The Archaeology of Garden and Field

the long version

Cultivation and land use practices the world over reflect many aspects of people's relationship to each other and to the natural world. The Archeology of Garden and Field explores the cultivations of land from prehistoric times to the nineteenth century through excavation, experimentation, and the study of modern cultural traditions. Individual chapters explain how excavation and experimental archaeology have enabled Andean people to recreate the highly productive raised field systems of their ancestors; discuss the recovery of eighteenth-century ornamental gardens in the mid-Atlantic states; and demonstrate that the living gardening tradition among people on Monserrat reflects the strategies used by their ancestors to achieve autonomy in the face of enslavement. Other topics include excavation strategies, sampling procedures for pollen and other environmental remains, soil phosphate analysis, remote sensing, and many other techniques. The Archaeology of Garden and Field contains a wealth of information distilled from the combined experiences of the editors and contributors to this volume. Whether one's interest is the Old World or the New, prehistory or the present, this book provides a starting point for anyone who has ever wondered how archaeologists find and interpret the ephemeral traces of ancient cultivation. The Archaeology of Garden and Field will be of interest to scholars and practitioners working in the areas of archaeology, historic preservation, landscape architecture, and geography.