This fourth edition constitutes the most extensive reshaping of the text to date. In a lucid and accessible style Kevin Greene explains the discovery and excavation of sites, outlines major dating methods, gives clear explanations of scientific techniques, and examines current theories and controversies.

New features include:

• a completely new user-friendly text design with initial chapter overviews and final conclusions, key references for each chapter section, an annotated guide to further reading, a glossary, refreshed illustrations, case studies and examples, bibliography and full index
• a new companion website built for this edition providing hyperlinks from contents list to individual chapter summaries which in turn link to key websites and other material
• an important new chapter on current theory emphasizing the richness of sources of analogy or interpretation available today.

This new edition provides students with a sound introduction to the field of archaeology and guides them towards further study.