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Author(s): Gregory D. Lattanzi
Review by: Gregory D. Lattanzi
Source:
American Antiquity
, Vol. 68, No. 3 (Jul., 2003), pp. 596-597
Published by: Society for American Archaeology
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AMERICAN ANTIQUITY AMERICAN ANTIQUITY AMERICAN ANTIQUITY
can be very useful indeed, even if only as a means to
question our nomenclature and test our assumptions.
Landscapes from Antiquity. SIMON STODDART, edi-
tor. 2000. Antiquity Publications Ltd., Cambridge. 380
pp. $29.95 (paper), ISBN 0-9539762-0-3.
Reviewed by Julie M. Endicott Taomia, American Samoa
Historic Preservation Office.
This book brings together articles that have been pub-
lished in the journal Antiquity since the late 1920s with
the common theme of analyzing landscape as a source
of information about past human activity. Simon Stod-
dart, editor, has made an effort to select articles repre-
sentative of themes in the study of landscape over the
full 75 years. The articles have been grouped by the type
of study, and each of the eight sections is given a brief
introduction that provides historical and topical context.
The subject time periods range from the Paleolithic
through the modem era. All but one article discuss Euro-
pean landscapes, and the British Isles are the best repre-
sented area.
Stoddart summarizes the history of landscape
archaeology in the introduction, highlighting the influ-
ence of the editors of Antiquity as well as some scholars.
He also summarizes recent trends in landscape studies.
The first section, "Early studies of landscapes" presents
four articles from the first 16 years of the journal. Three
of these involve classic archaeological survey combined
with subsurface information. The fourth is an ethnogra-
phy of the New Hebrides. "The impact of aerial
photography" stresses the importance of aerial photog-
raphy in the treatment of landscapes with four articles
spanning five decades. Two articles were chosen for
"Survey method and analysis"; one considering how
representative surface pottery may be considered and
the other applying geographic information system tech-
nology to the analysis of landscape. The fourth section,
"Integrated landscape archaeology," presents two arti-
cles each on three regions where surface and subsurface
investigations have been integrated for a compelling
analysis of the landscape. Stoddart makes the important
observation that "[n]o surface study of the landscape,
however sophisticated the methodology, can substitute
for the interlinkage of surface and subsurface remains"
and notes the importance of combining these sources of
information with environmental reconstruction (p. 135).
Section five emphasizes the interactions between
humans and their environment. One of the two articles
discusses the time scales of environmental processes and
human comprehension of these using the long time scale
of the Paleolithic, while the other examines the shorter
time span of the Holocene. The articles of the sixth sec-
can be very useful indeed, even if only as a means to
question our nomenclature and test our assumptions.
Landscapes from Antiquity. SIMON STODDART, edi-
tor. 2000. Antiquity Publications Ltd., Cambridge. 380
pp. $29.95 (paper), ISBN 0-9539762-0-3.
Reviewed by Julie M. Endicott Taomia, American Samoa
Historic Preservation Office.
This book brings together articles that have been pub-
lished in the journal Antiquity since the late 1920s with
the common theme of analyzing landscape as a source
of information about past human activity. Simon Stod-
dart, editor, has made an effort to select articles repre-
sentative of themes in the study of landscape over the
full 75 years. The articles have been grouped by the type
of study, and each of the eight sections is given a brief
introduction that provides historical and topical context.
The subject time periods range from the Paleolithic
through the modem era. All but one article discuss Euro-
pean landscapes, and the British Isles are the best repre-
sented area.
Stoddart summarizes the history of landscape
archaeology in the introduction, highlighting the influ-
ence of the editors of Antiquity as well as some scholars.
He also summarizes recent trends in landscape studies.
