The time to make textbook decisions for the 2008/2009 academic year is
rapidly approaching.It's also time to start planning those classes! Left
Coast Press has several excellent new books to serve as textbooks for your
courses, as well as indispensable classroom resources. Copies are available
on an examination basis for college instructors. Details on our examination
policy and ordering information are below. Visit our website at
www.LCoastPress.com <http://www.lcoastpress.com/> .
For your courses:
Archaeology Matters: Action Archaeology in the Modern World
Jeremy A. Sabloff
Published March 2008, 128 pages, $21.95 (paperback)
ISBN: 978-1-59874-089-9
Courses: Introduction to Archaeology, Public Archaeology, CRM/Heritage
Management, Applied Anthropology
How could archaeology matter in the modern world? Archaeology studies the
people of long ago and far away. Former SAA President Jeremy Sabloff points
to ways in which archaeology is also relevant to the understanding and
amelioration of modern problems. Though archaeologists have commonly been
associated with efforts to uncover cultural identity, restore the past of
underrepresented peoples, and preserve historical sites, their knowledge and
skills can be used in many other ways. Archaeologists help Peruvian farmers
increase crop yields, aid city planners in reducing landfills, and guide
local communities in tourism development and water management. This brief
volume, aimed at students and other prospective archaeologists, challenges
the field to go beyond merely understanding the past and actively engage in
making a difference in the modern world.
Controversies in Archaeology
Alice Beck Kehoe
Published March 2008, 256 pages, $29.95 (paperback)
ISBN: 978-1-59874-062-2
Courses: Introduction to Archaeology, Public Archaeology, Discussion
Seminars, Popular Archaeology
Atlantis, ancient astronauts, and pyramid power. Archaeologists are
perennially bombarded with questions about the "mysteries" of the past. They
are also constantly addressing more realistic controversies: origins of the
First Americans, the ownership of antiquities, and national claims to
historical territories. Alice Beck Kehoe offers to introductory students a
method of evaluating and assessing these claims about the past in this
reader-friendly, concise text. She shows how to use the methods of science
to challenge the legitimacy of pseudoscientific proclamations and develop
reasonable interpretations on controversial issues. Not one to shy away from
controversy herself, Kehoe takes some stands - on transpacific migration,
shamanism, the Kensington Runestone-which will challenge instructor and
students alike, and foster class discussion
Ancient Peoples of the Great Basin and Colorado Plateau
Steven R. Simms
Published June 2008, 288 pages, $26.95 (paperback)
ISBN: 978-1-59874-296-1
Courses: Archaeology of North America, Archaeology of the Great Basin
Written to appeal to professional archaeologists and the interested public,
this book is a long-overdue introduction to the ancient peoples of the Great
Basin and northern Colorado Plateau. More than simply a textbook about the
Great Basin, it provides background about the region as well as a deeper
understanding of the people who inhabited it. Through detailed syntheses,
the reader is drawn into the story of the inhabitation of the Great Basin
from the entry of Paleoindians through the arrival of Europeans in the
region. This book is a major contribution to Great Basin archaeology and
anthropology, as well as the general study of foraging societies.
Stone Mirror: A Novel of the Neolithic
Rob Swigart
Published April 2007, 256 pages, $21.95 (paperback)
ISBN: 978-1-59874-017-2
Excerpt available at http://www.lcoastpress.com/book.php?id=80
Courses: Introduction to Archaeology, World Prehistory
A large obsidian mirror is found by a Turkish farmer on top of a mound. How
did it get there? What does it mean, for then and now? In this teaching
novel by writer Rob Swigart, the story toggles back and forth between the
story of a Neolithic village-- and the changing fortunes of the family who
find this wondrous tool-- and a tale of modern archaeologists whose
excavated finds stir journalists, governments, and goddess worshippers
alike. In doing so, Swigart's novel provides both a basic reconstruction of
Neolithic lifeways and a primer of contemporary archaeological politics and
practice. For students in introductory archaeology classes, courses on the
Neolithic, or on ethical issues, Stone Mirror will be a fun, informative
introduction both to archaeology and to the people archaeologists study.
Box Office Archaeology: Refining Hollywood's Portrayals of the Past
Julie M. Schablitsky, Editor
Published April 2007, 256 pages, $24.95 (paperback)
ISBN: 978-1-59874-056-1
Courses: Introduction to Archaeology, Public Archaeology, Archaeology and
Media, Historical Archaeology
"How true is it?" is a common refrain of patrons coming out of movie
theatres after the latest film on pirates, Vikings, or mummies. While
Hollywood usurps the past for its own entertainment purposes, archaeologists
and historians know a lot about many of these subjects, digging up stories
often more fascinating than the ones projected on screen. Archaeologists
select key subjects and genres used by Hollywood and provide the historical
and archaeological depth that a movie cannot--what really happened in
history. Topics include Egypt, the Wild West, Civil War submarines, Vikings,
the Titanic, and others.
Historical Archaeology: Why the Past Matters
Barbara J. Little
Published January 2007, 216 pages, $22.95 (paperback)
ISBN: 978-1-59874-023-3
Course: Historical Archaeology
What is historical archaeology and why is it important? Well-known
archaeologist Barbara Little addresses these key questions for introductory
students in this concise, inexpensive, and well-written text. Little covers
the goals of historical archaeological work, the kinds of questions it asks,
and the ethical and political concerns it raises. She shows what historical
archaeology can provide that neither of its parent disciplines can offer
alone. As an introductory guide for historical archaeology and similar
courses, this volume is unmatched in quality and scope.
Doing Archaeology: A Cultural Resource Management Perspective
Thomas F. King
Published August 2005, 160 pages, $21.95 (paperback)
ISBN: 978-1-59874-003-5
Courses: Introduction to Archaeology, CRM/Heritage Management
What is archaeology, and why should we do it? Tom King, arguably the
best-known heritage management consultant in the United States, answers the
basic question of every introductory student from the unique perspective of
one who actively uses archaeology for cultural resource management. King
shows how contemporary archaeology, as part of the larger cultural resource
management endeavor, acts to help preserve and protect prehistoric and
historic sites in the United States and elsewhere. An ideal ice-breaker for
introductory college classes in archaeology, one that will get students
engaged in the subject and thinking about its challenges
Resources for the Classroom:
Privy to the Past
Janet Pape and Adrian Praetzellis
Published September 2005, 25 minute video, $79.95 (DVD)
DVD ISBN: 978-1-59874-299-2
Use discount code Lo87 for instructor discount price, $49.95
Courses: Introduction to Archaeology, Field Methods, Historical Archaeology,
Urban Archaeology
This detailed and engaging documentary provides an outstanding introduction
to the goals and methods of historical and urban archaeology. It chronicles
a major cultural resource management project conducted in advance of
reconstruction of a freeway through West Oakland, California, after the 1989
Loma Prieta earthquake. The video follows the archaeologists as they
excavate and interpret structures, features, and objects of 19th century
Oakland. It shows how the archaeologists use historical documents, tax
records, insurance maps, and oral history interviews with descendants to
broaden and corroborate the archaeological finds. The difficulties of
conducting excavation in urban settings, as well as the importance of
cultural resource management work, are also demonstrated in the film.
The Potters of Buur Heybe, Somalia
Steven Brandt and Tara Belkin
Published September 2006, 25 minute video with 4-page insert, $79.95 (DVD)
DVD ISBN: 978-1-59874-118-6
Use discount code Lo87 for instructor discount price, $49.95
Now available on DVD at a considerably reduced price, this award-winning
ethnoarchaeological film documents the complete sequence of pottery
production and use at Buur Heybe, "The Hill of the Potter's Sand", in
southern Somalia. The Potters of Buur Heybe portrays the complete life cycle
of earthenware pottery manufacture and use, places the pottery in its social
and economic context, and considers the roles of gender, symbolism, agency
and religion in the process. Short, technologically fascinating, and
ethnographically rich, Potters of Buur Heybe is an excellent film for both
undergraduate and graduate courses in anthropology and archaeology,
including methods, technology, material culture, ethnography, and arts.
Woman the Toolmaker: Hideworking and Stone Tool Use in Konso, Ethiopia
Steven Brandt, Kathryn Weedman, and Tara Belkin
Published September 2006, 25 minute video with 4-page insert, $79.95 (DVD)
DVD ISBN: 978-1-59874-119-3
Use discount code Lo87 for instructor discount price, $49.95
Woman the Toolmaker portrays the remarkable lives of a group of Konso hide
workers from southern Ethiopia who may be the last people in the world to
make and use flaked stone tools on a regular basis. Unlike the "Man the
Toolmaker" stereotype, virtually all of the Konso hide workers are women who
as young girls learn flintknapping skills from their mothers or other female
relatives. The complete life cycle of making and using flaked stone
artifacts is documented in this ethnoarchaeological portrait of Konso women
scraping hides to produce soft leather products for bedding, bags, drums,
and even ritual clothing. This unique video is an excellent addition to
both undergraduate and graduate courses in anthropology, archaeology, and
women's studies, including material culture, technology, methods, and
ethnography.
Archaeology to Delight and Instruct: Active Learning in the University
Classroom
Heather Burke and Claire Smith
Published January 2007, 288 pages, $29.95 (paperback)
ISBN: 978-1-59874-257-2
This book presents novel and interesting ways of teaching archaeological
concepts and processes to college and university students. Seeking
alternatives to the formal lecture format, the various contributions seek
better ways of communicating the complexities of human behavior and of
engaging students in active learning about the past. This collection of
imaginative exercises designed by 20 master instructors on three continents,
include role-playing, games, simulations, activities, and performance, all
designed to teach archaeological concepts in interesting and engaging ways.
To request an examination copy of textbooks or to order other materials,
visit our website at:
http://www.lcoastpress.com <http://www.lcoastpress.com/>
We invite you to request up to three books to review for class adoption.
Books will be sent on a 90-day examination basis and invoiced at a 10%
discount. Please supply a MasterCard, American Express, or Visa number,
expiration date, and phone number. Also let us know the name of your
university and the course for which you are considering the book, when it's
taught, how many students you expect, what texts you're currently using, and
when you need to make your decision. If after 90 days we have not received
evidence of adoption (a bookstore order for a minimum of 10 copies) or
return of the book in salable condition, we will bill your credit card for
purchase of the book.
All web orders receive a 15% discount!!
For more information, contact Caryn Berg at [log in to unmask]
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