Books in the Topics in Contemporary Archaeology series

In this wide-ranging study, Chris Gosden presents a comparative survey of 5000 years of colonialism. He argues that modern colonialism, giving rise to settler societies, is historically unusual and that colonialism, in general, represents an important area for the long-term study of power and material culture.

The discipline of archaeology would be impossible without the survival of artifacts from the past. Jones argues that the material world offers a vital framework for the formation of collective memory. Using detailed case studies from prehistoric Europe, this is an important contribution to the development of archaeological theory.

Archaeological remains not only intrigue, they also inform. This book looks at the two traditionally separate disciplines which explore archaeological remains; the scientific and the humanistic, and argues that the approaches of both should be combined in order to fully exploit the evidence of the past that remains offer us.

Paul Rainbird provides a new perspective on the historical construction of the characterization of islands as distinct physical and social entities, through a series of detailed case studies of prehistoric archaeology. It will be of primary interest to academics in archaeology, bioarchaeology, environmental archaeology and anthropology.

Is archaeology an art or a science? This question has been hotly debated over the last few decades with the rise of archaeological science. At the same time, archaeologists have seen a change in the intellectual character of their discipline, as many writers have adopted approaches influenced by social theory. The discipline now encompasses both archaeological scientists and archaeological theorists, and discussion regarding the status of archaeology remains polarised. In this 2001 book, Andrew Jones argues that we need to analyse the practice of archaeology. Through an analysis of archaeological practice, influenced by recent developments in the field of science studies, and with the aid of extensive case studies, he develops a new framework which allows the interpretative and methodological components of the discipline to work in tandem. His reassessment of the status and character of archaeology will be of interest to students, scholars and professionals.