BOOK REVIEWS

Industrialization and Urbanization in Latin America , by Robert N. Gwynne.
Spatial Cycles , by Leo van den Berg, Leland S. Burns, and Leo H. Klaassen (eds.).
Innovation, Entrepreneurs and Regional Development , by G.P. Sweeny.
Financing Economic Development in the 1980s , by Norman Walzer and David L. Chicoine (eds).
The Politics of Realignment: Party Change in the Mountain West , by Peter Galderisi, Michael Lyons, Randy Simmons, and John Francis.
Southern Capitalism: The Political Economy of North Carolina , 1880-1980, by Phillip J. Wood.     

State Archaeology and the Private Museum: An Integrated Approach to Archaeological Site Management for Local People in China

During the emergence of Chinese archaeology, the legislative system of cultural heritage in China included archaeological excavations and investigations as being the ‘exclusive right of state’. This mode of state archaeology has proved its worth by increasing the authority and quality of archaeological research and excavations, as well as enhancing the social values and benefits at the state level. The local communities, however, have hardly been embedded into the archaeological projects, nor have the archaeological projects been employed to improve local and regional economic development. This paper considers private museums as embodying regional values and beneficial to projects under the mode of state archaeology. With a case study outlining collaborations between archaeologists and local agents under the excavation and conservation of ancient kiln sites at the town of Zichuan, I argue that private museums could be relatively prominent platforms for public engagement in activities of state archaeology. It might contribute to a reconsideration of the following: indirect archaeological concerns, local economic benefits, identities and alternative interpretations of locality.     

Prologue to a contextual archaeology

The thesis of this essay is that a gap presently exists between the research interests of modern scientific archaeology and the research methodology which structures archaeological investigation. It is argued that this is a function of the traditional objectives of archaeology, and that a methodology justified by a distinctive set of goals is necessary to produce studies more closely related to present archaeological concerns. The traditional goals of archaeology are here characterized as the historical result of prior interests, reinforced by the character of formal programmes of graduate study. The set of distinctive goals identified in the essay derives from assessment of the significance of methodologies appropriate to the investigation of palaeoenvironments in modelling prehistoric cultural systems and subsystems.The proposed methodology is substantively, as well as substantially, different from methodologies in present use. I have called it Contextual Archaeology in recognition of its debt to the statement of an archaeologically-significant method Butzer (1978) has advanced under the name Contextual Approach. It is argued here that contextual archaeology, despite practical problems, is both a productive and an implementable alternative.     

Revolutionary archaeology in Cuba

The Revolution of 1959 brought forth changes in the mission, theoretical orientation, and organization of archaeology in Cuba and created a role for, and constraints on, the profession that are unique in the Western Hemisphere. This paper draws upon examples from substantive field and laboratory research to examine the methods and theoretical perspectives of Cuban archaeology since the Revolution, focusing on the period from 1962 until the collapse of the Soviet Union. Archaeological practice during the Revolutionary period in Cuba has reflected the aims of the Revolutionary government, the influence of Soviet archaeology, the legacy of pre-Revolutionary approaches in North American archaeology, and the Cuban sense ofpatria.     

Community Archaeology: A Threat or an Opportunity for Greek Archaeology?

The development of archaeology in Greece has been determined by the central role classical antiquity played in the European and Greek imagination. Classical archaeology, with its aesthetic view of the material culture, has dominated the discipline and its popular perception ever since. The state has been entrusted with the exclusive authority on archaeological heritage because of its national importance. This paper argues that the combination of the classical and state monopoly has led to the isolation of Greek archaeology from the world and from the Greek people. The aim is to critically assess Greek archaeology and introduce community archaeology as a means to make archaeology relevant to the Greek people.     

Ways of Writing in Post-Medieval and Historical Archaeology: Introducing Biography

Abstract

Archaeologists use writing as an important method of communicating results and interpretations, but have only recently started to consider what this implies about their research, and the effect that any style of writing has on the intended audience. Whilst public interpretation has widened forms of discourse to include narrative, performance and biography, few such academic and professional outputs have been attempted in British post-medieval archaeology, although in the wider discipline of North American historical archaeology there has been some experimentation. It is argued that biography offers new ways of encountering data, as well as opening up different modes of interpretation and communication within professional and academic arenas.     

