One Hundred Years of American Archaeology in the Middle East

This volume presents an important collection of essays on history and archaeology of the Ancient Middle East, written by the leading scholars in the field. Based on papers presented at the ASOR Centennial Celebration in Washington DC in 2000, these essays provide a useful synthesis of the results of North American excavations in the Middle East region over the past century, and their implications for historical and anthropological research. But the focus is not just retrospective; some of the contributors are also concerned with a prospective view, seeking to address how archaeologists should proceed with their work at the beginning of the twenty-first century. Most of the papers concentrate on the major historical periods, from the Bronze and Iron Ages to the Persian, Hellenistic and Roman, Byzantine and Islamic Periods; they also consider specific geographical areas and other thematic topics, such as technology, religion, economics and politics. Contributors include: James Muhly, Robert S Merrillees, William Dever, Al Leonard, Jonathan Tubb, Sharon Herbert, Elizabeth Stone, James Weinstein, Rudolph Dornemann, Ian Morris, and Jane Waldbaum.