Historical Archaeology

Historical Archaeology offers students a comprehensive and accessible introduction to historical archaeology and highlights the regional, cultural, and ethnic diversity of the modern historical period.

This volume covers key methods and concepts, including fundamental theories and principles, the history of the field, and basic definitions; it also includes a practical look at career prospects for interested readers. It discusses central topics of archaeological research such as time and space, survey and excavation methods, and analytical techniques, encouraging readers to consider the possible meanings of artifacts. This fourth edition has been heavily revised to reflect the changes to the discipline. As well as updating the case studies, the many revisions include the following: information on new technological approaches in surveying, excavating, and documenting sites and buildings; a focus on global cultural preservation and heritage; updates on maritime and underwater archaeology; and new additions on conflict archaeology. A new chapter on Indigenous and underserved community voices in archaeology, drawing on recent scholarship, has been added to reflect the importance of this topic in current teaching.

Drawing on the author’s extensive experience as an historical archaeologist, Historical Archaeology continues to be an ideal resource for students studying this rapidly expanding global field, demonstrating the real importance of this subject to our understanding of the world in which we live today.

Charles E. Orser, Jr. is Adjunct Professor at the School of Human Evolution and Social Change at Arizona State University and Research Professor with the Department of Anthropology at the University of Western Ontario. His latest book is Mutualist Archaeology, and he is the founder and editor of the International Journal of Historical Archaeology.