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Happy International Archaeology Day!

Established in 2011 by the Archaeological Institute of America, International Archaeology Day is celebrated every third Saturday in October, commemorates the field of archaeology and its contributions to society. Local celebrations organized by the AIA and other institutions occur throughout the month of October. There are also many online activities associated with International Archaeology Day, including interactive digs, where one can digitally follow an excavation project as it happens.

In honor of this day, we are featuring a collection of Berghahn Archaeology titles. Scroll down to read freely accessible introductions. For a full selection of titles please visit our Archaeology page.


THESE WERE PEOPLE ONCE
The Online Trade in Human Remains and Why It Matters
Damien Huffer and Shawn Graham

“The grim thread of mistreatment of the dead guides the reader through the labyrinth of Big Tech, how cynical tech companies and equally-cynical users are complicit in each other’s harms.” • Samuel Andrew Hardy, Cultural Property Criminologist

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POVERTY ARCHAEOLOGY
Architecture, Material Culture and the Workhouse under the New Poor Law
Charlotte Newman and Katherine Fennelly

“This is an excellent and fascinating examination of how archaeology can inform the study of poverty in nineteenth century England. The work takes as its focus the exploration of workhouses and how the analysis of the built material culture can aid our understanding of them.” • Matthew Jenkins, University of York

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INNOVATION AND IMPLEMENTATION
Critical Reflections on New Approaches to Historic Mortuary Data Collection, Analysis, and Dissemination
Edited by Harold Mytum and Richard Veit

“…the chapters provide a clear description of historic cemetery archaeological practices, giving individuals a better idea of potential archaeological projects and careers and the challenges faced by those in the field.” • Heather Garvin, Des Moines University

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AGENCY AND ARCHAEOLOGY OF THE FRENCH MARITIME EMPIRE
Edited by Marijo Gauthier-Bérubé and Annaliese Dempsey

The French maritime empire enabled the continued colonization of territories all over the world from the 17th to the 19th centuries and was built upon the backs of those in lower socioeconomic classes. These classes were heavily impacted by social, political and economic structures. Detailed archaeological case studies using an agency perspective indicate that these lower socioeconomic classes were extremely diverse and dynamic groups that constantly negotiated their identities.

CRITICAL PUBLIC ARCHAEOLOGY
Confronting Social Challenges in the 21st Century

Edited by V. Camille Westmont

This volume brings together current work on the theory and practice of critical public archaeology from Europe and the United States to illustrate the ways that implementing critical approaches can introduce new understandings of the past and reveal new insights on the present.

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DEFINING AND MEASURING DIVERSITY IN ARCHAEOLOGY
Another Step Toward an Evolutionary Synthesis of Culture

Edited by Metin I. Eren and Briggs Buchanan

Featuring studies of archaeological diversity ranging from the data-driven to the theoretical, from the Paleolithic to the Historic periods, authors illustrate the range of data sets to which diversity measures can be applied, as well as offer new methods to examine archaeological diversity.

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FIELD MANUAL FOR THE ARCHAEOLOGY OF RITUAL, RELIGION, AND MAGIC
C. Riley Augé

By bringing together in one place specific objects, materials, and features indicating ritual, religious, or magical belief used by people around the world and through time, this tool will assist archaeologists in identifying evidence of belief-related behaviors and broadening their understanding of how those behaviors may also be seen through less obvious evidential lines.

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CULTURING THE BODY
Past Perspectives on Identity and Sociality
Edited by Benjamin Collins and April Nowell
Foreword by Rosemary Joyce

...the authors in this book give examples of evidence how archaeologists can find and reconstruct body decoration, as well as what these practices mean for humans in relation to their individual and social identity.” • Ewa Dutkiewicz, Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, Museum für Vor- und Frühgeschichte Archäologisches Zentrum

THE LONG SHORE
Archaeologies and Social Histories of Californias Maritime Cultural Landscapes
Edited by Marco Meniketti

“This is a volume that is long overdue, and that pulls together an amazingly diverse and complex body of research that scholars across a variety of different disciplines and research areas will want to access.” • Margaret Purser, Sonoma State University