BOOK REVIEWS

Book reviewed in this article:
The Study of Urbanization , edited by Philip M. Hauser and Leo F. Schnore.
The Towns of Ghana: The Role of Service Centres in Regional Planning , by David Grove and Laszlo Huszar.
The South in Continuity and Change , edited by John C. McKinney and Edgar T. Thompson.
Elementary Applied Statistics: for Students in Behavioral Science , by Linton C. Freeman.
Minerals and Men , by James F. McDivitt.
The Public Library and The City , edited by Ralph W. Conant.
Population Dynamics: Causes and Consequences of World Demographic Change , by Ralph Thomlinson.
Dilemmas of Urban America , by Robert C. Weaver.
Areas of Economic Stress in Canada , edited by W.D. Wood and R.S. Thoman.     

Community Archaeology in Proto-Historical Tel Bareqet,Israel: School Children and Agency for Active Public Engagement in Cultural Heritage Projects

Abstract

Community archaeology has become very popular over the past decade, and community archaeology projects are yielding interesting results in many regions around the globe (Merriman, 2004). These projects seem to be gaining academic importance as well, and are considered by some people to be vital to the survival of archaeology as a whole (Marshall, 2002: 218).

Still, community archaeology projects often stir debate regarding their importance, role, and existence. A major theme of these discussions is the role played by the community. In particular, the question is often raised of what role, if any, should be given to non-professional local populations in a project's scientific decision-making.

The current article aims to present the controversy between two types of archaeological practices, 'archaeology from above' and 'archaeology from below' (Faulkner, 2000) through the examination of a community archaeological project in which schoolchildren constitute the community participants. The site of the excavation is Tel Bareqet, a 5000-year-old (Early Bronze Age II, c. 3050–2700 BCE) urban settlement located in central Israel. On the one hand, the excavation strives to maintain the highest scientific standard; on the other hand, it depends upon the participation of unskilled young people in the excavation process.

This article presents obstacles that have been encountered in this excavation, and describes the methodological framework that has been developed in order to overcome these obstacles and continue carrying out a successful community archaeology project.     

Orinoquia: The Archaeology of the Orinoco River Basin

Orinoquia is one of the most important riverine ecosystems complexes of the world. However, it has been seldom recognized as an ecological or historical entity in general accounts of South American archaeology. This essay reviews systematically and comparatively the archaeology of Orinoquia, by discussing research done from the 1940s onwards in all the areas of the Orinoco Basin: the Andes, the plains or llanos, the Orinoco river proper, the highlands of Guayana, and the Delta. It is proposed that, in the last 20 years, there has been a sustained movement away from a traditional archaeology, concerned mostly with environmental determinism and cultural history, to new and pluralistic models that share, in spite of their diversity, a regional, long-term, and multidisciplinary approach.     

“The Age of Innocence”: Personal Histories of the 1960s “Digging Circuit” in Britain

There is a substantial literature on the use of oral history in archaeology, but there has been little consideration of the kinds of oral history and memory produced by the practice of archaeology. Through the personal narratives of a range of people involved in excavation during the 1960s in Britain, this paper explores understandings of what has been described as an archaeological “sub-culture”. It examines the ideas and interests that motivated peoples’ engagement in the “digging circuit” at this time, and looks at how these were implicated in the archaeology that was produced. We argue that such accounts do not simply expose the “subjective” context in which archaeological knowledge of these sites emerged but constitute an explicit and vital challenge to established accounts of archaeology in Britain at this time.     

