Description
Book SynopsisV. Gordon Childe is probably the most widely read early archaeologist of the 20th century and one of the world's most renowned prehistorians. A thorough understanding of the evolution of Childe's theoretical perspective is crucial to an understanding of the foundations of social archaeology.For the first time, a diverse collection of Childe's writings have been brought together in one volume. These fourteen essays, from his earliest seminal work in 1935 to his reflective essay "Retrospect" written in 1958 shortly before his death, document the progression of this dynamic thinker. Essays such as "Archaeology and Anthropology" show the evolution of Childe's theories from a conception of the past as a trait-list conceptualization of culture to an understanding of the profound social importance of social relations in transforming human history. His understanding of history evolved from a static notion into a dynamic conception that openly embraced social interaction and all that it entailed, a transformation that marked the earliest strains of social archaeology. The introduction by prominent anthropologists Thomas Patterson and Charles Orser places Childe's work in a larger context and explores Chile's ongoing value to modern readers. This volume will be of interest to archeologists, anthropologists and historians of social archaeology.
Table of ContentsIntroduction: V. Gordon Childe and the Foundations of Social Archaeology--Charles E. Orser, Jr. and Thomas C. Patterson * Changing Methods and Aims in Prehistory (1935) * Archaeology as a Science (1943) * Archaeological Ages as Technological Stages (1947) * Archaeology and Anthropology (1946) * Archaeology as a Social Science (1947) * History (1947) * Organic and Social Evolution (1949) * The Urban Revolution (1950) * Old World Prehistory: Neolithic (1952) * The Constitution of Archaeology as a Science (1953) * Early Forms of Society (1954) * The Evolution of Society (1957) * The Bronze Age (1957) * Retrospect (1958)
