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An Archaeology of History and Tradition

Moments of Danger in the Annapolis Landscape

  • Shows the multiple histories that have been made in Annapolis as the city encountered challenge to the "status quo"
  • Employs a series of historic landscapes derived from archaeological investigations to show that the physical world below the surface of the city has been defined by constructions of modernity in tandem with the survival of certain traditions
  • Contrasts and documents the shared interests of post structural anthropology and field archaeology, joinin other critical histories of archaeological practices (Kehoe, Shanks, Patterson, Trigger, Hodder, ect.)." Choice 40:5
  • Includes supplementary material: sn.pub/extras

Part of the book series: Contributions To Global Historical Archaeology (CGHA)

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Table of contents (6 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages i-xxii
  2. History and Tradition, Archaeology and Authenticity

    • Christopher N. Matthews
    Pages 1-15
  3. Monuments

    • Christopher N. Matthews
    Pages 31-61
  4. Memorials

    • Christopher N. Matthews
    Pages 63-97
  5. Objects

    • Christopher N. Matthews
    Pages 99-129
  6. Moments of Danger and the Practice of Archaeology

    • Christopher N. Matthews
    Pages 131-137
  7. Back Matter

    Pages 139-164

About this book

As the foundations of the modern world were being laid at the beginning of the 19th century, Annapolis, Maryland, identified itself as the Ancient City. This unusual appellation has served Annapolis into the present as a city that has consistently defined and redefined for itself what being ancient means. The process of historical recognition and preservation that has played out in Annapolis provides valuable insights into the way modern Americans in general have come to know and use the past.

Though often conceived to be in opposition, modernity and tradition can be paired as cultural strategies that allow the modern world to be articulated with the tradition it hoped to replace. The multiple histories and historic landscapes derived from archaeological investigations in Annapolis are presented to show that the physical world below the surface of the city has been defined by constructions of modernity in tandem with the survival of certain traditions.

Reviews

From the reviews:
"Matthews interprets the archaeological record and formation of the record itself as a componentn through which past traditions were created, altered, and replaced. This provocative, specialized treatise [... ]contrasts and documents the shared interests of poststructural anthropology and field archaeology, joining other critical histories of archaeological practices."
(Choice, 40:5, 2003)
"This is a book full of powerful and important ideas. It includes an excellent discussion of the concepts and relationship among tradition, history, and authenticity. Archaeologists would do well to seriously consider Matthews' effort to frame a new approach to historical archaeology and how we might do archaeologies of history."
(Randall H. McGuire, Binghamton University in Journal of Anthropological Research, 59, 2003)

Authors and Affiliations

  • Hofstra University, Hempstead, USA

    Christopher N. Matthews

Bibliographic Information

  • Book Title: An Archaeology of History and Tradition

  • Book Subtitle: Moments of Danger in the Annapolis Landscape

  • Authors: Christopher N. Matthews

  • Series Title: Contributions To Global Historical Archaeology

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-0541-9

  • Publisher: Springer New York, NY

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

  • Copyright Information: Springer Science+Business Media New York 2002

  • Hardcover ISBN: 978-0-306-46756-1Published: 30 June 2002

  • Softcover ISBN: 978-1-4613-5123-8Published: 29 October 2012

  • eBook ISBN: 978-1-4615-0541-9Published: 06 December 2012

  • Series ISSN: 1574-0439

  • Edition Number: 1

  • Number of Pages: XXII, 162

  • Topics: Archaeology, Anthropology, History, general

Buy it now

Buying options

eBook USD 39.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book USD 54.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book USD 54.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Other ways to access