Death by Theory: A Tale of Mystery and Archaeological Theory

(Paperback)

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Description

A European Neolithic burial. A large stone Venus. Nothing unusual except that it was found on an island in the Pacific Northwest. Archaeologist Hannah Green and her shovelbum nephew find themselves in a tangled web of competing interests - avaricious land owners, hungry media, and a cult of goddess worshippers - while investigating one of the finds of the century. In untangling the mystery of the Washington Venus, Hannah and Sean have to confront questions of archaeological evidence, conflicting interpretation of data, and the very nature of archaeological truths. This thoroughly updated version of an archaeological classic allows you to learn the basics of archaeological theory while puzzling out a mysterious turn of events.

Reviews

The author's droll humor helps incorporate theory within many other aspects of archaeologyCRM, field methods, the public, even issues of professionalism. Having taught archaeological theory for many years, I appreciate the revised edition, which is nicely updated to include more illustrations, concepts such as 'agency,' and new references and websites. -- Nancy White, author of Archaeology for Dummies

Author Bio

Adrian Praetzellis is professor of anthropology and director of the Anthropological Studies Center at Sonoma State University.