Macmillan Dictionary Of Archaeology

A modern, comprehensive compilation of more than 7,000 entries covering themes, concepts, and discoveries in archaeology written in nontechnical language and tailored to meet the needs of professionals, students and general readers. The main subject areas include artifacts; branches of archaeology, chronology; culture; features; flora and fauna; geography; geology; language; people; related fields; sites; structures; techniques and methods; terms and theories; and tools.

This dictionary provides those studying or working in archaeology with a complete reference to the field.

In the preface to this new dictionary of archaeology, Dr. Paul Bahn describes his approach to compiling this work as " ... an attempt to drag the concept of the archaeological dictionary kicking and screaming into the 1990s." And he has done so without losing any of the traditional power of a good dictionary. Endeavoring to pay particular attention to theoretical and technical terms not usually included in similar dictionaries, Dr. Bahn was aided by a contributors' panel of 16 regional experts. The resulting dictionary of nearly 3,000 entries offers definitions of the archaeological world's most recent terms and theories and covers techniques, sites, and time-honored nomenclature as well. Biographical entries on archaeologists of the past further enhance the scope of the dictionary, giving the reader a sense of the historical development of the discipline. Readers will also benefit from the abundant cross-references that interconnect related entries and from the line drawings that accompany many of the entries. Forty-seven pages of maps and a list of titles for further reading arranged by topic complete this new research tool and field guide that will capably serve the broad spectrum of the archaeologically interested public.