David Brown Book Company
Sacra Via; twenty years after.
Just after Ziólkowski published his 1989 volume on the street in ancient Rome, he says, the controversy about its course entered a second phase based on new excavations during the 1990s. Here he integrates the old and new insights to present an updated and comprehensive reconstruction of the topography of the zone, starting with where the debate stood at the end of the 1980s. Among the many maps is a folded one tucked into a pocket in the back cover. Distributed in the US by David Brown Book Company. (Annotation ©2006 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)
Sculpture; the assemblage from the theater.
The subject is sculpture, both freestanding and otherwise, from The Corinth Theater — the elaborate architectural achievement of the Hadrianic period — first investigated by the American School of Classical Studies in Athens in 1896. Understanding of these sculptures has evolved considerably from the early days when it was thought that they were collected at the theater to be burned in a lime kiln. Sturgeon (classical art, U. of North Carolina at Chapel Hill) offers detailed scholarship on their meaning as well as a catalogue of pieces. Appendices include indices of museums and ancient sources as well as a general index; a section of b&w plates depicting the sculptures completes the volume. The volume is slightly oversize: 8.5x12.5 inches. Distributed in the US by the David Brown Book Co. (Annotation ©2006 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)
Scythians and Greeks; cultural interactions in Scythia, Athens and the early Roman empire (6th century BC- first century AD)
Almost all the contributors here attended a colloquium in Exeter in January 2000 where Russian and Ukrainian scholars met with colleagues from several other countries to discuss at length the history and archaeology of the north coast of the Black Sea in antiquity. The 15 essays, some developed from presentations there, begin with an account of E. H. Minns and his 1913 volume on the same theme. Other topics include Scythian kings and royal burial mounds of the fifth and fourth centuries BC, snake-limbed and tendril-limbed goddesses in the art and mythology of the Mediterranean and Black Sea, the Scythian police force in classical Athens, and Thrace and the Bosporus under the early Roman emperors. Distributed in the US by the David Brown Book Company. (Annotation ©2006 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)
Secular buildings and the archaeology of everyday life in the Byzantine empire.
Five contributions from international scholars discuss the archaeology of everyday life in the Byzantine Empire. Particular attention has been paid to the archaeology of secular domestic structures. Sample topics include the relationship between domestic artifacts and religious identity in early Byzantine Israel and a reinterpretation of the Great Palace of the Byzantine Emperors at Constantinople. The papers were originally presented at a 2001 symposium held at the U. of Reading. The volume is not indexed. Distributed by the David Brown Book Company. (Annotation ©2006 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)
Set in stone; new approaches to neolithic monuments in Scotland.
The 10 papers of this volume were originally presented at more than one conference held in the School of History and Archaeology at Cardiff U., UK. The essays describe various sites and issues concerning Neolithic life and monuments in Scotland, including chambered cairns in southern Orkney, the culture of fishing, henge and hengiform, and rock art in neolithic and Bronze Age Scotland. The volume, which is oversize (8.25x11.75 inches), contains numerous b&w drawings, maps, and photos. Not indexed. Distributed in the US by the David Brown Book Company. (Annotation ©2006 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)
Sponsors of the past; Flemish art and patronage, 1550-1700; proceedings.
These proceedings from a 2001 symposium at the U. of Leuven discuss the complex character of the relationships between Flemish artists and their patrons. The 12 contributors examine in particular the differences between aristocratic, ecclesiastic, princely, and civil patrons of the arts. Black & white plates of work by Rubens and other lesser known Flemish artists are displayed. The papers are written in English, French, and Dutch, and do not include translations. No subject index. Distributed in the US by the David Brown Book Company. (Annotation ©2006 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)
Stained glass before 1700 in upstate New York.
Part of a very impressive series, in the quality of production, scholarship, and magnitude, this volume contains exhaustive analysis of 44 works in stained glass kept in 6 collections in upstate New York. The Corning Glass Museum contains the largest number described here. The entry, some of them quite lengthy, for each work details its provenance, condition, inscriptions, heraldry, costume, and technical description of the color and technique employed. The works are reproduced in b&w and color plates of the best quality, many of them full-page (the volume is in an oversized format, 9.5x12.5 inches). In addition, a chapter is included describing the history and circumstances that led to the collection of stained glass in colonial times in the area, with a number of historic photos. Lillich (art history, Syracuse U., NY) is a leading expert in stained glass. Distributed in the US by the David Brown Book Company. (Annotation ©2006 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)
Substance, memory, display; archaeology and art.
