Encyclopedia of Archaeology: History and Discoveries [3 volumes]

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Description

From the Renaissance obsession with antiquities down to Tut-mania and Indiana Jones, the "romance" of archaeology has held universal attraction. Yet the great discoveries unearthed over the past 500 years are the result of day-to-day work in the field, laboratory, and library. An archaeologist is more likely to be armed with a dental pick than with a gun, more likely to be threatened by mosquitoes than by a pharaoh's curse. Created over almost 10 years and involving scholars from all over the world contributing articles on their areas of expertise, the five volumes of this encyclopedia aim to provide general readers with up-to-date information, to dispel myths and misconceptions, and to celebrate the vitality of an ever-evolving science. In this second set, many of the world's leading archaeologists have contributed entries on their specialities, ranging from long essays to brief identifications. The A-Z articles spotlight archaeological pioneers and practitioners, heroes and villains, discoveries and debates, concepts and techniques, periods and regions, organizations and museums. These three volumes trace the development of the field from the ancient Greeks to the end of the 20th century. Readers can travel from east (Japan; Cambodia) to west (Aztecs; Brazil) and north (Denmark; Russia) to south (South Africa), by land, sea and air, from the earliest prehistoric times to the end of the 20th century. The volumes pay particular attention to archaeology's impact on the wider culture and special features include a general bibliography, timeline and maps.

Reviews

"This three-volume work bridges a long-existing gap by successfully filling the space between scholarly and popular coverage." - American Libraries "Maintaining both the format and level of excellence of its predecessor ... additional contributors have produced a work that includes much more than just entries about archaeological sites... This highly recommended work provides high-quality information in a manner that is accessible to the average reader and should be considered for purchase by all public and academic libraries." - American Reference Books Annual "Essential reference tools for the history of anthropology in both general and research libraries." - Library Journal "Libraries that purchased The Great Archaeologists will certainly want to add History and Discoveries to their collections." - Booklist "This reference source would be useful in a high school or college library for students doing research; the list of reference sources at the end of each article could be used to find additional information on a particular topic." - Top of Texas Reviews

Author Bio

Tim Murray is professor of archaeology at La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia.