In Pursuit of the Past：Decoding the Archaeological Record, With a New Afterword

ManyconsiderLewisBinfordtobethesinglemostinfluentialfigureinarchaeologyinthelasthalf-century.Hiscontributionstothe"NewArchaeology"changedthecourseofthefieldashearguedforthedevelopmentofascientificallyrigorousframeworktoguidetheexcavationandinterpretationofthearchaeologicalrecord.Inthisbook,firstpublishednearlytwodecadesago,Binfordprovidedstudentsandgeneralreaderswithanintroductiontohischallengingandprovocativeideasaboutunderstandingthehumanpast.Nowavailableagain,thisimportantcomponentofBinford'sintellectuallegacywillconveythedramaandintellectualexcitementofcontemporaryarchaeologytoanewgenerationofarchaeologistsandothersinterestedinthefield.Throughoutthebook,BinfordquestionsoldideasandproposesnewtheoriesbasedonhiscomparativearchaeologicalandethnographicresearchinNorthAmerica,Europe,SouthAfrica,andAustralia.AnewafterwordbyBinfordsurveysthedirectionarchaeologyhastakensincethepublicationofthisbookandshareshishopesforthefutureofthediscipline.