Overview

Archaeology has progressed enormously since the early excavations of classical sites such as Olympia and Ephesus in the middle of the 19th century. New methods and modern techniques, which depend on the rigorous application of skills from a wide range of disciplines, now offer a better perspective on the material culture of the classical world. This book combines explanation of methods and techniques with case studies of particular sites which demonstrate different themes in, and approaches to, classical archaeology. It examines principles and methods including prospecting, excavation, dating, stratigraphy and presentation, alongside an account of the development of Classical archaeology (for example, as in the work of famous pioneers such as Evans and Schliemann) to the more scientific approaches used in contemporary projects. Written by a group of active field archaeologists, this book demonstrates the progression of a project from planning and prospection, through excavation and study to interpretation and public presentation. It also provides links to a wide range of internet resources to enable students to follow through case studies of recent survey and excavation ranging in time from the Bronze Age to the early Byzantine, and in extent from Britain to Turkey.