The Handbook, written by 35 leading experts, provides an authoritative guide to the full range of archaeological activities past and present. It will give the reader a sense of the history of the subject and of the main theoretical debates, as well as a taste of the excitement generated by archaeological exploration.

Barry Cunliffe: Introduction 1. The Name and Nature of Archaeology Kristian Kristiansen: The discipline of archaeology Robin Boast: The formative century, 1860-1960 Matthew H. Johnson: The theoretical scene, 1960-2000 Andy Jones: Into the future Marcia-Anne Dobres: Technologies 2. Tools of the Trade A. M. Pollard: Measuring the passage of time, achievements and challenges in archaeological dating Gary Lock: Human activity in a spatial context Roger White: Data collection by excavation M. S. Tite: Mastering materials 3. Early Humans Jonathan Marks: The nature of humanness Nicholas Toth & Kathy Schick: Early hominids William Davies: The emergence of Home sapiens sapiens Paul Pettitt: The Neanderthals Steven Mithen: Peopling the world 4. Strategies for Survival Peter Mitchell: Hunters and gatherers Graeme Barker: Early farming and domestication Robert Hedges: Studying diet 5. Complex Societies and the Formation of Early States Ian Morris: Cultural complexity Robin Skeates: Trade and interaction Li Liu: China: state formation and urbanization Elizabeth M. Brumfiel: Mesoamerica Terence N. D'Altroy: The central Andean region in prehistory 6. Some Regional Overviews Cyprian Broodbank: The Mediterranean and its hinterland Innocent Pikirayi: The archaeology of sub-Saharan Africa: an overview Georgina Herrmann: Pre-Islamic Central Asia Bryan C. Hood: The Circumpolar zone S. Nelson: East Asia Lesley Head, Harry Allen, Tim Denham & Richard Fullagar: Australasia Chris Gosden: Pacific Islands Charles R. Cobb & Randall H. McGuire: North America P. P. Funari, A. Zarankin & E. Stovel: South American archaeology 7. Issues and Debates Jonathan Williams: Indigenous voices and repatriation Roberta Gilchrist: Sex and gender Stephanie Moser: Archaeological representation: the consumption and creation of the past Yvonne Marshall: Community archaeology

World coverage of the discipline by leading expert authors Includes regional overviews of key regions of the world Provides essential starting points for more specialist work, as well as a conspectus for general readers Ranges across the history of archaeology, archaeological science, and ethics in archaeology Part of the prestigious Oxford Handbooks series

Barry Cunliffe, Emeritus Professor of European Archaeology, University of Oxford Chris Gosden, Professor of European Archaeology, University of Oxford Rosemary A. Joyce, Professor, Department of Anthropology, University of California at Berkeley

World coverage of the discipline by leading expert authors Includes regional overviews of key regions of the world Provides essential starting points for more specialist work, as well as a conspectus for general readers Ranges across the history of archaeology, archaeological science, and ethics in archaeology Part of the prestigious Oxford Handbooks series