Introduction

It is the existence of archaeology worldwide, particularly its growing practice in the Third and Fourth Worlds, that makes discussion of ‘the politics of the past’ so fruitful. The topic is inherent in any comprehensive examination of archaeological interpretation which extends beyond Eurocentric models; megalithic comparisons are no longer based on Stonehenge, ethnographic parallels do not require a Greenwich meridian. This book draws much on material from Africa, North America, Oceania, and Australia, and only to a lesser extent from Europe. It is divided into four parts, entitled ‘The Heritage of Eurocentricity’, ‘Rulers and Ruled’, ‘Politics and Administration’, and ‘Archaeology and the People’. Each has a short introduction summarizing its contents. David Lowenthal’s concluding chapter highlights some of the interconnections among these four themes.