Archaeology Books

Book SynopsisChristina MacDonald MacQueen was born on St Kilda and grew up there at the close of the 19th century.Before the islands' evacuations, she wrote a series of passionate articles about her childhood and the history of the islands. These writings offer a personal and uniquely female perspective on the island's story and its imminent abandonment.

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Book SynopsisTimely essays from experienced contributors examine the damage recent conflict has caused to cultural heritage, and how it may best be safeguarded in future. `Laurie Rush, a senior archeologist with the U.S. Army, has assembled a seminal book on the threat to important cultural sites from combat operations, and none too soon. Spurred by the tragic and unnecessary loss of artefacts andarchaeology from the invasion of Iraq, she and her colleagues make a persuasive case that a minimum of common sense can not only protect this shared heritage but also enhance the likelihood that a military mission will succeed, and with fewer casualties. This book should be required reading for senior military and civilian leaders, not just in the United States but throughout the world, who are able to initiate the training and education necessary to ensure that planning and targeting personnel will be able to identify significant sites and take every reasonable step to avoid damaging them.' RICHARD MOE, PROFESSOR EMERITUS, NATIONAL TRUST FOR HISTORIC PRESERVATION, US From Lawrence of Arabia to the Monuments Men to the contributors within this volume, academic scholars have found themselves engaged in conflict areas, in topics involving conflict, and in unlikely partnerships with military professionals. Motives and methods have varied dramatically over the years, but the over-riding theme of this volume is stewardship. In each case, an author has encountered a situation where their expertise has offered the potential tohelp save archaeological properties, historical structures, and sacred places - or has documented the process. Drawing on major contributions from seven armed forces, amongst others, this book aims to set out the obligations to protect cultural heritage under international Conventions; provide a series of case studies of current military practice; and outline the current efforts to enhance this. Overall, it offers examples, anecdotes, and lessons learnedthat can be used for consideration in planning future efforts for global archaeological stewardship. Contributors: Patty Gerstenblith, Krysia Spirydowicz, Julian Radcliffe, Corine Wegener, Joris Kila, Martin Brown, JamesZeidler, Laurie Rush, Paul R. Green, Darrell C. Pinckney, Diane C. Siebrandt, Hugo Clarke, Friedrich Schipper, Franz Schuller, Karl von Habsburg-Lothringen, Holger Eichberger, Erich Frank, Norbert Fürstenhofer, Stephan Zellmeyer,Sarah ParcakTrade ReviewOffers a snapshot of recent efforts to educate and train troops to recognize, protect and preserve cultural heritage during both armed deployments and peacetime. [Its] case studies offer good examples. * TLS *Table of ContentsArchaeology and the Military: an Introduction - Laurie W. Rush The Obligations Contained in International Treaties of Armed Forces to Protect Cultural Heritage in Times of Armed Conflict - Patty Gerstenblith Rescuing Europe's Cultural Heritage: The Role of the Allied Monuments Officers in World War II - Krysia Spirydowicz The UK's Training and Awareness Programme - Julian Radcliffe US Army Civil Affairs: Protecting Cultural Property, Past and Future - Corine Wegener Cultural Property Protection in the Event of Armed Conflict: Deploying Military Experts or Can White Men Sing the Blues? - Joris Kila Good Training and Good Practice: Protection of the Cultural Heritage on the UK Defence Training Estate - Martin Brown In-Theatre Soldier Training through Cultural Heritage Playing Cards: a US Department of Defense Example - James Zeidler In-Theatre Soldier Training through Cultural Heritage Playing Cards: a US Department of Defense Example - Laurie W. Rush Dealing the Heritage Hand: Establishing a United States Department of Defense Cultural Property Protection Program for Global Operations - Laurie W. Rush Teaching Cultural Property Protection in the Middle East: the Central Command Historical Cultural Advisory Group and International Efforts - Laurie W. Rush Cultural Resources Data for Heritage Protection in Contingency Operations - Paul R Green Time not on my side: Cultural Resource Management in Kirkuk, Iraq - Darrell C Pinckney US Military Support of Cultural Heritage Awareness and Preservation in Post-Conflict Iraq - Diane C Siebrandt Operation Heritage - Hugo Clarke Cultural Property Protection in the Event of Armed Conflict - Austrian Experiences - Friedrich Schipper Role of the Swiss Armed Forces in the Protection of Cultural Property - Stephan Zellmeyer Preserving Global Heritage from Space in Times of War - Sarah Parcak Appendices: 1954 Hague Convention and its two Protocols

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Book SynopsisCatalogue of excavated household items from the middle ages provides an invaluable reference tool for experts and the general reader alike. This book brings together for the first time the astonishing diversity of excavated furnishings and artefacts from medieval London homes. These include roofing and other structural items, decorative fixtures and fittings, and assortment of culinary utensils, writing instruments, and toys and weights. Illustrating some 1,000 items, the catalogue provides a fascinating account of how metalwork and glassware manufacturing trends changed during the period covered, while close dating of many of the finds has resulted in many new insights into life at the time.Trade ReviewIt is possible, using this catalogue of finds, to consider new insights into life in medieval Britain during this period and, as such, this volume is ideal for anyone with an academic interest in the period historically or archaeologically. [...] It is a fascinating insight into a very small but significant period of British history and a volume which as part of a wider series nonetheless stands well on its own as an individual work of reference. * REFERENCE REVIEWS *This second edition is testament to the thorough research that underpinned the original. * MEDIEVAL ARCHAEOLOGY *Illustrates and explains an astounding diversity of excavated furnishings and artefacts from medieval London homes. [...] It is possible, using this catalogue of finds, to consider new insights into life in medieval Britain during this period and, as such, this volume is ideal for anyone with an academic interest in the period historically or archaeologically. * REFERENCE REVIEWS *These finds give us a marvellous picture of London life in the later middle ages. [...] For historians and archaeologists alike, this catalogue provides a wealth of primary material for further analysis. The introductory essays and commentaries on individual categories and pieces are excellent. * THE MEDIEVAL REVIEW *(reviewed together with 'Pilgrim Souvenirs') Republication of two volumes from the essential Medieval Finds from Excavations in London series, both from 1998, is very welcome. Print quality is excellent, and Boydell has hardbacked them, wise for reference books guaranteed a long life. * BRITISH ARCHAEOLOGY *