The first section, "Early studies of landscapes" presents
four articles from the first 16 years of the journal. Three
of these involve classic archaeological survey combined
with subsurface information. The fourth is an ethnogra-
phy of the New Hebrides. "The impact of aerial
photography" stresses the importance of aerial photog-
raphy in the treatment of landscapes with four articles
spanning five decades. Two articles were chosen for
"Survey method and analysis"; one considering how
representative surface pottery may be considered and
the other applying geographic information system tech-
nology to the analysis of landscape. The fourth section,
"Integrated landscape archaeology," presents two arti-
cles each on three regions where surface and subsurface
investigations have been integrated for a compelling
analysis of the landscape. Stoddart makes the important
observation that "[n]o surface study of the landscape,
however sophisticated the methodology, can substitute
for the interlinkage of surface and subsurface remains"
and notes the importance of combining these sources of
information with environmental reconstruction (p. 135).
Section five emphasizes the interactions between
humans and their environment. One of the two articles
discusses the time scales of environmental processes and
human comprehension of these using the long time scale
of the Paleolithic, while the other examines the shorter
time span of the Holocene. The articles of the sixth sec-
can be very useful indeed, even if only as a means to
question our nomenclature and test our assumptions.
Landscapes from Antiquity. SIMON STODDART, edi-
tor. 2000. Antiquity Publications Ltd., Cambridge. 380
pp. $29.95 (paper), ISBN 0-9539762-0-3.
Reviewed by Julie M. Endicott Taomia, American Samoa
Historic Preservation Office.
This book brings together articles that have been pub-
lished in the journal Antiquity since the late 1920s with
the common theme of analyzing landscape as a source
of information about past human activity. Simon Stod-
dart, editor, has made an effort to select articles repre-
sentative of themes in the study of landscape over the
full 75 years. The articles have been grouped by the type
of study, and each of the eight sections is given a brief
introduction that provides historical and topical context.
The subject time periods range from the Paleolithic
through the modem era. All but one article discuss Euro-
pean landscapes, and the British Isles are the best repre-
sented area.
Stoddart summarizes the history of landscape
archaeology in the introduction, highlighting the influ-
ence of the editors of Antiquity as well as some scholars.
He also summarizes recent trends in landscape studies.
The first section, "Early studies of landscapes" presents
four articles from the first 16 years of the journal. Three
of these involve classic archaeological survey combined
with subsurface information. The fourth is an ethnogra-
phy of the New Hebrides. "The impact of aerial
photography" stresses the importance of aerial photog-
raphy in the treatment of landscapes with four articles
spanning five decades. Two articles were chosen for
"Survey method and analysis"; one considering how
representative surface pottery may be considered and
the other applying geographic information system tech-
nology to the analysis of landscape. The fourth section,
"Integrated landscape archaeology," presents two arti-
cles each on three regions where surface and subsurface
investigations have been integrated for a compelling
analysis of the landscape. Stoddart makes the important
observation that "[n]o surface study of the landscape,
however sophisticated the methodology, can substitute
for the interlinkage of surface and subsurface remains"
and notes the importance of combining these sources of
information with environmental reconstruction (p. 135).
Section five emphasizes the interactions between
humans and their environment. One of the two articles
discusses the time scales of environmental processes and
human comprehension of these using the long time scale
of the Paleolithic, while the other examines the shorter
time span of the Holocene. The articles of the sixth sec-
tion, "Industrial landscapes," demonstrate the usefulness
of landscape analysis as an approach to more recent time
periods, and some of the innovative information that can
result. "Contested landscapes" is the seventh section,
and presents two modem case studies of contested land-
scape, the Berlin Wall and Macedonia. Stoddart notes
that this type of approach is only fruitful under certain
circumstances, and that careful study is required to iden-
tify "deliberate slighting" in prehistoric landscapes. Care
must also be taken not to superimpose our modem per-
ceptions of social relationships back onto prehistoric
contexts in which they may be inappropriate. While con-
tested landscapes may make good copy, as it were, the
form of past contestation may have been very different
from what we expect based upon our modem experi-
ence. Stoddart brings out this point in the introduction to
the final section of the book, "Experienced landscapes,"
noting that archaeologists remain individuals from a
capitalist age trying to experience prehistoric land-
scapes. The first of the two papers utilizes architecture to
achieve experience; the second draws heavily on ethnog-
raphy.