Liangzhu and Centennial Archaeology: The Underestimated Neolithic Age in China

The discovery in Yangshao, Mianchi, Henan in 1921 marked the beginning of modern Chinese archaeology. Nowadays, Chinese archaeology has gone through a full 100 years. Through the hard work of generations of archaeologists, Chinese archaeology has achieved sustained growth and development. Chinese archaeology has been advancing for a century and has made great contributions to the construction of Chinese history and culture. Archaeology has important practical significance in contemporary times. Archaeological exploration is not limited to discovering the past, but also lies in the thoughts of gazing at history in the current context. Chinese archaeology in the new era is committed to integrating the spirit of this discipline into cultural construction and social life, so as to learn the new by reviewing the past. After more than 80 years of archaeological exploration, many large tombs of the Liangzhu culture were discovered one after another, mainly including burial of jade, from the 1970s to the end of the 1980s. The ritual jade artifacts such as cong (a long hollow piece of jade with rectangular sides) and bi (jade disk), as well as the differences in the levels of tombs, all reflect the high development of Liangzhu society. The ancient city of Liangzhu was discovered in 2007, and the water conservancy system was confirmed in 2015, pushing the Liangzhu culture to the height of national civilization. In 2019, the Archaeological Ruins of Liangzhu City was listed as a World Heritage site.     

Places in Interaction: The National Archaeological Park Project as an Integrated Approach to Public Archaeology in China

The aim of this paper is to re-examine how concepts of public archaeology have been established and developed in varying social and political contexts in China, and how the recent national archaeological park project is structured as an important approach for improving public-archaeology relationships and promoting the public uses of archaeology. Since all archaeological activities in China are exclusively regulated by the state, all archaeological resources are administered for the benefit of the public. As such, concepts of public archaeology demonstrate the efforts of Chinese archaeologists to re-evaluate public-archaeology relationships and uses of archaeology through public engagement as well as archaeological communications with the public. The national archaeological park project was launched in 2006 to expand the practice of archaeology with the creation of archaeological communications, public space, and community-driven programmes. The project facilitates multiple perspectives on public archaeology practice through public education, community cohesion, re-creation of public space, and local economic development.     

数学分析方法在考古学中的应用

本文主要以文物产地研究为例,介绍国内外学者在考古学研究中常用的几种数学方法的原理及应用情况,指出数学分析方法已经成为考古学研究的热点,中国金属文物产地研究需进一步开展和深化,考古学家熟练运用现代数学知识是考古学现代化的重要步骤之一。     

The Archaeology of Al-Andalus: Past,Present and Future

Abstract

THIS PAPER PRESENTS AN OVERVIEW of the archaeology of al-Andalus (the Arabic name for Islamic Spain and Portugal), from its beginnings in the late 1970s to the present day. Innovative approaches and challenging theoretical stances made the archaeology of al-Andalus the spearhead of medieval archaeology in Iberia between the 1980s and 1990s. A problematic, and often conflicting, relationship between archaeology and history has characterised medieval archaeology in Spain since its inception, however, and a new awareness of these problems is emerging. This paper reviews past and current attitudes to such challenges and reflects on the future needs of the discipline. It also reflects on the politics of archaeology and on the role of medieval archaeology in revealing social change, which has until now been underrated.     

色度测量在文物考古中的应用

颜色的定量判断、描述和比较是文物考古中的重要内容。色度测量可以快速、准确、无损地获取研究对象的颜色数据,对其计算分析,可得到更多信息。目前,色度测量已被广泛应用于科技考古和文物保护的实际工作中。本文结合国内外文献,对色度测量方法在文物考古中的应用和研究现状进行梳理后发现色度测量能够有效地帮助解决以下问题:研究文物呈色机制和制作工艺;评价文物清洗效果和保护材料的颜色稳定性;分析环境因素对文物色彩的影响。随着色度学理论和方法的完善和发展,以及与其他分析技术和方法等的结合,优化的色度测量条件、对颜色数据计算处理后得到的文物色貌模型和数字颜色管理系统将在文物考古研究中发挥更大的作用。     

Experimental archaeology in Denmark

When experimental archaeology began 100–150 years ago, it was carried out scientifically alongside regular archaeology. However, while general archaeology has continued intensively, scientific experimental archaeology has continued very sporadically during this century. The fact that there is a considerable amount of so‐called ‘experimental archaeology’ does not mean that it has been carried out scientifically. This is exemplified by house reconstructions, which despite their great number have only in a few cases added something new to archaeological research. Although these particular house reconstructions serve a pedagogic function, it would be better if, instead, scientific education was made available in the area of experimental archaeology.     