The first of two volumes (the second is in press) arising from a March 2003 symposium, this book examines the interactions between archaeology and contemporary visual art: the influence of archaeology on contemporary art, and the influence of contemporary art on archaeologists' interpretation & understanding of material culture of past ages. Renfrew (archaeology, MacDonald Institute for Archaeological Research, Cambridge) and others consider three approaches to the subject: substance, by which is meant material substance, relevant to artists and archaeologists alike; memory; and display, such as comparisons between art galleries & archaeological museums. Contributors include two artists as well as a dozen archaeologists. No subject index. Distributed in the US by the David Brown Book Co. (Annotation ©2006 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)
Submarine prehistoric archaeology of the North Sea; research priorities and collaboration with industry.
The 14 papers of this volume were first presented at the Workshop on North Sea Submarine Prehistory and Relations with Industry, held in London, UK in May 2003. Roughly half the papers detail sites and finds from settlements submerged at the end of the Ice Age, while the remainder delve into shared issues, including questions regarding biological proxy indicators, development-led archaeology, constructive conservation in England's waters, and management issues. A full bibliography and many plates, graphs, and maps are included. The contributors are archaeologists based in Denmark, Norway, Germany, the Netherlands, and the UK. Distributed by the David Brown Book Company. (Annotation ©2006 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)
Sudan; ancient treasures: an exhibition of recent discoveries from the Sudan National Museum.
This exhibition catalog presents descriptions and color photographs of over 320 antiquities from the National Museum in Khartoum, Sudan. These items range from Paleolithic stone tools, Pharaonic statues, and Christian wall paintings to armor of the early Islamic period. Essays by more than 50 scholars provide information on the historical context. Oversize: 9.25x11.75 inches. Distributed in the U.S. by the David Brown Book Company. (Annotation ©2006 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)
Symbols and warriors; images of the European Bronze age.
A distinctive feature of Bronze Age Europe was the exaltation of the role of men and martial activity. These ideals were expressed in weapons and through a concept of personal beauty, and they were depicted in stone images of warriors. The images of more than 100 engraved stelae show how elements from the Mediterranean and Europe fused into a common social code to become a dominant warrior ideology. Harrison teaches European prehistory at the U. of Bristol, UK. Distributed in the US by the David Brown Book Co. (Annotation ©2006 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)
The Tafila-Busayra archaeological survey 1999/2001; west-central Jordan.
This project, conducted at the eastern rim of the Wadi Araba-Jordan Graben, surveyed 290 sites and made significant discoveries. These include evidence of what must have been a rather large town during the Iron II period, and materials from a wide range of other periods, including evidence indicating the existence of a Byzantine church in the area. Members of the project contribute papers on the regional geological setting, prehistoric land-use patterns, Neolithic-Islamic settlement patterns, pottery findings, and random square and site descriptions. Appendices include two "recycled" inscriptions from the survey and a review of the material culture. The text is very well illustrated with illustrations and photographs and includes comprehensive lists of findings. Distributed by the David Brown Book Company. (Annotation ©2006 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)
Terra Marique; studies in art history and marine archaeology in honor of Anna Marguerite McCann on the receipt of the gold medal of the Archaeological Institute of America.
Nineteen classical archaeologists are the contributors to this volume of articles in honor of McCann, who is noted for her early and extensive use of underwater archaeology to study Roman sites and finds. The articles detail research and analysis by the authors in areas that include Petra, Cosa, Arezzo, Alexandria, Corsica, and Vesuvius. Seven of the articles are devoted to marine archaeology on topics that include Roman force pumps, Phoenician shipwrecks, and the port of Cosa. The articles are illustrated with b&w plates; the book is slightly oversize: 8.75x11.5 inches. Distributed in the US by the David Brown Book Company. (Annotation ©2006 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)
Theoretical Roman archaeology; proceedings.
