In this unique volume, twelve pioneers of historical archaeology offer reminiscences of the early part of their respective careers, circa 1920 to 1940. Each scholar had to overcome numerous biases held by historians and archaeologists-thus each chapter documents a step in the field's march from a marginal to a mainstream discipline. The book makes for facinating reading for archaeologists, anthropologists, and historians of science, and reminds us of the words of C.H. Fairbanks: ''what is past is prelude; study the past. ''

This extensively documented work explores the historic site of Charles Towne, South Carolina. In his excavation, Stanley South discovered the artifacts from not only the European occupation of the late-1600's but also the earlier remains of Native American settlements. In this work, South criticizes archaeologists who discover artifacts only from the historic period they are focusing on and ignore the evidence from other equally important periods. This excavation and research from one of the foremost historical archaeologists in America should prove a valuable resource to historical...