Suggested Reading
A list of books for those interested in learning more about archaeology: method, theory and thought. Not exclusive, but there should be something for everyone.
Method
Barker, P. Techniques of Archaeological Excavation. Routledge.
Greene, K. 2000. Archaeology: An Introduction. Routledge.
Renfrew, C. and Bahn, P. 2000. Archaeology: theories, methods and practice. Thames Hudson.
English Heritage produce a number of downloadable booklets that have been written as guidelines/ standards and are very useful.
Project managers should make themselves familiar with one of these, MoRPHE.
Understanding the archaeology of landscape, written by Bowden is a good introduction to survey.
IFA (Institute for Archaeologists) produce the industry standards, all of which are downloadable from their website. Project managers should make themselves aware of the applicable standards.
Landscape Archaeology
Aston, M. 2002. Interpreting the Landscape. Routledge.
Bowden, M. 1999. Unravelling the Landscape. Tempus.
Both books are easily read, Bowden concentrates more on fieldwork techniques. Aston’s book is relevant, as a lot of the examples given in the book are from Wiltshire.
See also English Heritage.
Woodland Archaeology
Any of the books by Oliver Rackham or R. Muir are useful; Rackham however, is slow to take on board new discoveries and theories.
Period Specific
General
Darvill, T. 2000. Prehistoric Britain. Routledge.
Pryor, F. 2004. Britain BC. Harper Perennial.
Although a thick book, it is very readable and gives a very good over view. Pryor also has a book entitled Britain AD, but haven’t sampled this.
Lawson, A., 2007. Chalkland: An Archaeology of Stonehenge and its Region. Hobnob Press
A good overview of the prehistory of Wiltshire and nearby Counties.
Clarke, B. 2011. Prehistoric Wiltshire: An Illustrated Guide. Amberley Publishing.
Neolithic and Early Bronze Age
Barton, N. 2000. Stone Age Britain. English Heritage/Batsford
Bradley, R. 2003. The Significance of Monuments. Routledge
2002. The Archaeology of Natural Places. Routledge
1998. The Passage of Arms. Oxbow.
Edmunds, M. 2003. Ancestral Geographies of the Neolithic. Routledge.
(causewayed enclosures).
Pitts, M. 2000. Henge World. Arrow books.
Thomas, J. 2004. Understanding the Neolithic. Routledge.
Iron Age
Cunliffe, B. 2000. Iron Age Britain. English Heritage/Batsford.
Cunliffe, B. 2005. Iron Age Communities in Britain. Routledge.
Anglo-Saxon
Reynolds, A. 2002. Later Anglo-Saxon England. Tempus
Norse (Viking)
Magnusson, M. 2003. The Vikings. The History Press
Whilst not really relevant to Wiltshire Archaeology, this is a very readable book for those of us interested in Norse Culture.
Ritual
Parker Pearson, M. 1999. The Archaeology of Death and Burial. Sutton.
Place Specific
Pollard, J. and Reynolds, A. 2002. Avebury: Biography of a Landscape. Tempus.
Useful
Geddes, I. 2003. Hidden depths: Wiltshire’s Geology and Landscape. Ex Libris.
Mills, A.D. 2003. Oxford Dictionary of Place Names. Oxford Uni. Press
Field, J. 1998. A History of English Field Names. Pearson Education
Mortimer, N. 2003. Stukeley Illustrated. Green Magic.
Shire Archaeology books
A very good series of introductory booklets, these are short, jargon free and relatively cheap (£6-£10). The list includes a large number of titles on artefact types, Roman life and technologies; industrial processes and also a few books on monument types.
www.shirebooks.co.uk
Artefacts
A lot of the books about the study of artefacts tend to be very technical, if anyone is interested in a specific type get in touch I can recommend books.
See Shire Archaeology books.
However, highly recommended to all Wiltshire Archaeologists
Butler, C. 2005. Prehistoric Flint Work. Tempus
Easily read, not too technical!
