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Author's personal copy

Journal of Archaeological Science 38 (2011) 36963697

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Journal of Archaeological Science

journal homepage: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/jas

Book review
The Archaeology of Britain: An Introduction from Earliest Times to the Twenty-rst Century, Edited John Hunter, Ian Ralston (Eds.), second ed. Routledge Taylor & Francis Group, London & New York (2009). This edited volume covers a multitude of periods associated with the archaeology of Britain. It is summarised as an introductory text for undergraduates and interested amateurs, aiming to cover a broad range of material in an interesting and accessible way. As well as some alterations to the chapters, this 2nd edition sees the inclusion of two new chapters (chapter 11 looking at Celtic Britain, and chapter 18 focussing on the Modern Age). The main aim is to provide an overview of the different archaeological periods in Britain, and an introduction to the vast amount of material and interpretative techniques used to analyse that material. With the exception of chapter 1, which outlines the aims of the book and the choice of subject matter within the volume, and chapter 19, which reviews the current attitudes towards the practice of archaeology; the chapters are arranged chronologically. Each chapter can be read as a stand alone piece, although the authors frequently refer to other related chapters within the book. This particular approach makes the entire volume easily navigable, and the reader is able to focus on specic chapters of interest. Each chapter is accompanied by a deliberately restricted bibliography, split into two parts. The rst four or ve references are key texts in the general eld, while the remainder are more detailed texts on specic aspects of the chapter. The layout of the bibliography makes future research very accessible for readers, and encourages further interaction with the subject matter. This approach is especially attractive to undergraduate students at whom the book is primarily aimed. The opening chapter highlights how different approaches are used in the interpretation of the archaeological record, for example, the use of various scientic techniques. Ralston and Hunter also explain some of the reasons behind the uneven distribution of resources in the UK and how this has impacted on the archaeological work in those areas. This chapter is a thorough summary of the factors inuencing the discipline of archaeology in Britain; it emphasises that this volume is about the archaeology of a geographic region and not of a nation. The book also illustrates the way in which the interpretation of certain archaeological periods have been inuenced by different theoretical approaches. Some authors (for example, Barton chapter 2 and Milner & Mithen chapter 3) point out the different schools of thought that have inuenced the interpretation of their subject area, whereas other authors take a more narrative approach. For example, chapters 7, 12, 14 and 17 (The Iron Age, The Scandinavian presence, Landscapes of the Middle Ages: churches, castles and monasteries, The workshop of the world: the industrial revolution) are more narrative and take a descriptive approach to the subject. Both approaches have their merits, for example, the narrative chapters are very easy to read, whereas the other chapters leave the reader thinking and questioning the material. Milner and Mithen (chapter 3) introduce a variety of opinions relating to the Hunter Gatherers of the Mesolithic, the arguments are well balanced and the information included in the chapter is very clear. They also incorporate good examples and parallels with European evidence. Using the example of Star Carr, they highlight how archaeological science can be used to investigate the hypotheses surrounding the use of stone tools, and further help with the interpretation of sites. By having these individual approaches to chapter writing, the book draws the reader in and naturally encourages further interpretation of the text and the subject matter. The acknowledgement by Ralston and Hunter in the opening chapter, that the studies in the book have been inuenced to varying degrees by different theoretical approaches, is refreshing and encourages the reader to approach the texts with an open and inquisitive mind. The chronological periods covered in the book begin with the Palaeolithic and end with Modern/Contemporary archaeology. Some periods have been split into two or three chapters, for example, the Roman period and the Middle Ages. Overall, the chapters link together well; the periods which span more than one chapter go into more detail. Although, some chapters were very broad, for example, Britain from 1500, Industrial Revolution, and the Modern Age. Also, these were conned to just three chapters, but this is presumably due to space limitations, and the limited popularity of the latter periods. Whyte (chapter 16) acknowledges this very point, and goes on to clearly dene, at the outset of the chapter, the focal points. Each chapter is, therefore, a general introduction to the subject area. The technical terms are explained well, and each chapter uses good, clear examples. The gures and images in the book are well chosen, although some examples would have benetted from being in colour. Chapter 8 by Hanson focuses on specic issues and problems relating to the archaeology of the military aspects of Roman Britain. This chapter highlights well the overlap between different periods both chronologically and culturally, as well as the overlap between different aspects of Roman life, such as military and civilian. Although the content of the chapter is well researched and informative, the references to the gures within the chapter tend to jump around in the text, and this is very distracting, subsequently breaking the ow of the text. Generally speaking, the chapters all show a good mix of the use of different archaeological theories and points of view, although these can become repetitive if reading the book cover to cover. On the other hand, this is ideal if readers are being selective over the chapters they are reading. Each chapter clearly explains its own individual aims and objectives, whether this is to outline a few key facts, and to try and dene a simple overview of the

doi:10.1016/j.jas.2011.08.020

Author's personal copy

Book review / Journal of Archaeological Science 38 (2011) 36963697

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whole period, or to highlight and examine the scope of the material associated with the period. The past was not discontinuous in time or space. The past remains with us, and we continue to create, curate and reshape it in our everyday lives and social practices (Schoeld, 2009: 392 chapter 18) this quote sums up the entire book. Each chapter while being able to stand alone, benets from being read along with the other inter-connected chapters. The book as a whole encourages readers to think and interpret the evidence for themselves, and to get involved with the material. Throughout the book, the reader is made to feel that the archaeology of Britain is accessible, whether to visit a site, or to support a local research group. This book is ideal as an introduction to the archaeology of Britain. It uses numerous clear examples from across the country, it highlights potential links and similarities with the continent,

and it clearly outlines the current state of archaeological research in the UK. This book should be on all undergraduate reading lists, and should be recommended to interested amateurs. Hunter and Ralston have succeeded with their aim of creating a volume that encourage[s] and guide[s] new students and interested amateurs in their involvement in British archaeology (Hunter and Ralston, 2009: xviii). This is a useful, readable and enjoyable volume. R.B. Scott KU Leuven, Earth and Environmental Sciences, Celestijnenlaan 200 E, Leuven, Belgium E-mail address: becki.scott@ees.kuleuven.be 27 June 2011