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Book SynopsisAn examination of daily life in the Middle Ages which reveals the intimate relations between age groups, between the living and the dead, and between people and things. An important and timely volume... an elegant summary of complex theory, and synthesis of an impressive body of material. It will be eagerly read by current and future generations of archaeologists, and will demonstrate the significance of historical archaeology to a much wider scholarly audience. Dr Kate Giles, University of York. The aim of this book is to explore how medieval life was actually lived - how people were born and grew old, how they dressed, how they inhabited their homes, the rituals that gave meaning to their lives and how they prepared for death and the afterlife. Its fresh and original approach uses archaeological evidence to reconstruct the material practices of medieval life, death and the afterlife. Previous historical studies of the medieval "lifecycle" begin with birth and end with death. Here, in contrast, the concept of life course theory is developed for the first time in a detailed archaeological case study. The author argues that medieval Christian understanding of the "life course" commenced with conception and extended through the entirety of life, to include death and the afterlife. Five thematic case studies present the archaeology of medieval England (c.1050-1540 CE) in terms of the body, the household, the parish church and cemetery, and the relationship between the lives of people and objects.A wide range of sources is critically employed: osteology, costume, material culture, iconography and evidence excavated from houses, churches and cemeteries in the medieval English town and countryside. Medieval Life reveals theintimate and everyday relations between age groups, between the living and the dead, and between people and things. Roberta Gilchrist is Professor of Archaeology at the University of Reading.Trade ReviewIn accessible language and compelling prose, Roberta Gilchrist applies a substantial corpus of archaeological evidence and anthropological theory on material culture to the social construction of the medieval life from c. 1050 to 1540. This book is essential reading for medievalists already working with material evidence, and provides an elegant example for historians and religious scholars of all periods interested in how material theory can shape their own projects. * RELIGIOUS STUDIES REVIEW *A significant book that has potential to open new areas of study and to bring innovative approaches to a wide audience of medievalists from different disciplines. * ARCHAEOLOGICAL JOURNAL, vol. 170 *Gilchrist draws from an impressively wide range of evidence with skill. The volume is a detailed interrogation of the personal objects that furnished Medieval life [and] as a result it is a notable contribution to a growing body of complex interdisciplinary social archaeologies. * CURRENT ARCHAEOLOGY *A vital and innovative contribution to our understanding of how medieval people interacted with and comprehended the world they inhabited. . [It] is an exemplary model of interdisciplinary history. * JOURNAL OF INTERDISCIPLINARY HISTORY *If you prefer your medieval studies written with sustained brilliance, elegant, concise prose and frequently ravishing insight, then this is the book for you. * MEDIEVAL ARCHAEOLOGY *This important book is well written and supports every conjecture with evidence and citations. By organizing the book along thematic questions as opposed to categories of objects, Gilchrist gives a stimulating new perspective on the interdisciplinary topic of life cycles in medieval England. * MEDIEVAL REVIEW *This is an important book. The scope of the work is impressive [and] the presentation is excellent. * ANTIQUITY *A very original work of analysis and synthesis. [...] An unusual, and unusually interesting study. * NORTHERN HISTORY *Vivid and rich in humanity. [...] For anyone who wishes to sense what being medieval meant, it is a key text. * BRITISH ARCHAEOLOGY *The great merit of Roberta Gilchrist's volume is that it shows us a past that was infinitely more complicated, and often complicated by people whose voices have left no articulate trace. * TIMES LITERARY SUPPLEMENT *A wonderful bringing-together of archaeology with standard history. * BIBLIOBUFFET *Table of ContentsArchaeology and the Life Course Experiencing Age: the Medieval Body Clothing the Body: Age, Sexuality and Transitional Rites The Medieval Household: the Material Culture of Everyday Life The Medieval Church and Cemetery: the Quick and the Dead Medieval Lives: People and Things Appendices Bibliography

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Book SynopsisTo the north-north-west of the town of Llantwit Major in a field known as Caermead, lie the remains of a Roman villa of considerable size and archaeological importance.

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Book SynopsisStretching 73 miles from coast to coast and reaching a height of about 13 feet, Hadrian's Wall should have been counted as one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. Today, a World Heritage site, it stands as the most imposing monument north of the Alps and attracts millions of visitors a year. Yet, despite all the excavation and research that has been carried out, this is the first detailed guide to be written for many years. Having first dealt with the practical questions of transport, clothing and maps, Guy de la Bedoyere explains why and how the Wall was constructed. With the help of almost 100 sketch maps, drawings and photographs, he then conducts the visitor, stage by stage, along the full length of the Wall, providing map locations, route and parking instructions, details of access and opening times, and a full account of everything that can be seen. He also covers the outpost forts, the forts and settlements to the rear (South Shields, Corbridge and Vindolanda) and the local museums which house so many of the artefacts discovered along the Wall. This indispensable guide-book concludes with a list of dates, a glossary and a summary of all the key sources.

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Book SynopsisChurches are Britain’s most completely surviving class of historic monument. They are also usually the oldest buildings within their settlements. As such, these structures, from parish church to cathedral, from medieval to Georgian, are a huge architectural and archaeological resource. The last couple of decades have witnessed an unprecedented upsurge of public interest in the historic environment, and the growth of the tourism and ‘heritage’ industries has focused new attention on churches. While some visitors to churches, cathedrals and monastic ruins seem content to wander around with little or no understanding of what they are looking at, many have an interest in learning about the history or usage of the building. How far does it go back? Where is the earliest part of the building? Warwick Rodwell discusses the archaeological techniques that can attempt to answer such questions. In this lavishly illustrated, informative guide, Professor Rodwell explores the buildings themselves, their component parts, from foundations to finials, their sites, furnishings, fixtures and fittings, as well as churchyards and monuments.

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Book SynopsisSt Aidan of Lindisfarne established a monastery at ‘Mailros’ in the 7th century – a place of solitude and contemplation in the Border hills. Five centuries later, Cistercian monks settled nearby and built Melrose Abbey, inspired by the legacy of the early saints. Their austere and simple monastery would grow to become one of the wealthiest abbeys in medieval Scotland. Its magnificent buildings bear witness to almost 1,000 years of work, prayer and worship. Today, Melrose Abbey sits in a busy town. Within a radius of just a few miles lie the ruins of the three other great Border abbeys – Kelso, Jedburgh and Dryburgh. Together they form the greatest concentration of medieval religious houses in Scotland.