The volume is a valuable resource for teaching that
provides examples of the wide range of methodological
and theoretical approaches to the study of human use of
landscapes sampled from a single journal. Stoddart
acknowledges in the text on the copyright page that
more or different topics in landscape archaeology could
have been presented. With the exception of the first two
sections, each section contains only two papers (or each
subsection, as in section 4). It is truly a sampling of the
literature. Stoddart does cite numerous sources for land-
scape archaeology, both published in Antiquity and
elsewhere, which provides sources for the interested stu-
dent to pursue further reading. It would be easy but
pointless to criticize the choice of topics and articles in
this wide-ranging book. The book is basically well done
and provides a good introduction to European landscape
studies.
Unearthing Gotham: TheArchaeology of New York City.
ANNE-MARIE CANTWELL and DIANE DI ZERGA
WALL. 2001. Yale University Press, New Haven. x + 374
pp. $39.95 (hardcover), ISBN 0-300-08415-3.
Reviewed by Gregory D. Lattanzi, New Jersey State
Museum.
Presenting the archaeological history of an entire city is
a daunting task; when the city is New York, it's even more
of a challenge. Unearthing Gotham: The Archaeology
of New York City, by Anne-Marie Cantwell and Diana di
Zerga Wall, presents the archaeological history of one of
the greatest urban environments. By presenting New
tion, "Industrial landscapes," demonstrate the usefulness
of landscape analysis as an approach to more recent time
periods, and some of the innovative information that can
result. "Contested landscapes" is the seventh section,
and presents two modem case studies of contested land-
scape, the Berlin Wall and Macedonia. Stoddart notes
that this type of approach is only fruitful under certain
circumstances, and that careful study is required to iden-
tify "deliberate slighting" in prehistoric landscapes. Care
must also be taken not to superimpose our modem per-
ceptions of social relationships back onto prehistoric
contexts in which they may be inappropriate. While con-
tested landscapes may make good copy, as it were, the
form of past contestation may have been very different
from what we expect based upon our modem experi-
ence. Stoddart brings out this point in the introduction to
the final section of the book, "Experienced landscapes,"
noting that archaeologists remain individuals from a
capitalist age trying to experience prehistoric land-
scapes. The first of the two papers utilizes architecture to
achieve experience; the second draws heavily on ethnog-
raphy.
The volume is a valuable resource for teaching that
provides examples of the wide range of methodological
and theoretical approaches to the study of human use of
landscapes sampled from a single journal. Stoddart
acknowledges in the text on the copyright page that
more or different topics in landscape archaeology could
have been presented. With the exception of the first two
sections, each section contains only two papers (or each
subsection, as in section 4). It is truly a sampling of the
literature. Stoddart does cite numerous sources for land-
scape archaeology, both published in Antiquity and
elsewhere, which provides sources for the interested stu-
dent to pursue further reading. It would be easy but
pointless to criticize the choice of topics and articles in
this wide-ranging book. The book is basically well done
and provides a good introduction to European landscape
studies.
Unearthing Gotham: TheArchaeology of New York City.
ANNE-MARIE CANTWELL and DIANE DI ZERGA
WALL. 2001. Yale University Press, New Haven. x + 374
pp. $39.95 (hardcover), ISBN 0-300-08415-3.
Reviewed by Gregory D. Lattanzi, New Jersey State
Museum.
