An Archaeological Perspective on the History of Technology

Reviews the recent approaches to the History of Technology, and supports a more theoretical approach based on archaeological evidence.

A. Mark Pollard (Author), Chris Gosden (Author)

9781009184212, Cambridge University Press

Paperback / softback, published 23 February 2023

75 pages
22.8 x 15.2 x 0.5 cm, 0.13 kg

This volume represents an introduction to a new world-wide attempt to review the history of technology, which is one of few since the pioneering publications of the 1960s. It takes an explicit archaeological focus to the study of the history of technology and adopts a more explicit socially-embedded view of technology than has commonly been the case in mainstream histories of technology. In doing so, it attempts to introduce a more radical element to explanations of technological change, involving magic, alchemy, animism – in other words, attempting to consider technological change in terms of the 'world view' of those involved in such change rather than from an exclusively western scientific perspective.

Preface
Setting the Scene
What is technology?
Earlier Approaches to the History of Technology
Varying Theoretical Approaches to the History of Technology
Cultural Logics and Materials
Spatial and Temporal Orders of Technology
How Does Technology Change?
Technology Transfer
Technological Choice and 'Intentionality'
Final Thoughts.

Subject Areas: Archaeology by period / region [HDD]