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Book SynopsisSome ten thousand years ago, hunter-gatherers moving through a landscape newly emerged from the grip of the last Ice Age reached four islands on the western seaboard. The shores they landed on were deserted. After making camp, they struck out to hunt and explore. We know this because the evidence of their presence has been preserved down the millennia - in traces of flint and quartz, in charred fragments of grain and animal bone, in great heaped piles of ancient shellfish. The islands were Rum, Eigg, Canna and Muck - four distinctive shapes rising from the waters of the Inner Hebrides between Ardnamurchan and Skye. Collectively, they are known as the Small Isles. From those first moments on, people have been working these islands and using their resources, adapting each landscape to suit the changing needs of the communities they served. In this definitive new book, archaeologist John Hunter searches for the stories of the Small Isles in the evidence that survives - from the fragmentary physical remains of dwellings, defences, places of worship and monuments, to the records of early antiquarians, historians and travellers. This is a journey to rediscover communities that were erased by the mass migrations of the nineteenth century, and the rise of the Victorian sporting estate. Within a few generations cultural identity on the islands disappeared and a new order developed. Placenames were changed, buildings and structures abandoned, and traditions forgotten. The Small Isles became islands without memories. This comprehensive guide - illustrated with a wealth of photographs, maps and drawings - takes readers on a tour of both place and time. Crisscrossing the landscapes of four fascinating and evocative islands, it reveals traces of a forgotten past in everything that has been left behind.Trade Review‘lucidly written and beautifully produced ... a wonderful introduction to this often overlooked group of islands’ * Current Archaeology *

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Book SynopsisThis volume discusses the main excavations at Neolithic Çatalhöyük East undertaken from 2009 to 2017. The site is well known because of its large size, elaborate symbolism and wall paintings, and long history of excavation. This volume covers the last period of excavation directed by Ian Hodder in the North and South Areas of the site. It also describes the work conducted in the GDN Area on the later phases of occupation.The main aim of these excavations was to understand the layout and social geography of the settlement (both houses and open areas) and to situate the elaborate art and symbolism within a secure architectural and depositional context. Excavation and conservation methods are described and the campaign of geophysical prospection is described. Considerable focus is placed on detailed dating using Bayesian modeling that alters significantly our understanding of the organization of the settlement. New light is thrown on the degree of contemporaneity of buildings and on the continuities and breaks in house occupation and in the site as a whole. A fuller understanding has also been reached of the variability of houses and burials and of how these variations relate to social differentiation. The descriptions of excavated units, features and buildings incorporates results from the analyses of animal bone, chipped stone, groundstone, shell, ceramics, phytoliths, micromorphology. The integration of different types of data and of different voices within the excavation team mimics the process of collaborative interpretation that took place during the excavation and post-excavation process.

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Book SynopsisAs an archaeologist, Steven Mithen has worked on the Hebridean island of Islay over a period of many years. In this book he introduces the sites and monuments and tells the story of the island’s people from the earliest stone age hunter-gatherers to those who lived in townships and in the grandeur of Islay House. He visits the tombs of Neolithic farmers, forts of Iron Age chiefs and castles of medieval warlords, discovers where Bronze Age gold was found, treacherous plots were made against the Scottish crown, and explores the island of today, which was forged more recently by those who mined for lead, grew flax, fished for herring and distilled whisky – the industry for which the island is best known today. Although an island history, this is far from an insular story: Islay has always been at a cultural crossroads, receiving a constant influx of new people and new ideas, making it a microcosm for the story of Scotland, Britain and beyond.Trade Review'Not only a mighty guide to the archaeological landscape of Islay, but a thrilling microcosm of all human history' -- Joyce MacMillan * The Scotsman *'[a] deep-dive into the archaeology of the Ilich – the people of Islay... a scholarly, accessible and very pleasant read, complemented by delicate illustrations, maps, and high quality colour photographs' * Current Archaeology *

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Book SynopsisDetailing the results of excavations undertaken by the Cambridge Archaeological Unit at the Cambridge Biomedical Campus between 2007 and 2016, this volume builds upon the work of previous large-scale projects within an area that now represents one of the most intensively investigated archaeological landscapes in Britain. Also included is a chapter contributed by Oxford Archaeology East concerning their excavations within the Biomedical Campus, which has enabled full publication of the site's archaeology in a single volume.The excavations exposed three major sites: a Middle Bronze Age enclosure complex, a Late Iron AgeEarly Roman farmstead with associated ring-ditch cemetery, and a first- to fourth-century AD Roman farmstead. The archaeological evidence and analyses of the sites' substantial artefact assemblages and economic data are presented alongside detailed consideration of the palaeoenvironment and Bayesian modelling of radiocarbon dates relating to the Middle Bronze Age enclosure sequence. Preliminary results from aDNA analysis of burials from the site's small Late Roman inhumation cemetery and the nearby Late Iron Age/Early Roman cemetery at the Hutchison Site previously excavated and published by the Cambridge Archaeological Unit are also included. Together, the results provide new and important insight into the region's prehistoric and Late Iron AgeRoman settlement, their respective economies and the communities that inhabited them.

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Book SynopsisThe Roman town of Falerii Novi was founded after Rome defeated the Faliscans in 241BC, and features widely in modern discussions of Roman expansion in Italy, with its town walls and defences often illustrated in accounts of architecture. Its site is now largely farmland, with the only buildings within the Roman walls being a Medieval church and associated structures, now used as a farm. The site attracted attention of 19th century antiquarians and was explored in limited excavations during the later 20th century, but its history and development remains only partially understood. In the late 1990s it was the subject of one of the first large-scale geophysical surveys completed in Italy using magnetometry. The publication of that work in 2000 formed the basis for an historical and archaeological interpretation that has subsequently been widely debated. The present volume results from a second innovative large-scale survey which deployed Ground-Penetrating Radar. This book presents the spectacular results of that work combined with evidence from the earlier magnetometry and integrated with information from excavation and past finds. The resulting account provides a full and new discussion of the town and its topographical and historical development, placed in the broader setting of Roman Italy. It includes a new interpretation of the early history of the town, discussions of the evidence of the major buildings as well as a series of accounts of spatial patterning within the city. As well as providing the first comprehensive synthesis of this important Roman town, the book shows how evidence from geophysical surveys can form the basis for new approaches to the understanding of Roman urbanism.

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Book SynopsisA new theory of relational ethics that tackles contemporary issues. In How Is It Between Us?, Jarrett Zigon puts anthropology and phenomenological hermeneutics in conversation to develop a new theory of relational ethics. This relational ethics takes place in the between, the interaction not just between people, but all existents. Importantly, this theory is utilized as a framework for considering some of today’s most pressing ethical concerns—for example, living in a condition of post-truth and worlds increasingly driven by algorithms and data extraction, various and competing calls for justice, and the ethical demands of the climate crisis. Written by one of the preeminent contributors to the anthropology of ethics, this is a ground-breaking book within that literature, developing a robust and systematic ethical theory to think through contemporary ethical problems.Table of ContentsPrefaceChapter 1:How is it between us?Chapter 2:Truth, Thinking, EthicsChapter 3:Justice (considered relationally)Chapter 4 : What is data (ethics)?Chapter 5:Ethics beyond the humanReferences

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Book SynopsisThe date of the Cerne Giant has long been a matter for debate, as exemplified by a public and televised debate of March 1996, published as The Cerne Giant: An Antiquity on Trial (1999, Oxbow Books). Excavations were conducted in 2020 by the National Trust in the centenary year of its ownership of the Giant. The excavations were limited and targeted in extent and scope, the aim was to date the actual construction of the iconic figure by absolute dating methods (OSL). As the 1999 publication explained, the jury was still out with advocates for a prehistoric origin, one connected to the period of the Civil War or a more modern one. In the event, the dates were a complete surprise, falling within the Anglo-Saxon period.The research has provided an accurate, scientifically verified date for the Cerne Giant. These unexpected results, together with the land-use history and ominous disappearance' of the Giant for six centuries, provide the platform for reconsideration and new discussion and d

