The Land of Prehistory: A Critical History of American Archaeology. Alice Beck Kehoe. Routledge. New York

This book is a very difficult work to read dispassionately, for a variety of reasons, such as difficulties the reader may have with a rather convoluted discussion of Daniel Wilson and the Scottish enlightenment, the categorization of many practicing archaeologists...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Author: David L. Browman
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Ubiquity Press 1999-05-01
Series:Bulletin of the History of Archaeology
Online Access:http://www.archaeologybulletin.org/article/view/284
_version_ 1811317220412751872
author David L. Browman
author_facet David L. Browman
author_sort David L. Browman
collection DOAJ
description This book is a very difficult work to read dispassionately, for a variety of reasons, such as difficulties the reader may have with a rather convoluted discussion of Daniel Wilson and the Scottish enlightenment, the categorization of many practicing archaeologists as "petrified puddle ducks", after a term borrowed from Waiter Taylor. and taking a leaf from Taylor, utilization of the term "critical" primarily as "criticism", so that almost no current significant practicing archaeologist in North America comes out unscathed. The term puddle ducks" was employed in several places. Perhaps the strongest usage when Kehoe states (p. 183) that "Compared to the political sophistication displayed by so many social anthropologists, mainstream American archaeologists have been petrified puddle ducks." The term "petrified puddle ducks" had a nice ring to it but I confess I did not remember the context that Taylor employed it in, so I repaired to the vol­ume to re-educate myself.
first_indexed 2024-04-13T12:04:18Z
format Article
id doaj.art-c8db23ed88c2479498d702dfc6cedbcc
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 1062-4740
2047-6930
language English
last_indexed 2024-04-13T12:04:18Z
publishDate 1999-05-01
publisher Ubiquity Press
record_format Article
series Bulletin of the History of Archaeology
spelling doaj.art-c8db23ed88c2479498d702dfc6cedbcc2022-12-22T02:47:42ZengUbiquity PressBulletin of the History of Archaeology1062-47402047-69301999-05-0191151810.5334/bha.09104282The Land of Prehistory: A Critical History of American Archaeology. Alice Beck Kehoe. Routledge. New YorkDavid L. Browman0Washington University - St. LouisThis book is a very difficult work to read dispassionately, for a variety of reasons, such as difficulties the reader may have with a rather convoluted discussion of Daniel Wilson and the Scottish enlightenment, the categorization of many practicing archaeologists as "petrified puddle ducks", after a term borrowed from Waiter Taylor. and taking a leaf from Taylor, utilization of the term "critical" primarily as "criticism", so that almost no current significant practicing archaeologist in North America comes out unscathed. The term puddle ducks" was employed in several places. Perhaps the strongest usage when Kehoe states (p. 183) that "Compared to the political sophistication displayed by so many social anthropologists, mainstream American archaeologists have been petrified puddle ducks." The term "petrified puddle ducks" had a nice ring to it but I confess I did not remember the context that Taylor employed it in, so I repaired to the vol­ume to re-educate myself.http://www.archaeologybulletin.org/article/view/284
spellingShingle David L. Browman
The Land of Prehistory: A Critical History of American Archaeology. Alice Beck Kehoe. Routledge. New York
Bulletin of the History of Archaeology
title The Land of Prehistory: A Critical History of American Archaeology. Alice Beck Kehoe. Routledge. New York
title_full The Land of Prehistory: A Critical History of American Archaeology. Alice Beck Kehoe. Routledge. New York
title_fullStr The Land of Prehistory: A Critical History of American Archaeology. Alice Beck Kehoe. Routledge. New York
title_full_unstemmed The Land of Prehistory: A Critical History of American Archaeology. Alice Beck Kehoe. Routledge. New York
title_short The Land of Prehistory: A Critical History of American Archaeology. Alice Beck Kehoe. Routledge. New York
title_sort land of prehistory a critical history of american archaeology alice beck kehoe routledge new york
url http://www.archaeologybulletin.org/article/view/284
work_keys_str_mv AT davidlbrowman thelandofprehistoryacriticalhistoryofamericanarchaeologyalicebeckkehoeroutledgenewyork
AT davidlbrowman landofprehistoryacriticalhistoryofamericanarchaeologyalicebeckkehoeroutledgenewyork