Marmite (loved or hated, but talked about)
Tilley, C. 1994. Phenomenology of Landscape. Berg.
Method
Barker, P. Techniques of Archaeological Excavation. Routledge.
Greene, K. 2000. Archaeology: An Introduction. Routledge.
Renfrew, C. and Bahn, P. 2000. Archaeology: theories, methods and practice. Thames Hudson.
English Heritage produce a number of downloadable booklets that have been written as guidelines/ standards and are very useful.
Project managers should make themselves familiar with one of these, MoRPHE.
Understanding the archaeology of landscape, written by Bowden is a good introduction to survey.
IFA (Institute for Archaeologists) produce the industry standards, all of which are downloadable from their website. Project managers should make themselves aware of the applicable standards.
Landscape Archaeology
Aston, M. 2002. Interpreting the Landscape. Routledge.
Bowden, M. 1999. Unravelling the Landscape. Tempus.
Both books are easily read, Bowden concentrates more on fieldwork techniques. Aston’s book is relevant, as a lot of the examples given in the book are from Wiltshire.
See also English Heritage.
Woodland Archaeology
Any of the books by Oliver Rackham or R. Muir are useful; Rackham however, is slow to take on board new discoveries and theories.
Period Specific
General
Darvill, T. 2000. Prehistoric Britain. Routledge.
Pryor, F. 2004. Britain BC. Harper Perennial.
Although a thick book, it is very readable and gives a very good over view. Pryor also has a book entitled Britain AD, but haven’t sampled this.
Lawson, A., 2007. Chalkland: An Archaeology of Stonehenge and its Region. Hobnob Press
A good overview of the prehistory of Wiltshire and nearby Counties.
Clarke, B. 2011. Prehistoric Wiltshire: An Illustrated Guide. Amberley Publishing.
Neolithic and Early Bronze Age
Barton, N. 2000. Stone Age Britain. English Heritage/Batsford
Bradley, R. 2003. The Significance of Monuments. Routledge
2002. The Archaeology of Natural Places. Routledge
1998. The Passage of Arms. Oxbow.
Edmunds, M. 2003. Ancestral Geographies of the Neolithic. Routledge.
(causewayed enclosures).
Pitts, M. 2000. Henge World. Arrow books.
Thomas, J. 2004. Understanding the Neolithic. Routledge.
Iron Age
Cunliffe, B. 2000. Iron Age Britain. English Heritage/Batsford.
Cunliffe, B. 2005. Iron Age Communities in Britain. Routledge.
Anglo-Saxon
Reynolds, A. 2002. Later Anglo-Saxon England. Tempus
Norse (Viking)
Magnusson, M. 2003. The Vikings. The History Press
Whilst not really relevant to Wiltshire Archaeology, this is a very readable book for those of us interested in Norse Culture.
Ritual
Parker Pearson, M. 1999. The Archaeology of Death and Burial. Sutton.
Place Specific
Pollard, J. and Reynolds, A. 2002. Avebury: Biography of a Landscape. Tempus.
Useful
Geddes, I. 2003. Hidden depths: Wiltshire’s Geology and Landscape. Ex Libris.
Mills, A.D. 2003. Oxford Dictionary of Place Names. Oxford Uni. Press
Field, J. 1998. A History of English Field Names. Pearson Education
Mortimer, N. 2003. Stukeley Illustrated. Green Magic.
Shire Archaeology books
A very good series of introductory booklets, these are short, jargon free and relatively cheap (£6-£10). The list includes a large number of titles on artefact types, Roman life and technologies; industrial processes and also a few books on monument types.
www.shirebooks.co.uk
Artefacts
A lot of the books about the study of artefacts tend to be very technical, if anyone is interested in a specific type get in touch I can recommend books.
See Shire Archaeology books.
However, highly recommended to all Wiltshire Archaeologists
Butler, C. 2005. Prehistoric Flint Work. Tempus
Easily read, not too technical!
Marmite (loved or hated, but talked about)
Tilley, C. 1994. Phenomenology of Landscape. Berg.