Archaeology by experiment /
Experimental archaeology is a departure from the traditional approaches to the study of early man. Evidence from archaeological remains can be amplified and more vivid insights gained by reconstructing and testing models of ancient equipment. Stone axes and ploughs, forts and pyramids, boats and mus...
| Main Author: | |
|---|---|
| Format: | Book |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
New York :
Scribner,
[1974], ©1973.
|
| Subjects: |
| Summary: | Experimental archaeology is a departure from the traditional approaches to the study of early man. Evidence from archaeological remains can be amplified and more vivid insights gained by reconstructing and testing models of ancient equipment. Stone axes and ploughs, forts and pyramids, boats and musical instruments, come within the scope of inquiry. How, for instance, did early man store and cook his food, and how did early earthworks stand up to soil erosion? Basic questions such as these, besides the more dramatic mysteries associated with the monuments of Easter Island and Stonehenge and the colonization of Polyne-sia, can all be explored by experiment. The book falls into three sections. Food Production includes experiments on forest clearance and ploughing, sowing, harvesting and the storage of crops, as well as the preparation and consumption of food. Heavy Industry deals with the building and destruction of houses and earthworks, transport and erection of stones, and boats. Lastly, Light Industry concerns craftsmanship in stone, bone, wood, hides, metals, and pottery. Dr. Coles's book fills a real need: by drawing together the varied and wide-ranging work already carried out, he proves that experimental archaeology is an important and interesting way of examining human behaviour in the past. -- Publisher description. |
|---|---|
| Physical Description: | 182 pages, 6 unnumbered leaves of plates : illustrations ; 21 cm |
| Bibliography: | Includes bibliographical references (pages 171-178) and index. |
| ISBN: | 0684138182 9780684138183 0684140780 9780684140780 |