LouAnn Wurst, Michigan Technological UniversityĪrchaeological Thinking tackles the often-ignored dimension of how archaeologists know what they know and what it means to think about archaeology and the past. He contrasts ‘archaeo-thinking’ with pseudo-archaeology to explore issues of fact selection, logic, analogy, material culture, historical documents, and critical thinking. In this lucid little book, Orser provides a clear and concise discussion of how archaeologists create knowledge about the human past. Stanton, University of California, RiversideĪn essential primer for introductory and veteran students alike. Orser’s Archaeological Thinking covers the basics with well-supported arguments and by using a tone that is perfect for introductory students and lay readers alike. Zimmerman, Indiana University-Purdue University, IndianapolisĬritical thinking is at the core of archaeology, but it can be quite a task to convey these skills to students.
A history of archaeological thought pdf to jpg how to#
Readers will learn how to apply those skills, and in turn, to recognize evidentiary gaps and logical flaws of any claim about the past. Rather than debunking specific outrageous claims, he focuses on the critical thinking skills archaeologists use. Journal of Eastern Mediterranean Archaeology and Heritage StudiesĪ clearly written and genuinely fun little book that will be required reading in my class on pseudoscience and the past! In a terrific counterpoint to speculative conjectures of pseudo-archaeology, Orser situates archaeology between the sciences and history and carefully explains why the demand for solid evidence makes archaeology a very conservative field when it comes to claims about the past. Orser’s expositions of logic and its use in archaeology are well done and start the student in this direction. These are serious matters that should be addressed in a textbook that teaches the methodology of archaeological thinking. Interpretations of the past often function as social charter myths condoning terrible injustices.
The easy to read format, vivid examples, and humor, make Archaeological Thinking: How to Make Sense of the Past well worth the read. By discussing these ideas in one source, Orser has provided a valuable resource to anyone who finds themselves questioning. The methods discussed in the book.in addition to the use of critical thinking and logic, can aid anyone in determining whether a theory/hypothesis is plausible. All public and undergraduate collections. At times, Orser seems to privilege scientific thinking over historical thinking, but overall, this book should be a model for similar titles in other disciplines and of interest to anyone teaching critical thinking. The final chapter discusses the dangers of faulty archaeological thinking through the examples of the racist interpretations placed on the ruins of Great Zimbabwe and the work of Nazi archaeologists supporting Aryans as innately superior. Brendan ’ s discovery of America, among others. Throughout, Orser provides helpful examples, mostly drawn from the realm of pseudo history - the Great Pyramid as a power plant, the myth of the Mound Builders, and St. Following chapters cover such topics as systematic approaches to critical thinking, the nature of facts and their selection, the use of logic both deductive and inductive, the various uses of analogy, the use of sources as evidence, and the use of artifacts as evidence. In the first chapter, he discusses critical thinking versus belief, the relation between science and history, and a brief history of archaeological thinking.
He describes how to think about the past like an archaeologist and is eminently successful in that effort. Thinking to Some Purpose: Archaeological Research and Critical ThinkingĪnthropologist Orser wrote his book for students and educated readers. Artifact-Thinking: Archaeological Thought and Excavated ThingsĨ. The Search for Saint Brendan the Navigatorħ. Source-Thinking: The Relationship between Archaeological and Textual Evidence What Is the Purpose of Analogy in Archaeology?Ħ. Is That Chair Really a Chair? Analogy and Archaeological Thinking Then What? Archaeological Thinking and Logicĥ.
Those Pesky Facts: Understanding Historical FactsĤ. The Changing Nature of Coarse, Low-Fired Earthenwareģ. The Ongoing Tussle between Evidence and Perspective How Do Archaeologists Use Science and History to Think? It All Seems So Sciencey: Archaeology, Science, and History What’s This All About, Anyway? Thinking in ArchaeologyĢ.