BOOK REVIEWS

Book review in This Article:
Geographical Systems and Systems of Geography: Essasy in Honour of William Warntz , edited by William J. Coffey.
Urban Development: Theory, Fact, and Illusion , by J. Vernon Henderson.
The Economics of a Regulated Housing Market , by Alex Anas, Goran Cars, Joong Rae Cho, Bjorn Harsman, Ulf Jirlow, and Folke Snickars.
Homeowners and Neighborhood Reinvestment , by George C. Galster.
Real Estate Market Analysis: Methods and Applications , edited by John M. Clapp and Stephen D. Messner.
Urban Spatial Traffic Patterns , by Rodney Vaughan.
Class and Space: The Making of Urban Society , edited by Nigel Thrift and Peter Williams.
The Metropolis Era: Vol. 1, A World of Giant Cities and Vol. 2, Mega-Cities , edited by Mattei Dogan and John D. Kasarda.
Berlin: The Spatial Structure of a Divided City , by Thomas H. Elkins with Burkhard Hofmeister.
Job Creation in America , by David Birch.
Federalism and the Economic Union in Canada , by K. Norrie, R. Simeon, and M. Krasnick.
Perspectives on the Canadian Economic Union , by M. Krasnick (research coordinator).     

Archaeology and the Moving Image

Archaeological filmmaking is a relatively under-examined subject in academic literature. As the technology for creating, editing, and distributing video becomes increasingly available, it is important to understand the broader context of archaeological filmmaking; from television documentaries to footage shot as an additional method of recording to the informal ‘home videos’ in archaeology. The history of filmmaking in archaeology follows innovations within archaeological practice as well as the availability and affordability of technology. While there have been extensive analyses of movies and television shows about archaeological subjects, the topic of archaeological film has been characterized by reactions to these outside perspectives, rather than examinations of footage created by archaeologists. This can be understood to fall within several filmic genres, including expository, direct testimonial, impressionistic, and phenomenological films, each with their own purpose and expressive qualities. Footage taken on site can also be perceived as a form of surveillance, and can modify behaviour as a form of panopticon. Consequently, there are considerations regarding audience, distribution, and methods for evaluation, as these films are increasingly available on social media platforms. This paper explores the broad context for archaeological filmmaking and considers potential futures for the moving image in archaeology.     

考古学本质刍议——一个田野考古者的思考碎片

田野考古从地底下发掘出各类遗物,这些遗物指代了某种历史,是毫无异议的,但它如何进入历史学的语言范畴?在现代考古学诞生以前,神话传说和历史事件,是古物意义价值的主要载体,实际上,两者之间互证,至今依然是考古学终极价值的重要体现。新考古学、后过程考古学时代,应用科技手段、设计理论模式,试图重建一段更加鲜活的历史。种种努力,似乎总是在挣脱考古对象作为一种"实物"的遗存属性。实际上,从汤姆森提出石器、铜器、铁器"三期说"开始,历史已经被符号化、象征化了,而这正是考古学述史语言的本质特征,体现一种新历史学的精神,而这种新历史学的符号化的象征元素,正是考古遗存的实物属性。     

中国考古文物类期刊的发展与中国考古学的发展

本文分析了近90年来160多种中国考古文物类期刊的创办与发展情况,提出中国考古文物类期刊的发展与中国考古学学科的发展一样,经历了初创与早期发展、全面发展、复苏时期、成熟发展等四个阶段。现在的中国考古文物类期刊的格局,是1979年以来形成的。目前主要刊物的栏目形式有所变化．但研究论文与田野资料并重的办刊方针总体上没有变化。近10年来一些刊物新增加了文化遗产保护、科技考古、公众考古的内容,这应是中国考古学在21世纪发展的三项新的内容。