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Book SynopsisIn early twentieth-century Berlin, the museumsdebate was set into motion with Wilhelm von Bode's sweeping proposal to reorganize a group of the city's museums. Between 1907 and 1910, two particularly striking series of articles appeared in the journal Museumskunde: Journal for the Administration and Technology of Public and Private Collections. The first was a six-part essay by Otto Lauffer on history museums and the second was a ten-part piece by Oswald Richter regarding ethnographic museums, and both initiated a century of important dialogue. Presented together here as Collecting, Displaying, and Interpreting Material Culture, these first full English translations of the two book-length articles remain unequalled presentations about the different implications of art, historical, and ethnographic museums. They show how sophisticated the discussion of museums and museum display was in the early twentieth century, and how much could be gained from revisiting these reflections today. Accompanied with short commentaries by a group of museum professionals, these translations and associated commentaries allow for an intervention and intensification of the current level of debate about museums, one that will further invigorated by the opening of the Humboldt Forum in Berlin in 2019.Trade Review“This well-curated book collects, prepares, and showcases two rare and vital samples of modern museological thought, studied and discussed by leading contemporary museum directors and historians of art and science, so as to better understand cultural history from its origins to its present decolonization.” -- Tristan Weddigen, director of the Bibliotheca Hertziana (Max Planck Institute for Art History in Rome) and professor of Modern Art History at the University of Zurich“What are historical and ethnographic museums for, and what should they display? This fascinating book juxtaposes the insights and critiques of two early twentieth-century German curators with the reflections of contemporary museum professionals and historians, revealing that, at least since 1900, thinking about and with non-art objects has been a fundamental, if perennially controversial, part of world history and European self-consciousness.” -- Suzanne L. Marchand, Boyd Professor of European Intellectual History at Louisiana State University"Museums have always been good to think with and argue about. This is a book we have all been waiting for, bringing into the conversation the deep German tradition of museology, linked also to the latest discussions on indigenous perspectives and property. A wonderful cultural and intellectual achievement." -- Chris Gosden, Professor of European Archaeology at the University of OxfordTable of ContentsSeries Editor’s Preface Acknowledgements A Note on the Text Introduction: What Kind of Knowledge Is Museum Knowledge? Peter N. Miller Part I: From the pages of Museumskunde The Historical Museum: Its Character, Its Work, and How It Differs from Museums of Art and Applied Arts By Otto Lauffer On the Ideals and Practical Tasks of Ethnographic Museums By Oswald Richter Part II: Reflections on Reading Lauffer and Richter Today Youth and Arrogance Julien Chapuis (Bode Museum, Berlin) Oswald Richter and “The Purity of the Specific Local Culture” Edward Cooke, Jr. (Yale University) “Certain Secondary Tasks of Ethnographic Museums”: Richter’s Writings and the Role of Ethnographic Museums in Germany’s Colonial Period Viola König (Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin) Perfecting the Past: Period Rooms Between Disneyland and the White Box Deborah L. Krohn (Bard Graduate Center) Categories with Consequences Alisa Lagama (Metropolitan Museum of Art) Visions of Juxtaposition: Peiresc/Bataille: Monuments/Documents Peter N. Miller (Bard Graduate Center) The Future in the Past Glenn Penny (University of Iowa) Triangulating Art/Artifact: Indigenous Studies as the Third Term Ruth Phillips (Carleton University) Richter and Us Jeffrey Quilter (Peabody Museum of Anthropology, Harvard University) An Attempt at Order in a Time of Flux Matthew Rampley (Masaryk University Brno) Words and Things Anke Te Heesen (Humboldt University) Mix It Up: Five Observations on Collections and Museums Nicholas Thomas (Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, Cambridge University) Life and Death in the Museum Céline Trautmann-Waller (Université Sorbonne Nouvelle-Paris 3) Photographs, Showcases, and Multiple Agencies: Modes of Representation and Directions of Gaze Eva-Maria Troelenberg (Utrecht University) The Museum Beyond Walls Mariët Westermann (NYU Abu Dhabi) Conclusion: Max Weber in the Museum Peter N. Miller Index

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Book SynopsisJames Mellaart was a pioneering archaeologist who made some of the greatest discoveries about Turkey’s prehistoric past, changing our understanding of the late stone age forever. His excavation of the huge Neolithic mound site of Çatalhöyük, now a World Heritage Site, brought revolutionary evidence of a complex prehistoric town, revealing previously undreamt of art and culture, and making him famous. However, there was far more to the man than his archaeology – his troubled childhood, fierce identity, love for Turkish culture, as well as the controversies by which he was dogged, meant that his life was filled with adventure and exoticism. This book delves into the life of James Mellaart and his wife Arlette, their family histories and historical Istanbul, the romantic backdrop to Mellaart’s ground-breaking work. His son Alan explores in detail how the lives of his parents and their respective families unfolded, set against the social whirl of a summer palace on the Bosphorus. Mellaart’s archaeological discoveries and the excitement of excavation are vividly explained in first-hand accounts by those who were there at the time. Historical reports, eyewitness accounts from those who knew him and assessments of the impact of both Mellaart’s work and character by leading academics show the undoubted importance of his contribution to the archaeology of Turkey and the wider Near East. Richly illustrated in colour throughout, here for the first time the reader encounters previously unseen archive materials, including Mellaart’s personal notebooks and accounts, giving new perspective on one of the greatest and most controversial characters in the history of archaeology.Table of ContentsPreface – Alan Mellaart, Emma L Baysal ; Prologue: The Skeleton Cleaning Club: Childhood Memories of Çatal Hüyük – Alan Mellaart ; The life of James Mellaart – Alan Mellaart ; Arlette Mellaart: A Journey to Archaeology – Alan Mellaart ; Bohemia on the Bosphorus – Arlette Mellaart ; Safvet Pasha – Sinan Kuneralp ; Kadri and Ulviye Cenani – Alan Mellaart ; James Mellaart: A Man Addicted to Archaeology – Mehmet Özdoğan ; Extracts From The Interval: A Life in Near Eastern Archaeology – Seton Lloyd ; Working with Jimmy and Arlette Mellaart from 1955 to 1958 – David Stronach ; James Mellaart and Hacılar – Maxime Brami ; ‘Jimmy Bey of Hacılar’ and some Memories of Fifty Years – Refik Duru ; Notes on the Çatal Hüyük Excavations – Ian Todd ; Letters from Çatalhöyük – Grace Huxtable ; Mellaart’s Notebooks: The Story of Çatalhöyük’s First Days – Emma L. Baysal ; Working With Arlette and James Mellaart at Kanlıca in 1964: Those were the Days – Peder Mortensen ; Jimmy and Arlette Mellaart at Çatal Hüyük – John Ingham ; James Mellaart and Çatalhöyük: An Evaluation – Ian Hodder ; One of archaeology’s great mysteries: Dorak – Seton Lloyd, Kenneth Pearson, Patricia Connor, David Stronach ; Gordon Square – Donald Easton ; Memories of Jimmy and Arlette – Ian Hodder ; Tribute to James Mellaart – John Carswell ; Tribute to James Mellaart – Trevor Watkins ; James Mellaart Bibliography

