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In Pursuit of the Past

Decoding the Archaeological Record
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( 65 ratings, 5 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
In Pursuit of the Past by Lewis R. Binford presents an insightful examination of archaeology and its methodologies. The book challenges traditional archaeological practices and offers a series of essays that propose new perspectives on understanding human history. Binford emphasises using scientific methods to interpret archaeological data, suggesting a closer integration of methods from various disciplines to derive a more accurate picture of the past.
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Format: Paperback / softback
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might enjoy this book if you have an interest in the methodologies archaeologists use to interpret ancient human behaviour and culture through artefacts. The author provides an innovative perspective on how the past can be reconstructed scientifically and methodically, which may be particularly appealing to readers fascinated by the evolution of archaeology as a discipline.

Book Hero thinking about your next read

This text questions established ideas and proposes theories based on the author's comparative archaeological and ethnographic research. It seeks to provide students and general readers with an introduction to his ideas about understanding the human past.

Lewis R. Binford is the author of "Constructing Frames of Reference: An Analytical Method for Archaeological Theory Building Using Ethniographic and Environmental Data Sets", "Debating Archaeology" and "Working at Archaeology".

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

Many consider Lewis Binford to be the single most influential figure in archaeology in the last half-century. His contributions to the "New Archaeology" changed the course of the field as he argued for the development of a scientifically rigorous framework to guide the excavation and interpretation of the archaeological record.

In In Pursuit of the Past, first published nearly two decades ago, Binford provided students and general readers with an introduction to his challenging and provocative ideas about understanding the human past. Now available again, this important component of Binford's intellectual legacy will convey the drama and intellectual excitement of contemporary archaeology to a new generation of archaeologists and others interested in the field.

Throughout the book, Binford questions old ideas and proposes new theories based on his comparative archaeological and ethnographic research in North America, Europe, South Africa, and Australia. A new afterword by Binford surveys the direction archaeology has taken since the publication of this book and shares his hopes for the future of the discipline.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

In Pursuit of the Past by Lewis R. Binford is praised for its innovative approach, transforming archaeology from a retrospective discipline into a scientific exploration of human history. Clive Gamble of Nature highlights Binford's ability to provide practical strategies for better understanding past human behaviour, indicating that the book is both insightful and forward-thinking in its methodology.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780520233393

Publisher: University of California Press

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 17 April 2002

Country: United States

Imprint: University of California Press

Illustration: 68 line illustrations, 79 b-w photographs

Audience: Professional and scholarly

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 15.0mm

Width: 159.0mm

Height: 241.0mm

Weight: 408g

Pages: 260

About the Author

Lewis R. Binford is University Distinguished Professor of Anthropology at Southern Methodist University. He is author of Constructing Frames of Reference: An Analytical Method for Archaeological Theory Building Using Ethnographic and Environmental Data Sets (California, 2001), Debating Archaeology (1989), Working at Archaeology (1983), and many other books.

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