A History of Archaeological Thought (Paperback)

by Bruce G. Trigger (Author) "Since the 1950s archaeology, especially in North America and Western Europe, has shifted from a seemingly complacent culture-historical orthodoxy to ambitious theoretical innovations..." (more)
Key Phrases: inferring human behaviour, archaeologists arc, archaeology arc, United States, Near East, North America (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review
"Bruce Trigger's new book is an important step towards an alternative version of the history of the subject....He has surveyed a wide sweep of archaeological history, and many will find this book the best guide available." Timothy Champion, Times Higher Education Supplement

"Over more than two decades Bruce Trigger has produced a series of thoughtful, sometimes provocative, and always valuable articles and books on the history of archaeology. The present book, something of a distillation of these earlier works, constitutes a reasoned comment on the nature of anthropological archaeology. It not only describes the main currents of the discipline's development but reviews critically its current state, in which rapidly developing excavation strategies and theoretical orientations often vie with one another...In such a comprehensive and thoughtful account one can, of course, find particulars and points of view that are arguable. That is the nature of good history; and in raising such questions and providing the material for their consideration, Trigger has performed a service for us all." Science

"This volume makes a significant contribution to the critical consideration of the nature and importance of archaelogy, adding yet another voice to the continuing dialog that Leone, Hodder, Miller, Handsman, and others have begun." American Antiquity

"A History of Archaeological Thought is a landmark work and should be required reading for all archaeologists as well as historians of both the historical and social sciences....This book is the product of first-class scholarship and contains a number of important insights into the nature of modern archaeological thinking and its development, particularly in the past century." Philosophy of Science

Product Description
Examining the history of archaeology from medieval times to the present, this book places the development of archaeological thought and theory within a broad social and intellectual framework. The successive but interacting trends apparent in archaeological thought are defined and the author determines the extent to which these trends reflect the personal and collective interests of archaeologists. He argues that while subjective influences have been powerful, the gradual accumulation of archaeological data has exercised a growing constraint on interpretation. In turn this has increased the objectivity of archaeological research and enhanced its value for understanding the entire span of human history and the human condition in general.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 516 pages
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press; 1 edition (January 26, 1990)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0521338182
• ISBN-13: 978-0521338189
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #617,649 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An essential historigraphy of archaeological theory., November 1, 1999

By	Michael Elliott (San Jose, Ca United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: A History of Archaeological Thought (Hardcover)

Trigger's comprehensive synthesis traces the origins and developement of archaeological theory from antiquity to post-processualism. With a global perspective, Trigger explorers the philosophical and scientific milestones that altered or redirected archaeological thought throughout its history. An excellent and readable reference.

6 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent synthesis of archaeological theory, November 20, 2006

By	Ferris - See all my reviews

Trigger's book, "A History of Archaeological Thought", is an excellent addition to any archaeological method and theory (M&T) class at the graduate or undergraduate level. I purchased this book, as recommended by a professor of mine, to read in addition to all the readings assigned in my graduate M&T class. Trigger articulates in few words what many archaeological theorists take pages to explain (eg. Binford). It was extremely helpful, and made wading through different theoretical paradigms much more enjoyable.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Critical To Understanding Archaeological Theory, October 23, 2007

By	Willet A. Boyer III "Archaeologist" (Gainesville, Florida) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: A History of Archaeological Thought (Paperback)

Trigger's work, first published in 1989, is one of the best syntheses available on the history of archaeology as a discipline and on the theoretical perspectives which have accompanied each stage of the development of the discipline.

Trigger carefully links each of the theoretical perspectives - such as unilineal evolution, cultural materialism, Marxism, postprocessual and historical theory - with the historic and cultural developments in archaeology and in Western and world society that each perspective is based on. Besides the value of this work to archaeologists, members of the general public who want to gain an understanding of why archaeologists "do" archaeology and anthropology should read Trigger's work as well.

Very well done, and highly recommended.