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Book SynopsisSince the eighteenth century, many if not most ancient and medieval manuscripts or other text-bearing or associated objects have been procured through imperial expropriation or through the antiquities market with little or no evidence of findspot or place of original deposition and with no assurance of legal provenance or authenticity. The consequences of these questionable acquisition practices for scholarship and for our understanding of the past are the focus of much enquiry. Recent high-profile acquisitions (and subsequent returns) of text-bearing objects by prominent private collectors and museums and the appearance on the market of demonstrably modern forgeries have resulted in increased scrutiny of the intellectual and commercial impacts of academic engagement. Scholarly research can abet the antiquities market directly or indirectly through identification, authentication and legitimation of illegally traded text-bearing objects. These harmful complications of well-established academic practice raise important questions about how and even if the academy should engage with ancient texts and text-bearing objects of uncertain provenance. Through a wide-ranging set of case studies, variant scholarship focuses on the methodological, theoretical, and ethical dilemmas facing scholars when working with ancient texts in modern contexts. This book is intended for those interested in the historical practices of research into ancient manuscripts, ethical quandaries in studying unprovenanced textual materials, and the unintended consequences of scholarly interactions with problematic text-bearing objects.

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Book SynopsisThis book presents a concise account of the lives and times of some of the more significant occupants of the Egyptian throne, from the unification of the country around 3000 BC down to the extinction of native rule just under three millennia later. Some, such as Thutmose III, had a major impact on their time, and were remembered by their own people until the very civilization collapsed. Others, such as Tutankhamun, were soon forgotten by the Egyptians themselves, only to burst into popular culture thousands of years after their deaths, as a result of the labors of modern archaeologists. Still more remain unknown outside the small circle of professional archaeologists, but led lives that call out for wider dissemination. This book sets out to provide a mix of all three categories, in an attempt to present a balanced view of Egyptian kings and their range of achievements.First published in 1995, Monarchs of the Nile has now been extensively revised and rewritten to take into account two further decades of research and excavation.Trade Review"This especially readable volume packs great detail into eighteen chapters (which generally deal with their subjects thematically: i.e., "Openers of the Ways," "Seizers of the Two Lands," "Kings of the Sun," "Feud of the Ramessides," "Of Kings and Priests," etc.). There is also a useful Chronology (with kings' nomens and prenomens) and a unique list of the Royal Cemeteries (who was buried where), as well as several maps, at the end of the volume. Additionally, the author provides genealogies in the text, where these help clarify confusing lines of descent"--KMTTable of ContentsList of IllustrationsForewordPrefaceMaps1. The Land and its People2. The Egyptian Monarchy3. The Founders 4. The First Pyramid Builders 5. The Openers of the Ways 6. Collapse and Recovery 7. The Seizers of the Two Lands8. The Liberators 9. The Queen and the Conqueror 10. The Kings of the Sun 11. The Power and the Glory 12. The Feud of the Ramesides 13. Defender of the Frontiers 14. Of Kings and Priests 15. The Rise and Fall of the Libyan Pharaohs 16. The Other Egypt 17. The Dimming Glory 18. Native Sunset Epilogue Chronology and the Kings of Dynastic EgyptThe Royal CemeteriesFurther ReadingIndex

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Book SynopsisThis illustrated book is the culmination of a project to document and conserve the tomb of Menna, one of the most beautiful and complex painted tombs of the ancient Egyptian necropolis at Luxor. Through conservation, the tomb, which previously lay open to environmental influence, was brought back to its former glory. Aided by non-invasive methods of scientific analysis, the historical and cultural importance of Menna’s paintings can now be viewed and studied and enjoyed by a worldwide audience. High-definition photography and drawings complement specialist essays by scholars, scientists, and technicians, who discuss the artistic and cultural significance of the paintings, their architectural context, and scientific importance. Directed by Dr. Hartwig and administered by the American Research Center in Egypt (ARCE) as part of its Egyptian Antiquities Conservation Project, the project was funded by a grant from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), sponsored by Georgia State University, and carried out in collaboration with Egypt’s Supreme Council of Antiquities.Trade Review"Gorgeous tomb. Gorgeous book. If only all ancient Egyptian tombs were published like this."—Kara Cooney, UCLATable of ContentsContributors List of Illustrations and Tables Foreword Gerry Scott III Acknowledgments Introduction: The Significance of the Tomb Chapel of Menna (TT 69) Melinda Hartwigˆ Abbreviations of Locations in TT69 5 Part 1: The Tomb Chapel of Menna (TT 69) 1: The Tomb of Menna and Its Owner Melinda Hartwig 2: Scenes and Texts in the Tomb Chapel of Menna Melinda Hartwig Part 2: Methods of Analysis, Conservation, and Documentation 3: Archaeometry Research on the Wall Paintings in the Tomb Chapel of Menna Renata García-Moreno, François-Philippe Hocquet, François Mathis, Elsa Van Elslande, David Strivay, and Peter Vandenabeele 4: Conservation of the Tomb Chapel of Menna Bianca Madden, Cristina Beretta, Greg Howarth, Sasa Kosinova, Mark Perry, Doug Thorp, and Melinda Hartwig 5: Photographic and Digital Survey of the Tomb Chapel of Menna Katy Doyle and Pieter Collet 6: Visual and Archaeometric Analysis of the Paintings I: Visual Analysis of the Paintings Melinda Hartwig and Kerstin Leterme II. Archaeometric Analysis of the Paintings Melinda Hartwig Part 3: The Tomb Chapel of Menna in Context 7: The Tomb Chapel of Menna in Historical, Religious, and Artistic Context Melinda Hartwig List of Abbreviations Notes Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisThe idea of writng this book stemmed out from the need to rethink an excavation carried out in Kathmandu in years now distant from the people who took part in it and even more distant from the recent history of Nepal. Today the Valley of Kathmandu is a profoundly different place from what it was in the 1980s, and in many ways unrecognisable. The idea of the book, however, is also due to the long-term consequences of the situation created in Italy between 2008 and 2011, the year in which the Istituto Italiano per l'Africa e l'Oriente (IsIAO), sonship of the Istituto Italiano per il Medio ed Estremo Oriente (IsMEO), closed down. The latter had been established in 1933 by Giovanni Gentile and then directed for a long time by Giuseppe Tucci. Both Institutes, as far as field activities in Asia were concerned, were in close relati

