Dug to Death: A Tale of Archaeological Method and Mayhem

(Paperback)

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Description

Dr Hannah Green - heroine of Praetzellis's textbook-as-novel "Death by Theory" - has really got into trouble this time. The archaelogist has been asked to manage the contract archaeology project at a historic site in New Zealand when the regular archaeological staff of University of Invercargill abruptly dies off. On the scene, Hannah discovers she needs to teach her team about research design, survey methods, archival research, professional ethics, curation and field safety, if they are to complete the contract before Mr Wallace levels the site in favour of a golf course. This textbook-as-novel introduces students to the hows and whys of field methodology in an entertaining but informative way.

Reviews

In Adrian Praetzellis' book Dug to Death...he describes in deeply affecting fashion some of the myriad things that go horribly awry on an archaeological dig...If you want to be an archaeologist, if you really want to know what being an archaeologist is all about, go on a field school. And take this book with you. -- K. Kris Hirst * Archaeology.About.Com *
Praetzellis has succeeded in doing what many other archaeological writers have attempted and fallen short. In Dug to Death, he has found a way to present archaeology that is education and truly entertaining at the same time. By presenting serious archaeological concepts and issues in methodology in a fictional format, Praetzellis has developed what may be the most effective way to talk about archaeology to audiences not very familiar with how archaeology really works. . . Dug to Death is a fun introduction to the nitty-gritty details of archaeology, presenting a tongue-in-cheek interpretation of the discipline while still managing to communicate what archaeologists do, why they do it that way, and why archaeology itself is important. * Industrial Archeology *
The author provides clear and elementary definitions and introduces key points of ethical interest, accomplishing his purpose with a clear style and logical organization. -- T.A. Floor, University of Montana * Choice Reviews *

Author Bio

Adrian Praetzellis is Professor of Anthropology at Sonoma State University and author of the archaeological textbook-mystery novel Death by Theory.