Excavating Women: A History of Women in European Archaeology

Archaeologists are increasingly aware of issues of gender when studying past societies; women are becoming better represented within the discipline and are attaining top academic posts. Until now, however, there has been no study undertaken of the history of women in European archaeology and their contribution to the development of the discipline. From the earliest days of archaeology as a discipline to the present, this book examines women's increased involvement in archaeological work, and why many women found it more acceptable to work outside of their native lands. This critical assessment of women in archaeology reveals how selective the archaeological world has been in recognizing the contributions of those who have shaped its discipline, and how it has been particularly inclined to ignore the achievements of women archaeologists.Excavating Womenis essential reading for all students, teachers and researchers in archaeology who are interested in the history of theirdiscipline.