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Book SynopsisFor ambitious late antique homeowners seeking to demonstrate their status and taste, water and its display offered almost infinite possibilities. Water Displays in Domestic Spaces across the Late Roman West: Cultivating Living Buildings presents the first synthesis of the archaeological evidence for late antique water features in both urban houses and extra-urban villas across the western Empire. Ginny Wheeler examines a wide and varied range of examples: from decorative basins and pools to fountains of all forms to water-equipped dining couches. Through careful analysis and evocative reconstruction of the water displays in their diverse contexts, this book explores how they were incorporated into late antique residences, the different ways that they enhanced domestic spaces, and the potential motives behind their insertion. To assess the great efforts to which homeowners, particularly in urban settings, went to ensure their installation and continued operation, one case study focuses on the best-preserved cityscape of Ostia. While the roles of water features ranged from practical to aesthetic, to social and symbolic, this book highlights their previously under-considered contributions to thermal comfort and sensory experience through in-depth analyses of two Iberian villas. Wheeler identifies broad patterns and regional distinctions in form and decor before reflecting on the multifaceted significance of water in the domestic sphere, informed by literary, epigraphic, and iconographic sources. Beyond contributing to the ongoing debate over fountains' utility versus aesthetics, this research offers new insights into the organization of life at household and neighborhood levels, the social relations between homeowners occasioned by water installations, and the understanding and application of environmental design in Antiquity.

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Book Synopsis_Forsaken Relics_ examines the intricate mechanisms of ritualistic appropriation of ruined and/or abandoned assets and artifacts. It explores how this process occurs in situations where there is legislation to regulate the appropriation of ownerless property, as well as in cases where such rules are either absent or contested, leading to disputes and conflicts.Every society has developed its unique ways of managing the re-appropriation of ownerless things', such as places and houses abandoned after conflicts, crises, or natural disasters, forsaken cemeteries, tombs, and forgotten goods. These practices often involve the use of ritualistic methods to mask the intent to appropriate abandoned artifacts. The book aims to stimulate comparative analysis of this topic in both ancient and modern societies, profiling the identity of the actors' of appropriation, examining the definition of abandonment, and exploring the ritual aspects such as inventorying material, dedication to ancestors, and prayers to gods that legitimize the re-appropriation of places and goods classified as abandoned.

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Book SynopsisObjects found on the banks of the Thames tell the stories of Londoners through the centuries.

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Book SynopsisFocusing on the Townley Discobolus, this illustrated introduction explores the history and significance of the statue in both classical and modern times in light of ancient discus throwing, Myron's other works, and the artistic, intellectual and philosophical context of the Greek world.

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Book SynopsisIn 1942, while ploughing a field near Mildenhall in Suffolk, eastern England, Gordon Butcher stumbled upon a hoard of 34 silver objects that he turned over to his boss and owner of the land, Sydney Ford. Dating back to Roman Britain, fourth century AD, and of outstanding artistic and technical quality, the hoard was declared a Treasure Trove in 1946.

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Book SynopsisThe story of the scroll is of fascinating historical interest and this accessible and beautifully illustrated book really gets to the heart of it.

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Book SynopsisIn the eighteenth century, Glasgow and its outports became the dominant force in the highly lucrative tobacco commerce from the Americas to Europe.This prize-winning book explains why such remarkable success came about against fierce international competition, provides a detailed assessment of the merchant community which made it possible and analyses the close relationship between the tobacco business and the Scottish pathway to a new industrial society. The Tobacco Lords also fully demonstrates the decisive impact of these Scottish traders on the plantation economy and society of colonial North America in general and Virginia, Maryland and North Carolina in particular.First published in 1975 this pioneering book was acclaimed by reviewers and is still considered the seminal work on the subject.

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Book SynopsisLost Bristolis an exploration of Bristol's hidden past, its ways of life, legends, relationship with the sea and its role in English history. Many surprising and remarkable stories about Bristol's past, accompanied by maps, engravings and photographs, make this book essential reading for all those curious about the city's hidden history.

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Book SynopsisLost Dundeebrings the second city of renaissance Scotland back to life showing, through previously undiscovered photographs and drawings, the life and the maritime quarter of this great port.Essential to the understanding of this constantly re-generating city, this bookcontains 150 drawings, photographs and plans of Dundee.

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Book SynopsisIn Travels with Trilobites, Andy Secher invites readers to come along in search of the fossilized remains of ancient arthropods. The book features hundreds of photographs of unique specimens drawn from Secher’s private collection, showcasing stunning fossil finds that highlight the diversity, complexity, and beauty of trilobites.Trade ReviewAndy Secher’s Travels with Trilobites chronicles one of Earth’s earliest and most important groups of animals, the trilobites, and the people obsessed with their fossilized remains. The thousands of known trilobite species tell a harrowing tale of a group trying to outrun extinction across vast chunks of deep time. Secher combines stunning photography and his distinctive style into a fascinating look behind the curtain of a little known cultural phenomenon. -- Markus J. Martin, trilobite researcherAndy Secher’s passionate paean to his beloved trilobites is a visually stunning voyage of discovery—a fossil feast for the eyes and fodder for the inquiring mind! Like the best of journeys, this one wanders in leisurely fashion, taking in the spectacular sights and leading us down fascinating narrative side roads to reveal the secrets of these long-vanished denizens of ancient seas. Take the trip . . . and be prepared to join the ranks of those of us already under the spell of trilobite-o-philia! -- Dave Rudkin, assistant curator of invertebrate paleontology (retired), Royal Ontario MuseumOne of the world's foremost trilobite collectors shares not only the tales of these gorgeous and stunningly diverse animals but also the eye-opening inside stories of how and where their fossils have been found, prepared, collected (both publicly and privately), bought, sold, and even faked. Plentiful photographs capture the dazzling array of trilobite forms, while Secher's warm writing reveals the reasons, from scholarly to aesthetic, why so many of us have fallen in love with these lost creatures. Prepare to be swept up in his obsession. -- D. Allan Drummond, paleoartist and associate professor, University of ChicagoNatural history nuts will gain a new appreciation for these prehistoric creatures thanks to this awe-inspiring survey. * Publishers Weekly [starred review] *This book [is] a valuable resource for both scientists and collectors. * Trilobite Tales, Western Interior Paleontological Society *[Travels with Trilobites: Adventures in the Paleozoic] showcases Secher's passion for paleontology in this account of trilobites—one of the most evolutionarily successful species to have lived on Earth. * Publishers Weekly *This is a very well written, illustrated, and researched book. It is easy enough for all to understand but also detailed enough for those who already have an interest in trilobites. * Evilcyclist's Bookshelf *Secher provides an impressive tour of locations around the world where one can find the fossilized remains of these creatures, delves into what scientists know about trilobite biology—including molting, reproduction, locomotion, and vision—illustrating his musings with outstanding photographs from his personal collection of over 4,000 fossils. * Trilobite Tales, R. Gary Raham *Andy Secher’s book is a love letter to trilobites. Secher showcases the treasures of his own collection, and the photographs are truly impressive. Secher clearly loves trilobites in all their sizes and forms. His admiration for these unique, long-gone creatures, as well as his collecting zeal, are really contagious. So, if Secher’s true purpose was to unleash a growing horde of trilobite lovers upon the world, he actually has a pretty good chance of succeeding. Count me in! * Re-Enchantment of the World *Travels with Trilobites would make a perfect coffee table book. * Re-Enchantment of the World *A must have for anyone with an interest in trilobites! * Birdbooker Report blog *What a fantastic book! [A] superbly illustrated guide to all things Trilobita! * Everything Dinosaur *Fascinating, informative, enhanced throughout with magnificent photographic imagery. * Midwest Book Review *Thorough and detailed, this is a well-organized book that takes you on a deep dive into the world of trilobites. * Seattle Book Review [rated five out of five stars] *With stunning photographs, Travels with Trilobites takes you through time in an exploration of trilobites that is perfect for scientists, students, researchers, collectors, and anyone generally interested. * Seattle Book Review [rated five out of five stars] *The backbone of this book is the essays that introduce you to key fossil locations. This is where Secher shines and gives insider stories and insights by himself and other seasoned collectors. * NHBS *This looks first and foremost like a coffee table book…what a book! This is a great book for those who love palaeontology. * Geology Book Review *This looks first and foremost like a coffee table book…what a book! This is a great book for those who love palaeontology. * Deposits Magazine *This volume is a gorgeous, glossy-paged, coffee-table treatment of trilobite fossil diversity. * The Quarterly Review of Biology *Table of ContentsOn the Space-Time Road with Trilobites, by Niles EldredgeOur Planet’s Memory, by Kirk JohnsonThe Collector’s Gene, by Mark NorellPrefaceIntroduction1. Cambrian Period: 541–485 Million Years Ago2. Ordovician Period: 485–444 Million Years Ago3. Silurian Period: 444–419 Million Years Ago4. Devonian Period: 419–359 Million Years Ago5. Carboniferous/Permian Periods: 359–252 Million Years Ago6. Trilobite Thoughts and ObservationsFinal ThoughtAcknowledgmentsGlossaryIndex

