Documentary Archaeology in the New World

Description

Designed to appeal to a broad spectrum of archaeologists and historians, Documentary Archaeology in the New World outlines a fresh approach to the archaeological study of the historic cultures of North America that places history alongside anthropology, cultural geography, and a whole range of cognate disciplines. The authors' common belief is that historical archaeologists must develop their own frameworks for interpretation through exhaustive documentary research rather than simply borrow models from colleagues working in the prehistoric past. Specific topics examined include urban archaeology, historical ecology, consumerism, smuggling, folk classifications, gender relations, ethnicity, seasonality and ideology. This volume will serve both as a guide to the available techniques of documentary analysis and as a source for the innovative interpretation of historical archaeological materials anywhere in the world.

'... it is refreshing to see the archaeological and documentary record of the New World being used to challenge some of the myths of the American way ... this is a valuable volume and should be read.' John Moreland, Man 'These essays prove unequivocably that historical archaeology has its own set of issues and techniques that are of value in and of themselves.' G. J. Gumerman, Choice