Mark W.,
Thanks for the update ... You have raised a number of issues that are
certainly worth exploring in a fresh publication, and I look forward to
seeing what comes to fruition.
Again, I wish that something of the depth of your presentation had come
across in the original call for information, as it would have precluded my
perhaps knee-jerk reaction. I also think that your update will help folks
on the list get a better idea of what kind of information that your
authors are interested in.
I will say that I recently had a chance to skim the Left Coast Press
"Handbook" on breweries, and it certainly appears to represent a very
significant contribution to the literature. If the "coin" authors can
even come close to the quality of that publication, it will be a
successful venture.
Thanks again!
Mark
___________________________________
Mark C. Branstner, RPA
Senior Historical Archaeologist
Illinois State Archaeological Survey
Prairie Research Institute
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
209 Nuclear Physics Lab, MC-571
23 East Stadium Drive
Champaign, IL 61820
Phone: 217.244.0892
Fax: 217.244.7458
Cell: 217.549.6990
[log in to unmask]
"The difference between genius and idiocy? Genius has its limits." --
Albert Einstein
On 8/1/13 6:21 PM, "Warner, Mark" <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>Mark and co.
>I thought I'd jump in briefly on this thread. First of all just to lay
>my cards on the table, I've taken over the editorship of the Left Coast
>Press series on material culture and I was the one that recruited the
>authors of this book for the series. So if you want to grumble about
>this book feel free to grumble to me about it. Now to put in my two
>cents worth (after all we're talking coins). The authors came to me
>about what the most effective way is to reach out to the historical
>archaoelogy community to gather information on discussions of coins in
>the grey literature. I told them that histarch is the best venue for
>reaching out to colleagues to get information from an array of
>colleagues, they're trying to make sure they aren't missing some lesser
>known resources that may be in state archaeology or regional archaeology
>journals or in site reports that have had limited distribution. So keep
>in mind what this posting was -- just a calll for information. FYI the
> full book prospectus was several pages long and is a much broader based
>study that just and identification manual. (example: what do folks know
>about the use life of coins? or about coins being re-purposed) . The
>point here is that the volume potentially brings to historical
>archaeologists an understanding of what else coins offer besides just
>dates-- something that I personally think can be an important
>contribution. Some of this is based on recent personal experience
>where I was part of a large project in which the creative analysis of
>dozens of coins and tokens contributed to understandings of behavior on
>the site -- something more than just providing a convenient TPQ. I
>guess what I'm saying is see what you think when the book comes out. We
>all know of coin books telling us when a Mercury dime was in production
>etc. but as archaeologists what do we have at our disposal that helps us
>puzzle out some other questions that can be explored through coins?
>
>Finally, I'd like to add that if you remain skeptical about the utility
>of the volume I would like to hear some suggestions about what you think
>would be useful texts that are currently not out there for historical
>archaeologists -- or better yet, I'd love to see folks step up with a
>book prospectus of their own for the series. Feel free to respond to me
>off list on this second issue
>
>best
>Mark Warner
>University of Idaho
>[log in to unmask]
>
>
>________________________________________
>From: HISTORICAL ARCHAEOLOGY <[log in to unmask]> on behalf of Branstner,
>Mark C <[log in to unmask]>
>Sent: Wednesday, July 31, 2013 11:45 AM
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Re: Announcement for HISTARCH list serve
>
>Since the prospectus for the planned "coin" publication was very vague,
>let me jump in with a couple of thoughts that were probably obvious to
>more than a few list members ..
>
>OK, not to put too fine a point on it ... But, coins and tokens are
>probably the best documented artifacts that we could possibly find on an
>archaeological site. There are shelves of books dedicated to every type
>of coin, token, and medal that you could possibly think of, dating back to
>Classical times. So, I see very little utility in another book that
>reiterates what is available from so many other, and almost certainly,
>infinitely more complete sources ... At least in terms of basic IDs. That
>was exactly what was wrong with Left Coast Press' recent book on ceramic
>marks. Although it promised much, it yielded almost no information that
>was not readily available in standard reference books.
>
>Now, on the other hand, if your proposed publication is going to focus on
>the presence of "atypical" coinage, medals, etc., in well documented
>archaeological settings, then I can see some utility to the book, and the
>potential for adding significant new information. However, if you're
>going to tell me that you found a 1863 U.S. 2-cent piece on a
>mid-nineteenth farmstead in Ohio, that is information frankly not worth
>knowing.
>
>Just my 2-cents.
>
>Mark
>___________________________________
>
>Mark C. Branstner, RPA
>Senior Historical Archaeologist
>
>Illinois State Archaeological Survey
>Prairie Research Institute
>University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
>209 Nuclear Physics Lab, MC-571
>23 East Stadium Drive
>Champaign, IL 61820
>
>Phone: 217.244.0892
>Fax: 217.244.7458
>Cell: 217.549.6990
>[log in to unmask]
>
>"The difference between genius and idiocy? Genius has its limits." --
>Albert Einstein
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>On 7/31/13 1:08 PM, "ROBERT NEYLAND" <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>
>>Coins and tokens from shipwreck sites may be useful since these are
>>usually well dated sites.
>>
>>
>>
>>Sent from my iPhone
>>
>>On Jul 31, 2013, at 1:42 PM, "James C. Bard"
>><[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>>
>>> Send information to Margie Akin and James Bard regarding coins and
>>>token finds
>>>
>>> Bard is: [log in to unmask]
>>> Akin is: [log in to unmask]
>>>
>>> thanks!
|
