Theory and Practice in Archaeology

by Ian Hodder

Overview

In this latest collection of his articles, of which seven are written especially for this volume, Ian Hodder captures and continues the lively controversy of the 1980s over symbolic and structural approaches to archaeology. The book acts as an overview of the developments in the discipline over the last decade; yet Hodder's brief is far wider. His aim is to break down the division between the intellectual and the "dirt" archaeologist to demonstrate that in this discipline more than any other, theory must be related to practice to save effectively our rapidly diminishing heritage.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781134797332
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis
Publication date:	08/02/2004
Series:	Material Cultures
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	298
File size:	2 MB

About the Author

Ian Hodder

Table of Contents

Preface; 1. Theory practice and praxis; PART A. SYMBOLIC AND STRUCTURAL ARCHAEOLOGY 2. Symbolism, meaning and context 3. Symbols in action (1982) 4. Burials, houses, women and men in the European Neolitihic (1984); PART B. SOME IMPLICATIONS OF THE NEW IDEAS 5. Post-processual archaeology 6. Theoretical archaeology: a reactionary view (1982) 7. Archaeology in 1984 (1984) 8. Politics and archaeology in the World Archaeological Congress 1986 (1986); PART C. DEBATE AND RE-EVALUATION 9. The processual reaction: You have gone too far 10. Towards radical doubt: a dialogue 11. The post-processual reaction: You haven't gone far enough 12. Towards a coherent archaeology.

Editorial Reviews

In this collection of papers, seven of which were written especially for this volume, Hodder (prehistory, Cambridge) captures and extends the lively controversy of the 1980s over symbolic and structural approaches to archaeology. In addition to surveying developments in the discipline over the last decade, his essays examine the division between the intellectual and the "dirt" archaeologist. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

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