This collection, which includes 13 of the papers presented at the March 2004 conference, describes various theoretical and methodological approaches to the study of the economy, historiography, material culture, social identities, social space and landscape of the Roman Empire. Specific subjects include the representation and historiography of the economy of Roman Britain, synthesis in Romano-British cremation, metalworking and late Roman power in Britain, evidence of a regionalized coin supply, social and economic aspects of ceramics and glass, food production in the Nijmegen frontier region, intra-regional diversity in the enclosed landscapes of the Parisi, blurred boundaries of sacred space, tombstones as a sign of social status, the social significance of a Roman cemetery, a microtopology of Pompeian domestic space and unifying aspects of Roman fortresses. Distributed by the David Brown Book Company. (Annotation ©2006 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)
Towards a new stone age; aspects of the Neolithic in south-east England.
Twenty-one papers report on recent research and analysis of Neolithic archaeology in southeast England. Among the topics are an overview of the field; a late Mesolithic site at Charlwood, Surrey; the soil evidence for Neolithic land use; river development and flood plain archaeology on the central London Thames River; oval barrows on Thanet; and two decorated Peterborough bowls (with an appendix of fingertip casts). The 32 contributors are all archaeologists in the UK, but one, Johan Linderholm, who is at the Umeć U. in Sweden. Distributed by the David Brown Book Company. (Annotation ©2006 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)
Town and country in the Middle Ages; contrasts, contacts and interconnections, 1100-1500.
The April 2002 conference of the Society for Medieval Archaeology held at the University of York, focused on the central to late medieval periods, and was designed to connect urban and rural archaeology, and to encourage dialogue between the archaeologists, historians, and geographers who attended. The 16 papers cover inhabiting the medieval town and countryside; producing and consuming in town and country; and power, belief, and mentalities. Among specific topics are rural and urban houses 1100-1500, making and using pottery in town and country, and the earthly and spiritual topography of suburban hospitals. Distributed in the US by ISBS. (Annotation ©2006 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)
Transport amphorae and trade in the Eastern Mediterranean; proceedings.
The nature and distribution of clay vessels used to transport materials during antiquity have been used since the 19th century both as an index of trade in general and as direct evidence of trade in some particular goods. Historians and archaeologists contribute to such studies in 47 papers, 36 of which are in English. Their topics include early Roman food import in Ephesus, Cilician imitations of internationally traded amphorae, and amphorae from the Red Sea and their contribution to the interpretation of late Rome trade beyond the empire. There is no index. Distributed in the US by the David Brown Book Company. (Annotation ©2006 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)
Trade in good taste; relations in architecture and culture between the Dutch Republic and the Baltic World in the seventeenth century.
In the seventeenth century, cultural exchange between the Dutch Republic and the Baltic states was a complex proposition. Sweden was involved in all the major wars of northern and central Europe, but it was relatively new to European politics. Its nobility sought an identity and frame for its culture and politics, and found them in Dutch classicism. Noldus (U. of Leiden) examines how the steady flow of Dutch immigrants, artists, architects and traders influenced their hosts' acquired tastes in luxury items and directed it towards fulfillment in Amsterdam markets. Generously illustrated, the text shows how culture and the need to appear globally-aware transcends both space and time. Distributed by the David Brown Book Company. (Annotation ©2006 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)
Traces of ancestry; studies in honour of Colin Renfrew.
Archaeologists and anthropologists, but also molecular geneticists, biologists, and other scientists from Europe, North America, and Australia focus on arraying various disciplines to investigate the prehistoric course of human beings. A dozen papers discuss frameworks for synthesizing archeology, genetic change, and language; and present case studies in genetics, farming, and linguistics. They are not indexed. Distributed in the US by the David Brown Book Company. (Annotation ©2006 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)
The traces of song; selections from ancient Arabic poetry. Calligraphic paintings by Mouneer al-Shaarani.
Khazendar provides an introduction to this lovely collection of Arabic poems and quotations written between the 5th century and the 9th century AD. He characterizes his approach to translation in this way: "...I have sided with the inner voice of the poem or the poet, and I have tried to render the whole of this voice with its tones and overtones." The poems appear in English on facing pages with visually delightful Arabic calligraphic inscriptions of each by Mouneer al-Shaarani. At the end of the book the poems are presented in Arabic, and the author provides biographical notes on each poet represented. Distributed by the David Brown Book Company (Annotation ©2006 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)
