David Brown Book Company

Alban's buried towns; an assessment of St. Alban's archaeology up to AD 1600.

The first in a series of in-depth studies on the archaeology of significant English cities and towns, this volume presents a thorough, chronological treatment of the rich history of St Albans. Settlement in the area stretches back to prehistoric times and it was a notable Roman city before the establishment of the major monastery of St Albans, for which the city is known. Each of these historic periods are described in detail based on an exhaustive analysis of the archaeology of the area. The volume is beautifully illustrated with plans and photos and includes five fold-out plans of the Roman town of Verulamium and an appendix with the main Latin texts that refer to St Albans' monuments in side-by-side English translation. Distributed in the US by the David Brown Book Company. (Annotation ©2006 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

The ancient Egyptian coffin texts; spells 1-1185 & indexes. (reprint, 1973)

Coffin texts are spells written in ink on the inside walls of the wooden caskets reserved for the corpses of the rich in the Middle Kingdom. Faulkner (University College, U. of London) translates the 1185 spells into modern English, welcoming the dead, invoking the succor of the gods, and describing how the dead were once loved and favored on earth. The texts include simple entreaties, fascinating clues about daily lives, and remarkable short stories of journeys to the next world. He includes notes and commentaries for each spell. Originally published starting in 1973 in three volumes, this new edition is reprinted in a single volume with corrections; the pagination of the three volumes is maintained throughout. Distributed in the US by the David Brown Book Company. (Annotation ©2006 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Ancient Jordan from the air.

Kennedy (Roman archaeology and history, U. of Western Australia) and Bewley (an archaeologist with English Heritage) have compiled a series of remarkably detailed and precise aerial photographs, taken from 1997-2000, with commentary on the archaeological sites they depict. Introductory chapters describe the geography of Jordan, the process and usefulness of aerial archaeology, and Jordan's history. Subsequent chapters present the photos and commentary in chronological order, including prehistoric sites, the Bronze Age, the Nabataeans, the classical period, Christian Roman Jordan, early Islamic sites, the Crusader period, and the Ottoman and British empires. Distributed in North America by the David Brown Book Company. (Annotation ©2006 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

The appearances of medieval rituals; the play of construction and modification.

Mostly reworked from presentations at a December 2002 international conference in Copenhagen, 10 papers explore the potential in the appearances of medieval ritual practices, addressing questions concerning religious or devotional rituals under transformation, chronologically spanning the period from the Carolingians of the eighth and nine centuries to the Catholic Reform movement of the later 16th century. Each one examines some kind of processual formation or modification of a specific ritual or ritual aspect, probing moments of ritualization and re-signification. Distributed in the US by the David Brown Book Company. (Annotation ©2006 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Approaches to archaeological illustration; a handbook.

This guide for students and practitioners presents a variety of approaches for producing high-quality illustrations of archaeological artifacts. Sample drawings from leading professional illustrators are organized into sections corresponding to type of material or object (i.e., bone, glass, copper metalwork, carved stone, etc.). Each illustration is accompanied by a description of the object, along with the artist's explanation of the drawing methods used. Distributed in the U.S. by the David Brown Book Company. (Annotation ©2006 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Archives & excavations; essays on the history of archaeological excavations in Rome and Southern Italy from the Renaissance to the nineteenth century.

This volume in the series contains papers about sites from the Renaissance and seventeenth centuries through the late nineteenth century. Topics include issues of "rescue archeology" in the Renaissance and research into the Roman catacombs by can Winghe, the effects of excavations and scholars in the seventeenth century, British excavations in the papal states in the eighteenth century, three-dimensional documentation of sites of the early 1800s, the problem of sites resting under sites, and issues raised by modern researchers that can only add to those raised by previous scholars. One article examines the issue of what constitutes "antique." The volume is very well-illustrated and includes site and artifact photographs. Distributed in the US by the David Brown Book Company. (Annotation ©2006 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Archaeological fieldwork opportunities bulletin, 25th ed., 2005.

Now in its 25th edition, this annually published listing is for students and others seeking experiences with archaeological projects. All are volunteer; some offer academic credit. Projects are listed by geographic region, and entries include thorough description of scope and purpose, as well as duration, age requirements, fees, accommodations, and contact information. Also included are listings of other resources (including websites), institutions, organizations, and relevant government offices. The book is distributed in the US by David Brown Book Co. (Annotation ©2006 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Archaeological field survey in Cyprus; past history, future potentials; proceedings.