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MODELING THE PAST
Archaeology, History, and Dynamic Networks
John Terrell, Mark Golitko, Helen Dawson, and Marc Kissel

“What I like about the whole book is the emphasis on historical and archaeological research as ‘not the search for truth, but as a venue to test hypotheses – research that is testable, refutable, and replicable.’” • Stephen Acabado, University of California-Los Angeles

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UNUSUAL DEATH AND MEMORIALIZATION
Burial, Space, and Memory in the Post-Medieval North

Edited by Titta Kallio-Seppä, Sanna Lipkin, Tiina Väre, Ulla Moilanen and Annemari Tranberg
Afterword by Milton Núñez

Authors present a selection of cases addressing the issue of unusual deaths, burials, or ways to remember the deceased. Chapters explore theoretical views related to social memory of death and memorializing the deceased and their resting places during modern period. 

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WAR STORIES
Reading Plains Indian Biographic Rock Art
James D. Keyser and David A. Kaiser

”This is an significant reference for the field of rock art research, and it is an important document for educating the greater public that rock art can be deciphered and understood today…” • Mavis Greer, Greer Archaeology

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MAKING SCENES
Global Perspectives on Scenes in Rock Art

Edited by Iain Davidson and April Nowell

“[this is] the first coherent and comparative collection of papers to address the subject of scenes in rock art and is therefore an important addition to our understanding of not just early artmaking but also of images that illustrate a long history of humans interacting and performing in coherent groups.” • Australian Archaeology

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ADVOCACY AND ARCHAEOLOGY
Urban Intersections
Edited by Kelly M. Britt and Diane F. George

Inspired by the idea of revolution and excitement about the ways archaeology is being used in social justice arenas, this volume seeks to visualize archaeology as part of a movement by redefining what archaeology is and does for the greater good.

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THE SPIRIT OF MATTER
Modernity, Religion, and the Power of Objects
Peter Pels

“[A book] with considerable value. It is a compelling read, that has some important interventions to make concerning the nature of the material within modernity.” • Jon Mitchell, University of Sussex

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MYTHOLOGY AND SYMBOLISM OF EURASIA AND INDIGENOUS AMERICAS
Manifestations in Artifacts and Rituals

Małgorzata Oleszkiewicz-Peralba

The author examines contemporary Middle American and eastern European textiles, especially women’s garments, that contain an elaborated sacred code of symbols, and include remnants of the four horizontal directions, and the three vertical worlds that portray the structure of the universe. 

ICONICITY OF THE UTO-AZTECANS
Snake Anthropomorphy in the Great Basin, the American Southwest and Mesoamerica
Tirtha Prasad Mukhopadhyay and Alan Philip Garfinkel

“The authors’ approach is wide ranging and multidisciplinary. The methodology is based on a deep understanding of the subject and exceptional in its scholarship.” • Derek Hodgson

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INCLUSION, TRANSFORMATION, AND HUMILITY IN NORTH AMERICAN ARCHAEOLOGY
Essays and Other “Great Stuff” Inspired by Kent G. Lightfoot
Edited by Seth Mallios, Sara L. Gonzalez, Michael Grone, Kathleen L. Hull, Peter Nelson, and Stephen W. Silliman
Foreword by Margaret Conkey
Afterword by David Hurst Thomas

“As the title suggests, this [ ] volume aims to give equal weight to the honoree’s pioneering scholarly achievements and his character. Attention to the latter that resonates loudly in personal anecdotes recounted in chapters written by cohorts of former (and some current) students as well as colleagues is what distinguishes this volume from many others in this genre of writing that focus primarily on scholarship.” • Patricia E. Rubertone, Brown University

TAKING OUR WATER FOR THE CITY
The Archaeology of New York City’s Watershed Communities

April M. Beisaw

This archaeological examination of the New York City watershed reveals the cultural costs of urban water systems. Urban water systems do more than reroute water from one place to another. At best, they redefine communities. At worst, they erase them.


In Paperback!

