The Archaeology of Mesopotamia. Theories and Approaches, 2003, 240 p., ill., dessins, photo. n. b., paperback. -

Ancient Mesopotamia, was the original site of many of the major developments in human history, such as farming, the rise of urban literate societies and the first great empires of Akkad, Babylonia and Assyria. The work of archaeologists is central to our understanding of Mesopotamia's past; this innovative volume evaluates the theories, methods, approaches and history of Mesopotamian archaeology from its origins in the nineteenth century up to the present day. Dr Matthews places the discipline within its historical and social context, and explains how archaeologists conduct their research through excavation, survey and other methods. In four fundamental chapters, he uses illustrated case-studies to show how archaeologists have approached central themes such as the shift from hunting to farming, complex societies, empires and imperialism, everyday life. This is the only critical guide to the theory and method of Mesopotamian archaeology. It will be both an ideal introductory work and useful as background reading on a wide range of courses.