. He has published articles in various journals and books, and has excavated in Europe, Egypt and North America. Robert Jameson is a freelance writer and archaeologist. He is also co–author of a monograph titled Hatnub: An Ancient Egyptian Quarrying Site and has published a number of articles in the Journal of Egyptian Archaeology and in edited volumes. His field work includes extensive archaeological surveying in the Eastern desert of Egypt, while his special interests include the early prehistory of Europe and material culture studies.

"Shaw and Jameson have assembled a roster of authoritative and readable contributors to cover sites, cultures, regions worldwide (even continents), concepts and theories, methods and techniques. The quality of the entries is very high." Antiquity <!––end––> "This is a modern, thoughtful, and extremely useful dictionary with a wealth of contextualized definitions, and important if comparatively lesser–known sites and cultures." Times Higher Education Supplement "Blackwell′s graphics greatly enhance it; drawings relate to text, maps locate site entries, and chronologies are provided for all detailed regional sections except Africa." Choice "The book′s strength rests on its geographical coverage ... Its theoretical content will be of particular use to advanced students and scholars seeking to find the current state–of–the–art approaches to the discipline." College and Research Libraries "It should be particularly useful to those requiring an introduction to the archaeological sites in particular regions. I also found it interesting for insights into the way archaeologists work and perceive human–environmental interactions." The Holocene