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Book SynopsisA translation with introduction of the first ethnographic and semiotic study of gesture in daily life.Trade ReviewThis work by Andrea de Jorio, first published in Naples in 1832, is regarded as a classic by those with a scholarly interest in gesture since it was the first ethnographic study of the subject. . . Wisely, Kendon has retained the period flavour of the text and not attempted to render de Jorio into modern English. Certainly, both Adam Kendon and the Indiana University Press are to be congratulated for undertaking this project in view of the fact that this is something of niche market. I was delighted to be given the opportunity to review it.June 2001 * The Lancet *Table of ContentsList of illustrations with sources acknowledgedEditor's PrefaceAndrea de Jorio and his work on gesture by Adam KendonGestural Expression of the Ancients in the light of Neapolitan gesturingIntroductionABC of GesturesAbbracciare Embrace to Unione de gesti Gestures in combinationThe Plates and Explanations of the PlatesAppendixIndex I: Index of TitlesIndex II: Explanations of the PlatesIndex III: GesturesIndex IV: MeaningsIndex V: Monuments newly ExplainedLetters of Recommendation and PermissionBibliographical AppendixA. Publications by Andrea de JorioB. References and Sources in Gestural ExpressionC. Editor's References and Sources

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Book SynopsisZones of social abandonment are emerging everywhere in Brazil's big cities - places like Vita, where the unwanted, the mentally ill, the sick, and the homeless are left to die. This title centers on a young woman named Catarina, increasingly paralyzed and said to be mad, living out her time at Vita.Table of ContentsIntroduction: "Dead Alive, Dead Outside, Alive Inside" PART ONE. VITA A Zone of Social Abandonment Brazil Citizenship PART TWO. CATARINA AND THE ALPHABET The Life of the Mind A Society of Bodies Inequality Ex-Human The House and the Animal "Love is the illusion of the abandoned" Social Psychosis An Illness of Time God, Sex, and Agency PART THREE. THE MEDICAL ARCHIVE Public Psychiatry Her Life as a Typical Patient Democratization and the Right to Health Economic Change and Mental Suffering Medical Science End of a Life Voices Care and Exclusion Migration and Model Policies Women, Poverty, and Social Death "I am like this because of life" The Sense of Symptoms Pharmaceutical Being PART FOUR. THE FAMILY Ties Ataxia Her House Brothers Children, In-Laws, and the Ex-Husband Adoptive Parents "To want my body as a medication, my body" Everyday Violence PART FIVE. BIOLOGY AND ETHICS Pain Human Rights Value Systems Gene Expression and Social Abandonment Family Tree A Genetic Population A Lost Chance PART SIX. THE DICTIONARY "Underneath was this, which I do not attempt to name" Book I Book II Book III Book IV Book V Book VI Book VII Book VIII Book IX Book X Book XI Book XII Book XIII Book XIV Book XV Book XVI Book XVII Book XVIII Book XIX Conclusion: "A way to the words" Postscript: "I am part of the origins, not just of language, but of people" Afterword Return to Vita Acknowledgments Notes Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisWhere Cloud Is Ground offers an ethnography of the international data storage industry and an inquiry into the relationship between data and place. Based in Iceland, which is fast becoming a hot spot for data centersfacilities where large quantities of data are processed and storedthe book traces the fraught work of siting data's material manifestations in relation to landforms and earth processes, local politics, national narratives, and still-open questions of spatial justice and sovereignty.Doing so, it unsettles techno-utopian ideals of connectivity and offers a window into what it means to live with our data, in a place where more and more data now lives.Table of ContentsContents List of Figures Acknowledgments Note on Language and Naming Introduction: Putting Data in Its Place PART I ARTICUTION 1. A Natural Fit 2. The Switzerland of Bits PART II ANCHORING 3. Something from Nothing 4. Data Centers, Data Peripheries PART III EXCESS 5. Inside Out Conclusion Notes Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisThe unique relationship between dogs and humans has had huge evolutionary consequences, changing the physical, behavioral, genetic, and emotional characteristics of both species. Pat Shipman looks to fossil records and new evidence to trace how the process of domestication worked and discovers how much of ourselves we owe to our canine companions.Trade ReviewThis book is a great read for anyone interested in dogs but is overall of a high enough quality for scholars to enjoy. Shipman explores the genetic, behavioral, and archaeological studies revealing the development of the companion relationship between people and dogs, and brings the human and canid settlement of the Australian region into a global context. -- Susan O’Connor, author of Transcending the Culture–Nature Divide in Cultural HeritageWhen, where, and how did the partnership between dogs and humans begin? Was it an accident? Was it inevitable? Where would we human beings be without our canine colleagues? Pat Shipman’s Our Oldest Companions is a must-read, a tour de force drawing together under one proverbial roof what science can tell us to date. A follow-up to her provocative and intriguing The Invaders, Dr. Shipman examines the anthropology and archeology of the dog’s transition from wolf to house pet all over the world, from the Australian Outback to north of the Arctic Circle. You’ll want to read this book three, four, even five times in order to absorb the abundance of research and ideas presented here. -- Wendy Williams, author of The Horse: The Epic History of Our Noble CompanionThe latest in a string of authoritative and readable books by Pat Shipman benefits from her well-known scientific knowledge and her great storytelling ability. One of the first times anyone has told how the evidence from archaeology and DNA of Sahul, with its late-appearing dingoes and singing dogs, adds to the human story rather than seeming anomalous. It is the perfect complement to other accounts written with a bias towards Africa, Asia, or Europe. This book, like the dogs that are at its center, covers all the continents where modern people have lived with them. Read it. You will enjoy it. -- Iain Davidson, author of Making Scenes: Global Perspectives on Scenes in Rock Art[A] lively tale of dog domestication and migration. -- Josie Glausiusz * Nature *The erudite Our Oldest Companions makes a remarkable story out of the long partnership between humans and dogs. * Foreword Reviews *A fascinating and often surprising exploration of human and canine evolution…[Shipman’s] captivating prose will enchant all readers seeking to learn more about humans, dogs, and our long history together. -- Adrienne Krone * Journal for the Study of Religion, Nature, and Culture *

