There are many "archaeologies of history" and many of them (Egyptology, 
Maya Archaeology, Classical Archaeology, Chinese Dynastic Archaeology, 
Medieval Archaeology, etc. etc.) have little if anything to do with each 
other.
Historical Archaeology is the archaeology of the Modern World (AD [C.E.] 
1400 up through the 20th Century) and this definition and the subject of 
the discipline are the product of global cultural evolution. The Modern 
Period is set off qualitatively from the rest of human history and 
prehistory.

We used the name and title first and consistently, so it belong to us.

A definition base only on methodology (the present of written sources of 
some type) does not say very much.

The message on Pompeii was out of place on HISTARCH although I found it 
quite interesting and had not heard of the recent findings.

Bob Schuyler

On 12/14/2010 12:57 PM, Jack Hunter wrote:
> Question please:  The Romans were a literate people.  We have a wealth of
> written knowledge from that time period. Ergo, in the "sensu latu"
> interpretation (as opposed to the "sensu stricto" ) they were an historic
> people.  Is there an arbitrary cutoff to history here that transcends time
> and place?   I for one found the referred article interesting, although
> given the focus of this forum's interests, I see it as informational and
> not necessarily kicking off a sustained thread of conversation.  Hard to
> not use words with Latin roots.  Just wondering...
>
>
>
>
>               Anita
>               Cohen-Williams
>               <[log in to unmask]                                          To
>               M>                         <[log in to unmask]>
>               Sent by:                                                   cc
>               HISTORICAL
>               ARCHAEOLOGY                                           Subject
>               <[log in to unmask]         Re: Pompeii skeletons reveal
>               >                          secrets of Roman family life
>
>
>               12/14/2010 09:00
>               AM
>
>
>               Please respond to
>                  HISTORICAL
>                  ARCHAEOLOGY
>               <[log in to unmask]
>                       >
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Ahem, HISTARCH is for Historical Archaeology, not Classical. Let us
> try to keep on topic, please.
>
> --
> Anita Cohen-Williams
> Social Media Marketing and Management
> http://mysearchguru.com
> http://twitter.com/searchguru
> Listowner of Histarch and Sub-Arch
>
>    

-- 
Robert L. Schuyler
University of Pennsylvania Museum
3260 South Street
Philadelphia, PA l9l04-6324

Tel: (215) 898-6965
Fax: (215) 898-0657
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