Presenting the archaeological history of an entire city is
a daunting task; when the city is New York, it's even more
of a challenge. Unearthing Gotham: The Archaeology
of New York City, by Anne-Marie Cantwell and Diana di
Zerga Wall, presents the archaeological history of one of
the greatest urban environments. By presenting New
tion, "Industrial landscapes," demonstrate the usefulness
of landscape analysis as an approach to more recent time
periods, and some of the innovative information that can
result. "Contested landscapes" is the seventh section,
and presents two modem case studies of contested land-
scape, the Berlin Wall and Macedonia. Stoddart notes
that this type of approach is only fruitful under certain
circumstances, and that careful study is required to iden-
tify "deliberate slighting" in prehistoric landscapes. Care
must also be taken not to superimpose our modem per-
ceptions of social relationships back onto prehistoric
contexts in which they may be inappropriate. While con-
tested landscapes may make good copy, as it were, the
form of past contestation may have been very different
from what we expect based upon our modem experi-
ence. Stoddart brings out this point in the introduction to
the final section of the book, "Experienced landscapes,"
noting that archaeologists remain individuals from a
capitalist age trying to experience prehistoric land-
scapes. The first of the two papers utilizes architecture to
achieve experience; the second draws heavily on ethnog-
raphy.
The volume is a valuable resource for teaching that
provides examples of the wide range of methodological
and theoretical approaches to the study of human use of
landscapes sampled from a single journal. Stoddart
acknowledges in the text on the copyright page that
more or different topics in landscape archaeology could
have been presented. With the exception of the first two
sections, each section contains only two papers (or each
subsection, as in section 4). It is truly a sampling of the
literature. Stoddart does cite numerous sources for land-
scape archaeology, both published in Antiquity and
elsewhere, which provides sources for the interested stu-
dent to pursue further reading. It would be easy but
pointless to criticize the choice of topics and articles in
this wide-ranging book. The book is basically well done
and provides a good introduction to European landscape
studies.
Unearthing Gotham: TheArchaeology of New York City.
ANNE-MARIE CANTWELL and DIANE DI ZERGA
WALL. 2001. Yale University Press, New Haven. x + 374
pp. $39.95 (hardcover), ISBN 0-300-08415-3.
Reviewed by Gregory D. Lattanzi, New Jersey State
Museum.
Presenting the archaeological history of an entire city is
a daunting task; when the city is New York, it's even more
of a challenge. Unearthing Gotham: The Archaeology
of New York City, by Anne-Marie Cantwell and Diana di
Zerga Wall, presents the archaeological history of one of
the greatest urban environments. By presenting New
596 596 596 [Vol. 68, No. 3, 2003] [Vol. 68, No. 3, 2003] [Vol. 68, No. 3, 2003]
This content downloaded from 173.49.157.103 on Tue, 23 Aug 2016 01:29:15 UTC
All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms
REVIEWS REVIEWS
York City as one large archaeological site, the authors
look at the five boroughs in an innovative way, to "tell
one continuing story of the events that took place on this
single piece of land" (p. 12). In reconstructing the lives
of all the inhabitants, the authors also bring to light those
forgotten individuals (e.g., native peoples, slaves,
women, and children) who contributed to the city's social,
economic, and religious development.
The book consists of 17 chapters divided into four
parts. In part 1 (chapters 1 and 2), the authors introduce
the difficult beginnings and continual struggle of the
study of archaeology in New York City-emphasizing
the period from the mid-to-late 1960s, a time of "cultural
anxiety and discontinuity" that helped give rise to new
interest in the historic preservation of New York. Archae-
ologists are still drawn to this urban landscape.
Part 2 (chapters 3-7) presents the city's prehistoric
record, each chapter corresponding to a cultural period
from the Paleolithic to Late Woodland times. Cantwell
and Wall emphasize the work of early museum-spon-
sored excavations and avocational archaeologists.
Despite limited remains and nonprofessional excava-
tions from this early time period, the authors present a
comprehensively organized and scientifically exciting
picture of the city's prehistoric past.
