Can someone recommend a book for beginners?
Ted Shoemaker
There are plenty of books about archaeology and pre-history,
too many to read them all. Can someone recommend a book on
these topics that would be accessible to a reasonably motivated
14-year-old? (I am a homeschooling parent.)
If anyone cares to answer, please respond to the discussion group
and not to my email address.
Thank you very much!
Ted Shoemaker
Uwe Mülle >
Hi Ted,
"Ted Shoemaker" <shoema...@yahoo.com> schrieb im Newsbeitrag
news:XpuY$ty1O6...@galatham.demon.co.uk...
There should be special issues about prehistory and archaeology from
Scientific America or National Geographic, respectively their local clones.
You could try those.
have fun
Uwe Mueller
JMB >
news:XpuY$ty1O6...@galatham.demon.co.uk...
I would recommend Kevin Greene's "Archaeology: An Introduction". It is
published by Routledge. It is, as the name suggests, an good introduction
to archaeology. It covers most aspects, yet it doesn't get too deep into
them so it shouldn't be too off-putting for a beginner. There is also a
good guide to further reading in it so that if a particular area peeks the
interest, you will know where to look.
Regards,
--
John Byrne
www.iol.ie/~archaeology
To email me use the feedback form on the website.
The address attached to this post is just a spam trap.
Boyen Sara
My name is Sara and I am a second year archaeology student at the
university of Leuven in Belgium. The book that they always recommand us
is called 'Archaeology: theories, methods and practise' written by
Renfrew and Bahn.
Greets
"Ted Shoemaker" <shoema...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:XpuY$ty1O6...@galatham.demon.co.uk...
Hop-Frog
news:qT63xQ5h...@galatham.demon.co.uk:
> Dear Mr. Shoemaker,
>
> My name is Sara and I am a second year archaeology student at the
> university of Leuven in Belgium. The book that they always recommand
> us is called 'Archaeology: theories, methods and practise' written by
> Renfrew and Bahn.
>
> Greets
That's an excellent introductory text for university students, but may
be a bit advanced for a 14 year old. Many of the sidebars will be
appropriate, but the main text gets complex in places.
One thing that the original poster did not specify is whether he is
interested in archaeology per se, or ancient/pre-history. A good
introductory book on archaeology as a discipline may contain virtually
no culture history (who/what/when/where stuff), and a good prehistory
text might give no indication how we know the stuff it reports.
So I need a bit of clarification from Ted before I can make my own
recommendation: Exactly what do you want your 14 year old to learn from
studying archaeology?
(Incidentally, if he/she is really motivated, and you're located in the
US, I strongly encourage you to look into the programs offered by the
Center for American Archeology and Crow Canyon Archaeological Center,
both of which offer summer fieldschools for high school aged students.
There's no better way to learn than doing. I can provide more
information on the programs if you want, having worked at both places.)
--
I am simply Hop-Frog, the jester--and this is my last jest.
Ken Down
<shoema...@yahoo.com> wrote:
> There are plenty of books about archaeology and pre-history,
> too many to read them all. Can someone recommend a book on
> these topics that would be accessible to a reasonably motivated
> 14-year-old? (I am a homeschooling parent.)
If your interest is in the Middle East, you could try the internet
correspondence course on http://www.diggingsonline.com in the Resources
section.
It's free, fairly simple and easy to do.
Ken Down
--
__ __ __ __ __
| \ | / __ / __ | |\ | / __ |__ All the latest archaeological news
|__/ | \__/ \__/ | | \| \__/ __| from the Middle East with David Down
================================= and "Digging Up The Past"
Web site: www.diggingsonline.com
e-mail: digg...@argonet.co.uk
Ted Shoemaker
news:<nCik1O7A...@galatham.demon.co.uk>...
>
> One thing that the original poster did not specify is whether he is
> interested in archaeology per se, or ancient/pre-history. A good
> introductory book on archaeology as a discipline may contain virtually
> no culture history (who/what/when/where stuff), and a good prehistory
> text might give no indication how we know the stuff it reports.
>
> So I need a bit of clarification from Ted before I can make my own
> recommendation: Exactly what do you want your 14 year old to learn
> from studying archaeology?
That's an intelligent question, and I appreciate it. Please pardon me
if I answer with too many words, but I want to be sure to give you what
you want.
The plan is to study history every year, dividing world history into
chronological chunks that can be studied in a four-year cycle. The
first half year will be human prehistory (maybe up to 3000 BC?), the
second half year will be antiquity, and so on up through the four years.
The eighth and final half-year -- assuming the plan holds up -- will be
modern times, from WW2 to the present, with a prospectus on the future.
In all eight of these semesters, archaeology will be important. But it
is most important in prehistory, since (by definition) we have no
primary documents from those times.
(Prehistory, if I understand the term correctly, ends at different times
in different parts of the world. So when we are studying, say, the
1st through 16th centuries AD, we will depend more on documents for
Europe, and more on archaeology for the Americas and Australia.)
In this way, my use of archaeology will be twofold:
(1) What happened in such-and-such a place, many years ago?
and
(2) How do we know that?
I expect that I will be hanging out in newsgroups like this one for a
while.
Thank you very much for your patience and your help.
Ted Shoemaker
>
Ted Shoemaker <shoema...@yahoo.com> wrote in
> The plan is to study history every year, dividing world history into
> chronological chunks that can be studied in a four-year cycle. The
> first half year will be human prehistory (maybe up to 3000 BC?), the
> second half year will be antiquity, and so on up through the four years.
> The eighth and final half-year -- assuming the plan holds up -- will be
> modern times, from WW2 to the present, with a prospectus on the future.
This isn't a bad way to deal with world history, but you may do better by
including a geographical dimension. Split the world up into three or four
major regions (Europe/Mediterranean/Near East, East Asia, and the Americas,
for example), then divide each of those areas into chronological periods.
If you stick with a purely chronological division, you'll inevitably end up
splitting some important issue across more than one period and confusing
the matter. 3000 BC makes sense as a dividing point in the Near East, but
it's a rather unimportant date for the Americas, for instance. Doing "pre-
civilization" in each of the regions, regardless of calendar dates, will
give the student a better idea of the processes involved, rather than just
the dates and events.
> In this way, my use of archaeology will be twofold:
> (1) What happened in such-and-such a place, many years ago?
> and
> (2) How do we know that?
Two books that leap to mind are:
Feder, Kenneth L.
1996 Frauds, Myths, and Mysteries: Science and Pseudoscience in
Archaeology. Mayfield Publishing Co., Mountain View, CA.
(1996 is the 2nd edition; there have been a couple since)
Fagan, Brian M.
1994 Quest for the Past: Great Discoveries in Archaeology. Waveland
Press, Inc. Prospect Heights, IL.
(again, 2nd edition, though I think this is the most recent edition)
Both books are good general introductions to archaeology, and some aspects
of prehistory. The first teaches critical thinking by talking about old
misconceptions about the past, and then explaining how the modern views
came to be. The second is a fun read, covering both the ancient history,
and the stories of the archaeologists who uncovered it. (It's perhaps a
mixed blessing that we no longer have archaeologists like Austen Henry
Layard and Arthur Evans.)
> I expect that I will be hanging out in newsgroups like this one for a
> while.
It may be to your benefit to contact the SAA (Society for American
Archaeology, http://www.saa.org) and get a copy of "Teaching Archaeology in
the Twenty-First Century." This is a publication aimed at professionals
developing archaeological curricula. I haven't read it, and I suspect it
may pertain more to university curricula than high school, but it may have
some ideas for you.
Another similar source is http://www.indiana.edu/~arch/saa/matrix/
This one I'm sure is about college curricula, but it also has entire
syllabi and course plans that you might be able to modify.
> Thank you very much for your patience and your help.
Not a problem at all. As a discipline, we do a pretty poor job of public
outreach, so I'm gald to do anything I can to help out. I'm sure you'll
find that to be the general attitude in this group.
newarchaeology
Take a look at this list
http://www.btinternet.com/~johnandsandy.colby/ttbook/general/younger_people.html
Chris
> On Tue, 27 Jan 2004 16:39:42 +0000, Ted Shoemaker wrote:
> Ted Shoemaker <shoema...@yahoo.com> wrote in
> news:cFRaE+PO...@galatham.demon.co.uk:
> > The plan is to study history every year, dividing world history into
> > chronological chunks that can be studied in a four-year cycle.
[Quoted material snipped by moderator]
>
tomb :)
rms
ghostown
"Vanishing Peoples of the Earth"
National Geographic Society Book copyright 1968
Library of Congress Catalog Card No. 68-59196
Ted Shoemaker
news:<15sh5p8w6zwsi$.1auaovx3...@40tude.net>...
>
> Why not just read Howard Carter's book on the discovery of
> Tutankahmen's tomb :)
>
> rms
Sounds like a good idea! The local library lists several different
books that appear to fit that description (author and subject). Which
one(s) did you have in mind?
_The tomb of Tutankhamen_
_The discovery of the tomb of Tutankhamen_
_The tomb of Tut-ankh-Amen, discovered by the late Earl of Carnarvon
and Howard Carter_
Thank you!
Ted Shoemaker
Katherine Griffis-Greenberg
<shoema...@yahoo.com> in sci.archaeology.moderated, wrote the
following:
><"rms <rsquires"@flashREMOVE.net>> wrote in message
>news:<15sh5p8w6zwsi$.1auaovx3...@40tude.net>...
> >
> > Why not just read Howard Carter's book on the discovery of
> > Tutankahmen's tomb :)
> >
> > rms
>
>Sounds like a good idea! The local library lists several different
>books that appear to fit that description (author and subject). Which
>one(s) did you have in mind?
>
>_The tomb of Tutankhamen_
Assuming this is the Phyllis Walker version (she was the executrix of
Carter's estate and his niece), this would likely be within the realm of
a beginner, and is a condensed version of
Carter, H. and A. C. Mace 1963 <1932>. _The Tomb of Tut-Ankh-Amen,
Discovered by the Late Earl of Carnarvon and Howard Carter. (3 Vols)_.
New York: Cooper Square Publishers, Inc.
>_The discovery of the tomb of Tutankhamen_
The one by Glubok or the Mace version? If the latter, I would go with
that.
>_The tomb of Tut-ankh-Amen, discovered by the late Earl of Carnarvon
>and Howard Carter_
Assuming this is the big 3 volume set, I should think this might be a
bit much for a 'beginner," as it can get very tedious and technical at
times.
HTH.
Regards --
Katherine Griffis-Greenberg, MA (Lon)
Member, International Association of Egyptologists
American Research Center in Egypt, ASOR, EES, SSEA
Oriental Institute
Oriental Studies Doctoral Program [Egyptology]
Oxford University
Oxford, United Kingdom