Includes bibliographical references and index.

Introducing archaeology -- The beginnings of scientific archaeology : sixth century B.C. to the 1950s -- The many-voiced past : archaeological thought from the 1950s to now -- Matrix and preservation -- Doing archaeological research -- Culture, data, and context -- Dating the past -- They sought it here, they sought it there : finding the past -- How to excavate -- Classifying artifacts -- Technologies of the ancients -- Ancient environments -- Studying subsistence -- The living past -- Landscape and settlement -- Interactions : people of the past -- Archaeology and the intangible -- Cultural resource management (CRM) and public archaeology -- Archaeology and contemporary society -- So you want to become an archaeologist?

"In the Beginning describes the basic methods and theoretical approaches of archaeology. This is a book about fundamental principles written in a clear, flowing style, with minimal use of technical jargon, which approaches archaeology from a global perspective. Starting with a broad-based introduction to the field, it surveys the highlights of archaeology's colorful history, then covers the basics of preservation, dating the past, and the context of archaeological finds. Descriptions of field survey, including the latest remote sensing methods, excavation, and artifact analysis lead into the study of ancient environments, landscapes and settlement patterns, and the people of the past. Two chapters cover cultural resource management, public archaeology, and the important role of archaeology in contemporary society. There is also an essay on archaeology as a potential career. In the Beginning takes the reader on an evenly balanced journey though today's archaeology. This well-illustrated account, with its numerous boxes and sidebars, is laced with interesting, and sometimes entertaining examples of archaeological research from all parts of the world. This classic textbook of archaeological method and theory has been in print for nearly fifty years and is used in many countries around the world. It is aimed at introductory students in archaeology and anthropology taking survey courses on archaeology, as well as more advanced readers"-- Provided by publisher.