Preface and Acknowledgments

This project was begun in 1992, with the first two volumes (The Great Archaeologists) being published in 1999. The three volumes that comprise History and Discoveries conclude the Encyclopedia of Archaeology. When this project was first conceived I drew up a very long list of countries, people, sites, techniques, methods, theories, issues, styles and traditions of archaeology that I thought provided a comprehensive picture of the evolution of archaeology. As in most projects of this magnitude, the Encyclopdia of Archaeology of necessity changed during the protracted and often difficult journey to publication. The result retains my initial goals: to provide the most in-depth, authoritative, and through reference work on the history of archaeology.

What I see in all five volumes, but in particular the three that comprise Histories and Discoveries is simply a watershed in the history of archaeology. Never before has it been possible for us to contemplate the unity and diversity of archaeology on this scale. It is now more often being observed (indeed Bruce Trigger does so in these volumes) that the history of archaeology is beginning to play a significant role in debates about archaeological theory and the philosophy of archaeology. The entries in these volumes provide a wonderful source of inspiration and information for those fundamental debates, the outcomes of which will directly affect the ways in which human beings search for an understanding of themselves.

The five volumes represent over a million words of text and the direct and indirect contributions of hundreds of people around the world. It is appropriate to begin these acknowledgments by recognizing the work of the contributors whose names are to be found in the following pages. This encyclopedia is their work. Many of the entries in History and Discoveries were translated into English from French, German, Russian, and Spanish. Although the names of the translators are listed at the end of each relevant entry, it is also important to acknowledge that their work has broadened and deepened this history of archaeology.

A large number of the contributors to these volumes were identified by the very many colleagues who used their networks to track people down. I was often touched by the willingness of colleagues from around the world to help, indeed some who at very short notice came up with superb contributions because those who had originally been contracted failed to deliver. I owe particular debts of gratitude to Peter Bellwood, Ian Hodder, Gordon Willey, Peter Robertshaw, Scott Raymond, Wil Roebroeks, Steve Shennan, Richard Bradley, Mark Leone, T.G.H. James, Barry Cunliffe, Rosemary Joyce, Henry