European University Institute Library

A critique of archaeological reason, structural, digital and philosophical aspects of the excavated record, Giorgio Buccellati

eng

index present

non fiction

A critique of archaeological reason

electronic resource

dictionaries

1031480905

Giorgio Buccellati

Cambridge Social Sciences eBooks

structural, digital and philosophical aspects of the excavated record

In A Critique of Archaeological Reason, Giorgio Buccellati presents a theory of excavation that aims at clarifying the nature of archaeology and its impact on contemporary thought. Integrating epistemological issues with methods of data collection and the role and impact of digital technology on archaeological work, the book explores digital data in order to comprehend its role in shaping meaning and understanding in archaeological excavation. The ability of archaeologists to record in the field, rather than offsite, has fundamentally changed the methods of observation, conceptualization, and interpretation of deposits. Focusing on the role of stratigraphy as the center of archaeological field work, Giorgio Buccellati examines the challenges of interpreting a 'broken tradition'; a civilization for which there are no living carriers today. He uses the site of Urkesh in Syria, where he has worked for decades, as a case study to demonstrate his theory.--, Provided by publisher

Introduction -- Part One. Fundamentals -- Archaeology and grammar -- Categorization -- The search for objectivity -- Part Two. Analysis -- Stratigraphic analysis -- Typological analysis -- Integrative analysis -- Part Three. The Reassembled Construct -- The invention of a site -- The physical record -- The referential record -- Part Four. The Privileged Venue -- Digital thought -- Digital text -- The archaeological record -- Part Five. The Wider Frame -- The relevance of structure -- The critical approach -- Hermeneutics -- Conclusion