Archaeology and the Modern World: Colonial Transcripts in South Africa and Chesa

The Nile on eBay   Archaeology and the Modern World by Martin Hall

Starting with the voyages of discovery and continuing to the present, the author reveals a dimension of historical archaeology that lies beyond words.

FORMATPaperback LANGUAGEEnglish CONDITIONBrand New Publisher Description

Starting with voyages of discovery in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries and continuing through to the present - when the material world is represented on the Internet - the author of Archaeology and the Modern World reveals a crucial dimension of historical archaeology that lies beyond words. The focus is on two areas - the Chesapeake (Virginia and Maryland, USA) and the Cape region of Africa. Past colonial societies of these areas relied heavily on slave labour and there was little if any direct contact between them. Yet, as Martin Hall observes, there were marked similarities in the ways the people created and used the material around them. It is these comparisons that the author uses as a measure for evaluating the major theoretical traditions in historical archaeology. Although structuralism, critical materialism and other theoretical perspectives have taken historical archaeology forward over the past twenty years, such interpretations are not able to do justice to the complexities of the past five hundred years.Working through the rich texture of individual lives, specific landscapes and cityscapes, individual buildings and everyday objects, this work develops an approach that builds on earlier theory. Through this study, the early colonial world emerges as a set of unstable compromises, imbued with violence, in which material culture played a crucial mediating role. Throughout this study the past is seen as vitally connected with the present. It becomes apparent that whether through the claims for recognition by Thomas Jefferson's African-American descendants, through the terminal rituals of white South Africa in the demise of Apartheid, or in the way in which the material evidence of the past is mobilized in the Balkan conflicts, the material world of past centuries is still with us and continues to shape the future.

Back Cover

Archaeology and the Modern World advances a new controversial theory of historical archaeology. Using new case studies, Martin Hall evaluates the major theoretical traditions in historical archaeology while contributing significantly to the debate. In this study the author places an emphasis on material culture and the recent past to bring to light a picture of an unstable and violent early colonial world in which material culture played a crucial mediating role.

Author Biography

Martin Hall is Professor of Historical Archaeology in the Centre for African Studies and Dean of Higher Education Development at the University of Cape Town as well President of the World Archaeological Congress.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1 Material conditions; Chapter 2 Colonial discourse; Chapter 3 Regimes of order; Chapter 4 Substantial identities; Chapter 5 Hidden voices; Chapter 6 Bodily uncertainties; Chapter 7 Emergencies of the moment; Chapter 8 Heart of whiteness;

Review

'This is an eminently readable and attractive publication, an archaeologocal study set within the context of comtemporary politics, literature, and ideas.' - Roger Leech, University of Southampton UL UL UL

Details ISBN0415229669 Author Martin Hall Short Title ARCHAEOLOGY & THE MODERN WORLD Language English ISBN-10 0415229669 ISBN-13 9780415229661 Media Book Format Paperback Illustrations Yes Year 2000 Imprint Routledge Subtitle Colonial Transcripts in South Africa and Chesapeake Place of Publication London Country of Publication United Kingdom Edition 1st Affiliation University of Salford, UK DOI 10.1604/9780415229661 UK Release Date 2000-09-21 AU Release Date 2000-09-21 NZ Release Date 2000-09-21 Publisher Taylor & Francis Ltd Publication Date 2000-09-21 Alternative 9780415229654 DEWEY 305.42 Audience Tertiary & Higher Education Pages 230 We've got this

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