The life and technology of man in the past
1
& BOREAS BOOK REVIEWS Boreus, Vol. 17, p. 32. Oslo, 1988 03 01 The life and technology of man in the past SHEILA HICKS Palaeohistoria. Volumes 24 (1982), 25 (1983) and 26 (1984). A. A. BalkemaPublishers. ISBN90-6191-527-9 (vol. 24), price USD 45.00; ISBN 90-6191-606-2(vol. 25), price USD 45.00; ISBN 90- 6191-626-7 (vol. 26), price USD 50.00. Palaeohistoria is a really elegant bio-archaeological journal pro- duced annually by the Bio-Archaeological Institute of Groningen State University, from which most of the contributions come. The volumes under review are for 1982,83 and 84 although they appeared in 1985,86and 86 respectively, with volume 25 being a special edition to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Archaeo- zoology department of that Institute. As is to be expected, there- fore, this celebration volume follows an archaeozoologicaltheme with five articles concentrating on zoology in an archaeological context and two onarchaeologyinazoologica1context.Thelarger mammals, mainly domesticated animals, receive most attention (four of the seven articles) but molluscs are also treated. The contribution by Clason on worked and unworked antlers and bone tools is particularly comprehensive in its approach as is that by Brinkhuizen on fishing gear. An unusual aspect of archaeo- zoology is provided by the review of animal bones in dishes accompanying burials, ‘meals for the dead’, while a rare find of 19 medieval horses together in one pit allows for comparative measurements which are not normally possible. The contri- butions, arranged in chronological order and covering the period from 6,000 B.P. to Medieval times with comparative material from the present, refer mostly to Dutch investigation but also include Yugoslavian and Syrian sites and provide interesting reading even for the non-specialist. Thevolumestartswithashort account of the work of Dr. A. E. van Giffen, founder of the Institute, and is completed with an outline of the Institute’s zoological reference collection, a catalogue of which is included on microfiches. Volumes 24 and 26 represent the journal in its standard form with volume 26 being produced in a slightly modified format with the conten%page, which previously preceded each article, being replaced by an abstract followed by key words, so bringingit into line with modern practice. However, the very high quality O the illustrative material is preserved and most contributions arc supplemented fairly lavishly with excellent line drawings and/o~ photographs. The chronological presentation of the articles anc the two major areas of interest, the Netherlands and the Middlf East, are also standard features. Botany is well represented in the non-celebrationvolumes both in terms of pollen analysis and the analysis of plant macrofossils. There are two contributions by Bottema in which carefull! planned palynological methods are employed to elucidate thc environment of prehistoric man and the extent of his activities while two long articles by Casparie on Bronze Age footpaths anc a Neolithic trackway, all from the same raised bog, represeni the culmination of a major research project in which all possible aspects are taken into accougt and reviewed in detail. Similarl) three major contributions by van Zeist and Bakker-Heeres or archaeobotanical studies in the Levant present the detailec results of a long term project which produced a large body of seec and related plant material. This is treated with great care anc thoroughness and enablesthe drawing of farreaching conclusions about agricultural practices and the factors affecting them. The archaeological emphasis is given in articles by Stapert, foi example, where different artifacts are described, interpreted anc placed in their geological and chronological setting. Although the subject matter is of immediate relevance to i somewhat restricted branch of Quaternary scientists many non- bioarchaeologists would still find much of interest in these articles. There is something to be learnt from the careful way ir which the material, be it primarily archaeological, botanical 01 zoological, is assessed, the conclusions deduced, and the limi. tations imposed. These features, together with the high standarc of presentation, are consistent throughout, making the journal i fitting addition to any library shelf. Sheila Hicks, Department of Geology, University of Oulu, Lin- nanmaa, SF-90570 Oulu, Finland; 10th December, 1987.
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Transcript of The life and technology of man in the past
& BOREAS BOOK REVIEWS
Boreus, Vol. 17, p. 32. Oslo, 1988 03 01
The life and technology of man in the past SHEILA HICKS
Palaeohistoria. Volumes 24 (1982), 25 (1983) and 26 (1984). A. A. BalkemaPublishers. ISBN90-6191-527-9 (vol. 24), price USD 45.00; ISBN 90-6191-606-2 (vol. 25), price USD 45.00; ISBN 90- 6191-626-7 (vol. 26), price USD 50.00.
Palaeohistoria is a really elegant bio-archaeological journal pro- duced annually by the Bio-Archaeological Institute of Groningen State University, from which most of the contributions come. The volumes under review are for 1982,83 and 84 although they appeared in 1985,86 and 86 respectively, with volume 25 being a special edition to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Archaeo- zoology department of that Institute. As is to be expected, there- fore, this celebration volume follows an archaeozoological theme with five articles concentrating on zoology in an archaeological context and two onarchaeologyinazoologica1context.Thelarger mammals, mainly domesticated animals, receive most attention (four of the seven articles) but molluscs are also treated. The contribution by Clason on worked and unworked antlers and bone tools is particularly comprehensive in its approach as is that by Brinkhuizen on fishing gear. An unusual aspect of archaeo- zoology is provided by the review of animal bones in dishes accompanying burials, ‘meals for the dead’, while a rare find of 19 medieval horses together in one pit allows for comparative measurements which are not normally possible. The contri- butions, arranged in chronological order and covering the period from 6,000 B.P. to Medieval times with comparative material from the present, refer mostly to Dutch investigation but also include Yugoslavian and Syrian sites and provide interesting reading even for the non-specialist. Thevolumestartswithashort account of the work of Dr. A. E. van Giffen, founder of the Institute, and is completed with an outline of the Institute’s zoological reference collection, a catalogue of which is included on microfiches.
Volumes 24 and 26 represent the journal in its standard form with volume 26 being produced in a slightly modified format with the conten% page, which previously preceded each article, being replaced by an abstract followed by key words, so bringingit into
line with modern practice. However, the very high quality O the illustrative material is preserved and most contributions arc supplemented fairly lavishly with excellent line drawings and/o~ photographs. The chronological presentation of the articles anc the two major areas of interest, the Netherlands and the Middlf East, are also standard features.
Botany is well represented in the non-celebrationvolumes both in terms of pollen analysis and the analysis of plant macrofossils. There are two contributions by Bottema in which carefull! planned palynological methods are employed to elucidate thc environment of prehistoric man and the extent of his activities while two long articles by Casparie on Bronze Age footpaths anc a Neolithic trackway, all from the same raised bog, represeni the culmination of a major research project in which all possible aspects are taken into accougt and reviewed in detail. Similarl) three major contributions by van Zeist and Bakker-Heeres or archaeobotanical studies in the Levant present the detailec results of a long term project which produced a large body of seec and related plant material. This is treated with great care anc thoroughness and enablesthe drawing of farreaching conclusions about agricultural practices and the factors affecting them. The archaeological emphasis is given in articles by Stapert, foi example, where different artifacts are described, interpreted anc placed in their geological and chronological setting.
Although the subject matter is of immediate relevance to i somewhat restricted branch of Quaternary scientists many non- bioarchaeologists would still find much of interest in these articles. There is something to be learnt from the careful way ir which the material, be it primarily archaeological, botanical 01 zoological, is assessed, the conclusions deduced, and the limi. tations imposed. These features, together with the high standarc of presentation, are consistent throughout, making the journal i fitting addition to any library shelf.
Sheila Hicks, Department of Geology, University of Oulu, Lin- nanmaa, SF-90570 Oulu, Finland; 10th December, 1987.
