![Encyclopedia of Archaeology: The Great Archaeologists [2 volumes]](https://products.abc-clio.com/images/coverimages/9781576071991.JPG "Encyclopedia of Archaeology: The Great Archaeologists [2 volumes]")
In the last 300 years, archaeology has become a potent tool for both creating and destroying histories, identities, and even nations. Archaeologists have demonstrated their remarkable power to support and oppose prevailing ideologies, government policies, and popular movements. Who were the greatest of these scientists? What discoveries made them great?
Encyclopedia of Archaeology: The Great Archaeologists features 58 remarkable biographies written by some of the world’s best-known archaeologists. These essays are arranged chronologically and thus constitute a history of archaeology from its beginnings in the Renaissance to the present day. Especially exciting is the coverage of figures little known to readers in the West: Russian, Chinese, and Mexican archaeologists receive their due.
Each biography begins with a brief summary of the subject’s importance, then goes on to discuss the life and contributions of the biographee, with a focus on his or her role in the development of archaeology as a discipline. Controversy (take, for example, the notorious Schliemann, excavator of Troy) is not swept under the rug. Each essay concludes with a bibliography of primary sources (for people who want to read about the archaeologists’ discoveries in their own words) and secondary sources (to see what critics and admirers had to say).
