McIntosh Jane. The Archaeologist's Handbook. How we know what we know about the past

Bell & Hyman Publishers, 1986. — 192 p. — ISBN: 0-7135-2654-8.Mankind's past is a subject of endless fascination. In The Archaeologist's Handbook, Jane McIntosh has combined a wealth of background reference material with a practical guide to present-day archaeological techniques to make this book the ideal lay introduction to this absorbing subject, demonstrating fully archaeology’s importance as a living science.
The book is divided into three main sections. The first - What is Archaeology - explains the basic background of the subject and how it has evolved from the work of the earliest archaeologists up to the present day. The second section - The Archaeologiist at Work - explains in clear, full, practical detail exactly how contemporary archaeologists go about their work. It covers every aspect of fieldwork, from the location of sites to surveying, mapping and excavation itself through to the identification and conservation of finds. The final section - Understanding the Past - goes on from this to provide equally thorough coverage of the post-excavation process, showing how modem scientific aids have enabled archaeologists to build up a more thorough and accurate picture than has been possible before.
Completely up-to-date, illustrated throughout with photographs, explanatory drawings and diagrams, The Archaeologist's Handbook is a vital tool in developing a comprehensive understanding of the events of the past, which have shaped so much of the way we live today.