Overview

In this concise, friendly textbook, Patricia Urban and Edward Schortman teach the basics of archaeological theory, making explicit the crucial link between theory and the actual conduct of archaeological research. The first half of the text addresses the general nature of theory, as well as how it is used in the social sciences and in archaeology in particular. To demonstrate the usefulness of theory, the authors draw from research at Stonehenge, Mesopotamia, and their own long-term research project in the Naco Valley of Honduras. They show how theory becomes meaningful when it is used by very real individuals to interpret equally real materials. These extended narratives exemplify the creative interaction between data and theory that shape our understanding of the past. Ideal for introductory courses in archaeological theory.

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9781598746297

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"Patricia A. Urban is the J. Kenneth Smail Professor of Anthropology at Kenyon College. She is, by training, a ""dirt"" archaeologist specializing in the prehistory of Mesoamerica. For over 20 years she has worked in Honduras, investigating the relationship of the prehistoric cultures of western Honduras to their better-known neighbors, the Maya. Some of the topics she has worked on include settlement patterns, site planning, ceramic production and other aspects of political economy, and the expression of identity through material culture. She has written extensively on these topics. Edward Schortman is Professor and Chair of Anthropology at Kenyon College. His interests range widely, and he teach courses at Kenyon dealing with archaeology and cultural anthropology, the living and past cultures of North, Central, and South America, the anthropology of politics, and the history of anthropological thought. His principal research focuses on two related topics: the manner in which rulers and those they seek to rule contend for political power within hierarchical societies; and the impact of external ties on local social and political developments. He has written numerous articles and books dealing with these issues."

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