An Encyclopedia of the History of Classical Archaeology [2 Volumes]

Book excerpt: With 1,125 entries and 170 contributors, this is the first encyclopedia on the history of classical archaeology. It focuses on Greek and Roman material, but also covers the prehistoric and semi-historical cultures of the Bronze Age Aegean and the Etruscans and manifestations of Greek and Roman culture in other parts of Europe and the Mediterranean Sea. Unlike recent studies that focus on the science of excavating, this book also considers archaeological study in the Middle Age, the Renaissance, and the modern era. It includes entries on individuals whose activities influenced the knowledge of sites and monuments in their own time; articles on famous monuments and sites as seen, changed, and interpreted through time; and entries on major works of art excavated during the Renaissance and the 17th century as well as works that were known in the Middle Ages. All of the entries include some historical content. Most combine historical information with descriptive material that identifies and explains the topic, opinions of archaeologists past and present, and references to achievements in archaeological scholarship. As the definitive source on a comparatively new discipline--the history of archaeology--this volume will be useful to students and scholars in archaeology, classics, history, topography, art history, and architectural history.