GOING FORWARD BY LOOKING BACK
Archaeological Perspectives on Socio-Ecological Crisis, Response, and Collapse
Edited by Felix Riede and Payson Sheets

“This collection presents diverse studies of climate disasters and human responses, with a particular focus on how knowledge of past catastrophes and resilience in their aftermath can contribute to risk reduction in the future.” • Choice

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COMMUNITIES AND PLACE
A Thematic Approach to the Histories of LGBTQ Communities in the United States
Edited by Katherine Crawford-Lackey and Megan E. Springate

“Through careful historical research, the authors reveal how diverse spaces—urban gay neighborhoods, beaches, rural communes, legal jurisdictions, and more—have fostered or constrained an equally diverse population of LGBTQ Americans in the past and present.” • Scott De Orio, Northwestern University

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PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT AND EDUCATION
Development and Fostering Stewardship for an Archaeological Future

Edited by Katherine M. Erdman

“This volume is overall well edited and illustrated. It is not only a welcome addition to the ever-growing discipline of public archaeology and education, but also a testament to the passion and creativity of these authors and educators of all walks of life. It is written in a way that makes it accessible to people of all ages… It would be an excellent addition to any educator’s toolkit and graspable to the general public.” • Heritage & Society

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PRESERVATION AND PLACE
Historic Preservation by and of LGBTQ Communities in the United States
Edited by Katherine Crawford-Lackey and Megan E. Springate

Preservation and Place is a strong and much needed volume that brings together the scholarly, preservationist, architectural, and activist voices.” • Jack Gieseking, University of Kentucky

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MAGICAL HOUSE PROTECTION
The Archaeology of Counter-Witchcraft
Brian Hoggard

“…a fascinating read for anyone interested in how fear of witchcraft and other dark forces have influenced the behaviour of people and therefore the archaeological record. Since it is not heavy on theoretical consideration, readers looking for accessible information on these aspects of past life can appreciate it. Those with a more academic interest will especially find the extensive material and finds catalogue useful. The book works well as a reference work for the subject, particularly for the UK and an excellent starting point when considering the rest of the world.” •Fennoscandia Archaeologica

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IDENTITIES AND PLACE
Changing Labels and Intersectional Communities of LGBTQ and Two-Spirit People in the United States
Edited by Katherine Crawford-Lackey and Megan E. Springate

“The contributors effectively show that knowledge of the varied and evolving LGBTQ experience is critical to understanding American history……. Recommended.” • Choice

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THE MAN WHO INVENTED AZTEC CRYSTAL SKULLS
The Adventures of Eugène Boban
Jane MacLaren Walsh and Brett Topping

“This is a most satisfying biography/social history; it is scholarship at its most entrancing and enlightening. It should be read and reread.” • Fortean Times

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Featured Series:

Digital Archaeology: Documenting the Anthropocene

The archaeology of the late 20th and 21st centuries supplements traditional landscapes, sites, and artifacts with those that are digital. People increasingly inhabit digital places, investing time and money into spaces accessed only through screens. People and corporations continue to create these digital built environments and their supporting, physical architecture at an astonishing rate for a rich diversity of purposes. This series aims to answer the questions of what the heritage of digital things and places looks like and how it can be understood archaeologically.

Volume 2
AMNESIA REMEMBERED
Reverse Engineering a Digital Artifact

John Aycock

Read Introduction

Volume 1
AN ENCHANTMENT OF DIGITAL ARCHAEOLOGY
Raising the Dead with Agent-Based Models, Archaeogaming and Artificial Intelligence

Shawn Graham

Read Introduction


Berghahn Journals

Museum Worlds
Editors: Alison K. Brown, University of Aberdeen
Conal McCarthy, Victoria University of Wellington

Museum Worlds: Advances in Research is a multidisciplinary, refereed, annual journal that publishes work that significantly advances knowledge of global trends, case studies, and theory relevant to museum practice and scholarship around the world.

Environment and Society
Founding Editors: Paige West, Columbia University
Dan Brockington, University of Sheffield
Editors: Amelia Moore, University of Rhode Island
Jerry Jacka, University of Colorado Boulder

Environment and Society: Advances in Research is an annual review journal, publishing articles that have been commissioned in response to specific published calls.

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