This handbook gathers original, authoritative articles from leading archaeologists to compile in a single place the latest thinking about archaeological methods. Topics range from theoretical models undergirding research to concrete strategies for field work and laboratory analysis. Public archaeology topics such as curation, collaboration, funding, and publication are also included among the 34 chapters in the book. Chapters are authored by well-known scholars on both sides of the Atlantic including Fagan, Hodder, Chippindale, Kvamme, McManamon, and many others. An extensive bibliography accompanies each chapter. As a single reference for current information on contemporary archaeological field methods, this volume is unmatched.

Contributions by: Mark Aldenderfer, William Andrefsky, J Barto Arnold, John W. Arthur, Michele R. Buzon, Christopher Chippindale, Cathy Lynne Costin, Jacqueline T. Eng, Brian Fagan, T J. Ferguson, Mark A. Feulner, Gayle J. Fritz, Mark Gillings, Michael A. Glassow, Christopher L. Hill, Ian Hodder, John Kantner, Kenneth G. Kelly, Carl Knappett, Kenneth L. Kvamme, Joseph B. Lambert, Patricia M. Lambert, W Fredrick Limp, Lawrence L. Loendorf, Michael Love, R Lee Lyman, Herbert D.G. Maschner, Marilyn A. Masson, James McGlade, Francis P. McManamon, Barbara J. Mills, Brian Leigh Molyneaux, Richard R. Paine, Paul B. Pettitt, Alistair W. G. Pike, Izumi Shimada, John M. Steinberg, Rafael Vega-Centeno, Phillip L. Walk, Joe Watkins, Kathryn J. Weedman, David Wheatley, David S. Whitley