Companion Encyclopedia of Archaeology

This comprehensive, fully illustrated Companion answers the need for an in-depth archaeology reference that provides authoritative coverage of this complex and interdisciplinary field. The work brings together the myriad strands and the great temporal and spatial breadth of the field into two thematically organized volumes. Structure The Companion includes 29 articless written by an international team of leading scholars, and features the usual clarity and high-quality writing standards of Routledge's acclaimed Comapnion Encyclopedias . Organized into 3 major sections, the two volumes provide definitive coverage of the field as a whole: 1. Origins, aims and methods of archaeology 2. Themes and approaches to archaeology 3. Writing Archaeological History Part One explores the history of the discipline, the theory, and looks at techniques of studying different types of archaeological evidence. Archaeology's relationship to other disciplines and its assimilation of their techniques and approaches is also discussed in this section. Part Two explores how archaeologists approach such themes as culture, identity, society, territory, population and beliefs across the traditional boundaries of period and place. The study of each theme requires an interdisciplinary and integrated approach. The ways in which these terms are defined in archaeological discourse are also discussed. The essays in Part Three take a historical approach to the development of societies. This section integrates the concerns which are addressed in the previous two sections and draws together the methods and approaches in studying hunter-gatherer societies, developing models for state formation, examining medieval demographic trends, and understanding early modern and industrial societies. Readership The Companion will appeal to a wide-ranging audience. Academics in archaeology and related disciplines, field archaeologists, undergraduate and postgraduate students, amateur archaeologists and the informed and enthusiastic general reader will all find this a fascinating and useful reference tool. The thematic strategy ensures that the book has relevance across the field as well as allowing for in-depth approaches to specific issues and topics. Key Features * Authoritative, in-depth information on the theory and practice of archaeology, including coverage of vital issues and developing trends * Entries by internationally renowned scholars in the field * Photos, drawings and other images illustrating key points in the work * Clear high quality writing, useful and accessible to a wide audience * Helpful introductory overviews preceding each section * Extensive suggestions for further reading at the end of each entry