Ceramic Production in the American Southwest

Rating:
Summary: The Hip New Thing in Old Pots
Review: I recently had a conversation with a vetern professor of archaeology. He's a brilliant wealth of information, and he doesn't use the word "hip" too often. So when he described this book as "The 'hip' new thing in archaeology," I was a bit taken back. He turned over a copy, and I fell in love with it that night. Using his word, I'm going to continue to decribe this book as "hip," - here's why. It takes the format of a compilation of articles written by some of the leading professionals in the field. By formatting it in this way, the editors have provided a concise and detailed overview of new technologies that have helped archaeologists understand prehistoric behavior in the southwest. It is an absolutely necessary piece of literature, as it could be considered the jumping-off point for those interested in using high-technology to study ceramics. I would recomend the book to anyone who is interested in the science of archaeology and indian pottery. But if you decide to read it, don't expect an "Indiana Jones" type theme. It is very technical, and it is highly doubtful that the authors and editors had a popular audience in mind when they wrote it. But if you think you can take a heavy dose of science, then open wide and read it.