The European influx, adaptation and eventual dom-
ination of the city is the crux of part 3. Initial Native
American and European interaction (chapter 8) is
described as one of great strife, hardship, war and death,
but one of mutual survival. Chapter 9 discusses the
important shift between colonial dependence on native
peoples to their dependence on the European market and
the eventual displacement of the native inhabitants by
the end of the sixteenth century. Chapter 10 uses historic
documentation and artifacts from household backyards
to reconstruct early Dutch foodways, and show how
Dutch men and women adapted to the many social,
political, and economic changes within the colony. The
authors use archaeological evidence in chapters 11 and
12 to illustrate the beginnings of an immigrant popula-
tion and residential class separation within the city
following the Revolutionary War. Chapter 13 branches
out to discuss the practices and methods of the lesser-
known urban topic of landfilling, while chapter 14
utilizes excavations carried out in backyards to examine
other aspects of daily life. In chapter 15, the authors
show the change through time of the utilization of the
city's periphery, from almshouses serving the poor to
the beginnings of urban sprawl. Excavations of this time
period provide a glimpse into a way of life that was soon
to change. That leads us to chapter 16, which concen-
trates on how the identification and excavation of the
African Burial Ground brought to light the important
contribution and role enslaved and freed Africans played
in the construction of the New York identity. The last
York City as one large archaeological site, the authors
look at the five boroughs in an innovative way, to "tell
one continuing story of the events that took place on this
single piece of land" (p. 12). In reconstructing the lives
of all the inhabitants, the authors also bring to light those
forgotten individuals (e.g., native peoples, slaves,
women, and children) who contributed to the city's social,
economic, and religious development.
The book consists of 17 chapters divided into four
parts. In part 1 (chapters 1 and 2), the authors introduce
the difficult beginnings and continual struggle of the
study of archaeology in New York City-emphasizing
the period from the mid-to-late 1960s, a time of "cultural
anxiety and discontinuity" that helped give rise to new
interest in the historic preservation of New York. Archae-
ologists are still drawn to this urban landscape.
Part 2 (chapters 3-7) presents the city's prehistoric
record, each chapter corresponding to a cultural period
from the Paleolithic to Late Woodland times. Cantwell
and Wall emphasize the work of early museum-spon-
sored excavations and avocational archaeologists.
Despite limited remains and nonprofessional excava-
tions from this early time period, the authors present a
comprehensively organized and scientifically exciting
picture of the city's prehistoric past.
The European influx, adaptation and eventual dom-
ination of the city is the crux of part 3. Initial Native
American and European interaction (chapter 8) is
described as one of great strife, hardship, war and death,
but one of mutual survival. Chapter 9 discusses the
important shift between colonial dependence on native
peoples to their dependence on the European market and
the eventual displacement of the native inhabitants by
the end of the sixteenth century. Chapter 10 uses historic
documentation and artifacts from household backyards
to reconstruct early Dutch foodways, and show how
Dutch men and women adapted to the many social,
political, and economic changes within the colony. The
authors use archaeological evidence in chapters 11 and
12 to illustrate the beginnings of an immigrant popula-
tion and residential class separation within the city
following the Revolutionary War. Chapter 13 branches
out to discuss the practices and methods of the lesser-
known urban topic of landfilling, while chapter 14
utilizes excavations carried out in backyards to examine
other aspects of daily life. In chapter 15, the authors
show the change through time of the utilization of the
city's periphery, from almshouses serving the poor to
the beginnings of urban sprawl. Excavations of this time
period provide a glimpse into a way of life that was soon
to change. That leads us to chapter 16, which concen-
trates on how the identification and excavation of the
African Burial Ground brought to light the important
contribution and role enslaved and freed Africans played
in the construction of the New York identity. The last
chapter, aptly named Common Ground, demonstrates
the author's theme that this city consists of a common
past, present, and future.
Unearthing Gotham is a great urban-archaeology
textbook about the human experience, providing us with
a more meaningful history of New York City. The
authors use the recovery and interpretation of artifacts
and historical documentation to show that as we created
the city, the city has also created our identity. Cantwell
and Wall have done an outstanding job to provide this
needed and comprehensive volume on the archaeology
of New York City. The authors present many examples
of professionally and nonprofessionally excavated sites
throughout the five boroughs. Numerous references,
great illustrations, and artifact photographs throughout
this entire book add to its overall presentation. The
authors, each with her own particular expertise, com-
plement each other making this work a fluid,
understandable and intelligible read, giving the reader a
sense of place. This cogently written book has some-
thing for the academic, the avocational archaeologist
and the professional. As the authors state, these archae-
ological finds "tell us of things we never knew, remind
us of those we are proud to remember, and testify to
those we prefer to forget" (p. 299).
