1st Edition

Critical Approaches to Fieldwork Contemporary and Historical Archaeological Practice

By Gavin Lucas Copyright 2001
    256 Pages
    by Routledge

    256 Pages
    by Routledge

    This work takes as its starting point the role of fieldwork and how this has changed over the past 150 years. The author argues against progressive accounts of fieldwork and instead places it in its broader intellectual context to critically examine the relationship between theoretical paradigms and everyday archaeological practice.
    In providing a much-needed historical and critical evaluation of current practice in archaeology, this book opens up a topic of debate which affects all archaeologists, whatever their particular interests.

    List of figures, List of tables, Acknowledgements, 1 Introduction: archaeology and the field, 2 Finding the past, 3 Splitting objects, 4 The measure of culture, 5 Eventful contexts, 6 Conclusion: material archaeologies, Notes, References, Index

    Biography

    Gavin Lucas

    'This is the most intelligent and thought-provoking book on archaeological fieldwork I have read. It is full of numerous insights and re-evaluations and genuinely bridges the split between theory and practice that so disables archaeology...for those committed to a thoughtful archaeological practice, this book is long overdue and essential reading' - Michael Shanks, Stanford University