Old John Cotter is dead.  
It's very sad for me to type these words. Sad to think that I won't be
getting any more letters gently but firmly encouraging me to get working
the manuscript that I promised him years ago. Too busy, I'd say, and we've
been ill. Hardly much of an excuse considering his family's health problems
in the last few years. The man's energy in his 80s was staggering to those
of us not much more than half his age.  
John was quite a guy. And an uncompromising archaeologist. I remember a
comment that he made at an SHA meeting about 10 years ago: that historical
archaeology pursued without imagination reduces the artifacts to "minor
illustrative material."  I don't suppose I'll ever forget that little
classic.
 
Adrian Praetzellis
Sonoma State University