Souvenirs of the Fur Trade: Northwest Coast Indian Art
and Artifacts Collected by American Mariners, 1788-
1844. MARY MALLOY. 2000. Peabody Museum Press,
Harvard University, Cambridge. xx + 168 pp. $35.00
(paper), ISBN 0-87365-833-7.
Reviewed by Sarah Peabody Turnbaugh, Museum of
Primitive Art and Culture.
In her latest book, Souvenirs of the Fur Trade, Mary
Malloy examines one of North America's earliest ethno-
graphic collecting areas, the Northwest Coast. She draws
upon both museum records and ethnohistorical docu-
mentation, skillfully describing, interpreting, and syn-
thesizing disparate databases. The collections of 10 of
New England's earliest learned societies as well as ship-
board journals and logbooks of more than a dozenAmer-
ican mariners are thoroughly examined and interpreted
in new ways. The author's extensive experience with
maritime and whaling records and artifacts uniquely
qualifies her for this research. Malloy considers this vol-
ume to be the companion to her own "'Boston Men' on
the Northwest Coast" (Limestone Press, 1998), which
documented American vessels journeying to the North-
west Coast and comprehensively surveyed their ship-
board manuscripts, thus laying the groundwork for the
current focused volume. The present monograph con-
siders the collections that these mariners gathered as arti-
chapter, aptly named Common Ground, demonstrates
the author's theme that this city consists of a common
past, present, and future.
Unearthing Gotham is a great urban-archaeology
textbook about the human experience, providing us with
a more meaningful history of New York City. The
authors use the recovery and interpretation of artifacts
and historical documentation to show that as we created
the city, the city has also created our identity. Cantwell
and Wall have done an outstanding job to provide this
needed and comprehensive volume on the archaeology
of New York City. The authors present many examples
of professionally and nonprofessionally excavated sites
throughout the five boroughs. Numerous references,
great illustrations, and artifact photographs throughout
this entire book add to its overall presentation. The
authors, each with her own particular expertise, com-
plement each other making this work a fluid,
understandable and intelligible read, giving the reader a
sense of place. This cogently written book has some-
thing for the academic, the avocational archaeologist
and the professional. As the authors state, these archae-
ological finds "tell us of things we never knew, remind
us of those we are proud to remember, and testify to
those we prefer to forget" (p. 299).
Souvenirs of the Fur Trade: Northwest Coast Indian Art
and Artifacts Collected by American Mariners, 1788-
1844. MARY MALLOY. 2000. Peabody Museum Press,
Harvard University, Cambridge. xx + 168 pp. $35.00
(paper), ISBN 0-87365-833-7.
Reviewed by Sarah Peabody Turnbaugh, Museum of
Primitive Art and Culture.
In her latest book, Souvenirs of the Fur Trade, Mary
Malloy examines one of North America's earliest ethno-
graphic collecting areas, the Northwest Coast. She draws
upon both museum records and ethnohistorical docu-
mentation, skillfully describing, interpreting, and syn-
thesizing disparate databases. The collections of 10 of
New England's earliest learned societies as well as ship-
board journals and logbooks of more than a dozenAmer-
ican mariners are thoroughly examined and interpreted
in new ways. The author's extensive experience with
maritime and whaling records and artifacts uniquely
qualifies her for this research. Malloy considers this vol-
ume to be the companion to her own "'Boston Men' on
the Northwest Coast" (Limestone Press, 1998), which
documented American vessels journeying to the North-
west Coast and comprehensively surveyed their ship-
board manuscripts, thus laying the groundwork for the
current focused volume. The present monograph con-
siders the collections that these mariners gathered as arti-
597 597
This content downloaded from 173.49.157.103 on Tue, 23 Aug 2016 01:29:15 UTC
All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms