Reading the Past

Abstract

The third edition of this classic introduction to archaeological theory and method has been fully updated to address the burgeoning of theoretical debate throughout the discipline. Ian Hodder and Scott Hutson argue that archaeologists must bring to bear a variety of perspectives in the complex and uncertain task of constructing meaning from the past. While remaining centred on the importance of hermeneutics, agency and history, the authors explore cutting-edge developments in areas such as post-structuralism, neo-evolutionary theory and whole new branches of theory such as phenomenology. With the addition of two completely new chapters, the third edition of Reading the Past presents an authoritative, state-of-the-art analysis of contemporary archaeological theory. Also including new material on feminist archaeology, historical approaches such as cultural history, and theories of discourse and signs, this book represents essential reading for any student or scholar with an interest in the past.

Characterization of pre-Columbian artefacts in situ through handheld portable X-ray fluorescence spectrometry: the case of ceramics from the Mochica site of San José de Moro (Peru)

“…Concerning the controversy over increased specialization and segmentation in archaeological practice [18,[21][22][23][24][25]] the portability of HHpXRF has role to play that encourages bringing together scientific practice and archaeology. Investigation, analysis and interpretation need to be synchronized in the field and with common research objectives.…”

mournful ape: Conflating expression and meaning in the mortuary behaviour of Homo naledi

“…25 It is the creative tension between these two which basically defines the science of archaeology, particularly when it comes to understanding behavioural repertoires in hominins closely related to us. 26,27 Unfortunately this is complicated in species for which we have no clear modern analogue, falling as they are biologically somewhere between ape and human. To assist us in interpretation we triangulate data from a variety of disciplines -human archaeology, primate archaeology, ethology, evolutionary psychology, geology and taphonomy, to name a few.…”

LA CERÁMICA TlWANAKU DE LA ISLA PARITI COMO RECIPIENTE: PERFORMANCES Y NARRATIVAS

“…La rigidez de estas posturas teóricas ha sido muy criticada, tanto al sugerir que existen comportamientos técnicos de valor identitario social (Lechtman y Merill 1977;Lemonnier 1986;Pfaffenberger 1992), como al enfatizar el valor comunicativo y significativo de los materiales en contextos culturalmente específicos (Wobst 1977;Hodder 1986). En este trabajo no asumimos tal correlato entre estilo morfológico-decorativo y etnicidad, y nos acercamos a la cerámica de Pariti desde la noción de performance.…”