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"Intriguing. . . . A lucid analysis of Nero and the Great Fire, enhanced by Barrett’s clear, engaging style, his obvious love of his subject, and an extensive selection of maps, schematics and photographs. Historically minded visitors to Rome as well as Roman-history enthusiasts will appreciate the erudition and context with which he illuminates one of the great stories—and personalities—of the ancient world."---Diana Preston, Washington Post"Barrett’s central and most timely theme is the role of rumour and conspiracy theory in accelerating political change. . . . What matters for Barrett isn’t so much whether Nero started the fire as what it meant to Rome to believe that he had."---James Romm, London Review of Books"A thorough, high-quality work on Emperor Nero and the fire that destroyed Rome in 64 CE. . . . Sure to be the most enduring treatment of this major historical event for some time." * Kirkus Reviews, starred review *"Anthony Barrett has produced arguably the most comprehensive and detailed treatment of the fiery disaster. . . .Barrett’s work exemplifies the latest, most detailed and generously illustrated narrative about the Great Fire to date, and would be an asset on the shelf of anyone, scholar or enthusiast, interested in the archaeology and history of Rome." * Popular Archaeology *"[Rome Is Burning brings] together wide-ranging and up to date evidence to present the state-of-the-art view of the fire of 64, and its reception down the millennia in film and ballet etc., that will satisfy both scholar and interested layman."---Adrian Spooner, Classics for All"Rome Is Burning is a lucid analysis of Nero and the Great Fire, enhanced by Barrett’s clear, engaging style, his obvious love of his subject, and an extensive selection of maps, schematics and photographs. Any person with even a passing interest in the history of Rome will find this book interesting and illuminating."---Dr. LF Ivings, Journal of Classics Teaching

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"One of CHOICE’s Outstanding Academic Titles for 2017""Winner of the 2018 Nancy Lapp Popular Book Award, American Schools of Oriental Research"

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"The coherence and brevity of the book reflects its development from the 2013 Rostovtzeff Lecture Series at New York University. The book can be read quickly, and its significance for evolutionary studies can be assimilated thoughtfully. It deserves to be read broadly by academics, graduate students and an interested public."---Timothy Earle, Antiquity"I most strongly recommend this as a book with which to argue, for all interested in the newest forms of theory concerning politics and objects, as well as anyone examining ancient Eurasian cultural forms and connections."---Chris Gosden, American Anthropologist"The Political Machine surely succeeds in bringing the political back into the mainstream of archaeological theory. Smith's provocative work will be studied by all interested in ontology and the epistemology of things, and by archaeological theorists."---Geoffrey D. Summers, Bryn Mawr Classical Review

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"Intriguing. . . . A lucid analysis of Nero and the Great Fire, enhanced by Barrett’s clear, engaging style, his obvious love of his subject, and an extensive selection of maps, schematics and photographs. Historically minded visitors to Rome as well as Roman-history enthusiasts will appreciate the erudition and context with which he illuminates one of the great stories—and personalities—of the ancient world."---Diana Preston, Washington Post"Barrett’s central and most timely theme is the role of rumour and conspiracy theory in accelerating political change. . . . What matters for Barrett isn’t so much whether Nero started the fire as what it meant to Rome to believe that he had."---James Romm, London Review of Books"A thorough, high-quality work on Emperor Nero and the fire that destroyed Rome in 64 CE. . . . Sure to be the most enduring treatment of this major historical event for some time." * Kirkus Reviews, starred review *"Anthony Barrett has produced arguably the most comprehensive and detailed treatment of the fiery disaster. . . .Barrett’s work exemplifies the latest, most detailed and generously illustrated narrative about the Great Fire to date, and would be an asset on the shelf of anyone, scholar or enthusiast, interested in the archaeology and history of Rome." * Popular Archaeology *"[Rome Is Burning brings] together wide-ranging and up to date evidence to present the state-of-the-art view of the fire of 64, and its reception down the millennia in film and ballet etc., that will satisfy both scholar and interested layman."---Adrian Spooner, Classics for All"Rome Is Burning is a lucid analysis of Nero and the Great Fire, enhanced by Barrett’s clear, engaging style, his obvious love of his subject, and an extensive selection of maps, schematics and photographs. Any person with even a passing interest in the history of Rome will find this book interesting and illuminating."---Dr. LF Ivings, Journal of Classics Teaching

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Book SynopsisThe Ch’ol Maya who live in the western Mexican state of Chiapas are direct descendants of the Maya of the Classic period. Exploring their history and culture, contributors to this volume uncover clear continuity between contemporary Maya rituals and beliefs and their ancient counterparts.Trade ReviewThis pioneering, in-depth study of the Ch’ol Maya reveals the dynamism of a great indigenous people who have refused to abandon their cultural identity through centuries of repression and exploitation and have persisted until our own time. A must-read for every student of the Maya!" - Michael D. Coe, author of Breaking the Maya Code"This pioneering, in-depth study of the Ch’ol Maya reveals the dynamism of a great indigenous people who have refused to abandon their cultural identity through centuries of repression and exploitation and have persisted until our own time. A must-read for every student of the Maya!" - Michael D. Coe, author of Breaking the Maya Code

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Book SynopsisOffers case studies of colonoware in Indigenous, enslaved, and European contexts in the Southeast.

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