Arising from an international conference in 2000, these proceedings begin with a resolution by conference participants calling for the review of policies on cultural resource management in Cyprus. Subsequent sections address the history of the Archaeological Survey of Cyprus, social landscapes & social space, the role of intuitive and small scale surveys, Cyprus' mining history, the truth about GIS and archaeology, surveying the desert, and more. Distributed by the David Brown Book Co. (Annotation ©2006 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Archaeology in Northumberland National Park.

Most of the 23 papers are updated from the October 2000 conference "Long Ago in the Land of the Far Horizons," sponsored by the Park. Archaeologists present a general overview of the archaeology and history of the Park, and present reports on specific projects, among them the Bremenium Roman fort, the medieval gentry residence Thirlwall Castle, and metal hills and kelties as a key to an industrial past. (Annotation ©2006 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Aspects of Anglo-Scandinavian York.

Specialists in various fields provide overviews on the current understanding of archaeological finds in the northeastern English city relating to the period after its capture by Vikings in 866 and the continuing Scandinavian influence there long after it was recaptured by the king of Wessex six decades later. Coinage, inscriptions, street names, plant and animal remains, art, and craft and economy are among the topics. A fold-out map is tucked into a pocket inside the back cover. Distributed in the US by the David Brown Book Company. (Annotation ©2006 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

The Avebury landscape; aspects of the field archaeology of the Marlborough Downs.

Brown, Field, and McOmish (all with English Heritage) present a collection of papers from a conference on various aspects of recent research on the Marlborough Downs, held in April 2002 at the U. of Bath in Swindon, England, along with several other commissioned contributions from individuals who have undertaken research in the area during the past decade. A sampling of topics: change, consolidation and perception in a chalk landscape; the investigation of sites using geophysical methods; prehistoric environmental changes; Bronze Age land allotment; monastic settlement and land use; and medieval and later sheep farming. No subject index. Illustrated with b&w photographs, diagrams, maps, and charts. Distributed in the U.S. by the David Brown Book Company. (Annotation ©2006 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

The Barland's farm Romano-Celtic boat.

When the bones of a boat emerged on a farm in south-east Wales, excavators were impressed with the degree of its preservation and the evidence it revealed about life on the Severn Estuary and the inner Bristol Channel during Roman days. This text includes piece-by-piece descriptions, photographs, fastenings and evidence of fastenings, and full plans. Also included are descriptions of seafaring and land use in the area, Roman settlement and trade practices, and excavation and preservation techniques. Distributed in the US by the David Brown Book Company. (Annotation ©2006 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Barentin's manor; excavations of the moated manor at Harding's field, Chalgrove, Oxfordshire, 1976-9.

Archaeologists report on their investigation of one of the most complete examples of a moated medieval manor yet excavated in England. It was built in the middle 13th century and seems to have belonged to the Barentins, a prominent Oxfordshire family. It underwent considerable alterations until it was demolished in the late 15th century. Among the artefacts described are pottery, decorated floor tiles, coins, vessel and window glass, and bones. Distributed in the US by the David Brown Book Company. (Annotation ©2006 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Byzantine Butrint; excavations and surveys, 1994-99.

Located on the Straits of Corfu in southern Albania, Butrint was a significant site of power and trade from classical times through the Byzantine era. The chapters of this volume report on the site's history, its excavation and the resulting findings from studies and excavations carried out in the late 1990s by British archaeologists working with the Butrint Foundation. Reports are provided on excavations at the Triconch Palace, the Baptistery, and trial excavations within the city, with separate chapters on the Roman pottery, medieval amphorae, fine wares and cooking wares, coins, and faunal remains. Other chapters detail the site's history in the Middle Ages, its topography, fortifications, a geophysical survey, and an environmental survey. The volume is well illustrated with b&w plates of photos and drawings. Distributed in the US by the David Brown Book Company. (Annotation ©2006 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

The Cambridge illuminations; ten centuries of book production in the medieval west.

Published to accompany an eponymous exhibition held at the Fitzwilliam Museum and the Cambridge U. Library (UK) in 2005, this catalogue presents essays and entries that display a portion of the wealth of medieval manuscripts contained in the collections of Cambridge University and its colleges. There are entries for 215 manuscripts, with a color plate of a page from each and lengthy descriptive text. Essays introduce each chapter, discussing the production of manuscripts in chronological eras from the 6th-15th centuries. Three initial essays introduce the history of the Cambridge collections, the history of manuscript collectors and collecting, and a description of how medieval manuscripts are made. A glossary is provided. The volume is oversize: 8.5x11.25 inches. Distributed in North America by the David Brown Book Company. (Annotation ©2006 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Central European drawing in the collection of the Crocker Art Museum.

