ABSTRACT
Within the past couple of years we have entered perhaps the most exciting phase in the archaeology of the post-Columbian era. Up to now, this archaeology has been conducted largely though not exclusively by British post-medieval and American historical archaeologists. This book is emblematic, however, of the changes now sought by a growing number of forward-looking archaeologists who seek to alter the course of recent-period archaeology, and who wonder why their research has been largely unrecognized, even by their colleagues in the closely allied disciplines of anthropology and history. Though British post-medieval archaeology and American historical archaeology were developed somewhat independently, both have been almost continuously plagued by questions concerning their proper conduct as archaeologies of history. As a result, any stretching or reworking of the intellectual boundaries of post-Columbian archaeology is certain to have trans-Atlantic impact. As an American-trained archaeologist working outside the United States, I have come to appreciate the need for an extra-national effort to understand our familiar past. The issues the authors of this book confront also trouble a growing cadre of archaeologists around the world. And, like the authors of this book, my understanding derives from personal experience.
