Reading the Past: Current Approaches to Interpretation in Archaeology / Edition 3

by Ian Hodder, Scott Hutson

Overview

The third edition of this classic introduction to archaeological theory and method has been fully updated to address the rapid development of theoretical debate throughout the discipline. Ian Hodder and Scott Hutson argue that archaeologists must consider a variety of perspectives in the complex and uncertain task of "translating the meaning of past texts into their own contemporary language". While remaining centered on the importance of meaning, agency and history, the authors explore the latest developments in post-structuralism, neo-evolutionary theory and phenomenology. Previous Edition Hb (1991): 0-521-40142-9 Previous Edition Pb (1991): 0-521-40957-8

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780521528849
Publisher:	Cambridge University Press
Publication date:	12/04/2003
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	308
Product dimensions:	5.43(w) x 8.50(h) x 0.83(d)

About the Author

Professor Ian Hodder is Dunlevie Family Professor in the Department of Cultural and Social Anthropology at Stanford University.

Scott Hutson is a Post-Doctoral Research Scholar at the Archaeological Research Facility, University of California, Berkeley

Table of Contents

Preface to the third edition; 1. The problem; 2. Processual and systems approaches; 3. Structuralist, post-structuralist and semiotic archaeologies; 4. Marxism and ideology; 5. Agency and practice; 6. Embodied archaeology; 7. Archaeology and history; 8. Contextual archaeology; 9. Post-processual archaeology; 10. Conclusion: archaeology as archaeology; Bibliography; Index.

Editorial Reviews

"...must be read by all those who would perform as well as critique post-processual archaeology, for it will provide powerful stimuli for a necessary dialogue within archaeology." American Anthropologist

From the Publisher