The rich collection of 15th- through 19th-century Central European drawings of the Crocker Collection in Sacramento is the subject of this beautifully realized catalogue by Kaufmann (art history, Princeton U.). The works are grouped by century and artist, with a short biography of the artist preceding the catalogue entries for the drawings. Each entry includes detailed information on the drawing's size, material, signature, and inscriptions, as well as its content and provenance, when known. A b&w plate of the drawing and often of comparanda accompanies each entry; a group of color plates are included as well. As is typical for this publisher, the plates are of superb quality. Distributed in the US by the David Brown Book Company. (Annotation ©2006 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Changing social identity with the spread of Islam; archaeological perspectives.

Five essays from the seminar analyze different sites and regions, based on archaeological monuments for artifacts, to explore processes of adaptation or adjustment to local cultural complexes. Among the case studies are two early Islamic settlements on Palestine's desert periphery, Samarkand in the eighth century, and Swahili identity. There is no index. Distributed in the US by the David Brown Book Company. (Annotation ©2006 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Chronologies of the Black Sea area in the period c. 400-100 BC.

Drawn from the conference held in February 2002 by the Danish Research Foundation's Center for Black Sea Studies, these papers examine elements on which the chronologies of the time and region are built. Artifacts under study include Athenian, Hellenistic, Aegean and Rhodian amphora and those from Sinope and Thasos, Mithridatic coins, a monumental building at Panskoe I and a royal grave. Papers also examine the chronological evidence of Scythian settlements and those in the Lower Dneiper region and of the alliance between Chersonesos and Pharnakes. Distributed in the U.S. by David Brown Book Company. (Annotation ©2006 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

The clothed body in the ancient world.

Fifteen papers represent an international conference, held at The Open U., Milton Keyes, UK, in January 2002, that brought together ancient historians, costume historians, textile experts, archaeologists, fashion theorists, art historians, and anthropologists. They explore how dress articulated and defined individuals within societies in ancient Egypt and the Aegean, Classical Greece, Rome, and Late Antiquity. The papers also highlight common themes in scholarship and methodological differences between disciplines and periods. The volume, which is lightly illustrated in b&w, has a lengthy bibliography but no index. It's distributed in the US by David Brown Book Company. (Annotation ©2006 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Cobs, pieces of eight and treasure coins; the early Spanish-American mints and their coinages, 1536-1773.

Treasure hunters, historians, coin collectors, and dealers are the intended audience for this comprehensive book on legendary treasure coins. Menzel (political science, Florida Atlantic U.) begins with an overview of the 16th century Spanish colonial system and the exploitation of mineral wealth, detailed descriptions of the mint organization and the technical coining process, and a note on coin denominations and values. After a chapter on coin design and anomalies, the book is divided into sections addressing each of several mints, from Mexico to Guatemala, Cuba, and more. Detailed black & white diagrams and photographs illustrate each coin, and accompany text that is both concise and meticulous. An appendix shows general monetary values, and weights and values of gold and silver. Distributed by the David Brown Book Company. (Annotation ©2006 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Coinage in Roman Egypt; the hoard evidence.

By hoard, scholars mean at least two coins, or at least one coin and another object of value, that seem to have been deliberately buried or lost together. They include hoards that have been added to over time. Christiansen examines what the hoard evidence from Roman Egypt can reveal about the use of coins as money in Egypt as a Roman province from the conquest by Augustus in 30 BC to Diocletian's currency reform in AD 296. Some of his chapters look at particular hoards or locations, and others at historical events or periods. Distributed in the US by the David Brown Book Company. (Annotation ©2006 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Corpus of medieval misericords Iberia; Portugal-Spain, XIII-XVI.

Much shorter than her previous volume on France, due to the fewer surviving examples, this volume provides a comprehensive survey of the carvings of medieval misericords in churches in fourteen churches in Spain and two in Portugal. The catalogue documents the historiated carvings under these small mobile choir seats, which are hinged so they can be raised to provide standing space, revealing the carving beneath. The sculpture are grouped by church. Each church's entry consists of an initial summary of the church's date, the number of choir stalls and carved misericords, their placement, the identity of the sculptor, the form of the misericord, and a detailed inventory of the carvings. A further inventory of each individual carved misericord in the church follows. B&w photos of excellent quality are included for each. There is a bibliography and lexicon, but no index. Distributed in the US by the David Brown Book Company. (Annotation ©2006 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)