Review of Susan Lawrence and Peter Davies, 'An Archaeology of Australia Since 1788'. Springer, New York, 2011: 421 pages; hardback; ISBN 978-1-4419-7484-6. US$129.00.

Abstract

Australian historical archaeology is a particularising discipline, consisting of the results of a very large number of field or laboratory investigations. The research focus of these is often narrow, whether they have a primary academic purpose or one that is partly motivated by the more pragmatic demands of commercial archaeology. As a result, it is often difficult for students of the discipline and, indeed, for many of its professionals, to 'see the wood for the trees'. This means that any monographic synthesis is of great importance, providing an overview of past research and a pointer for future endeavours. The book reviewed here is such a synthesis, the first in 23 years and, arguably, only the second such book to be published. It therefore deserves the very closest attention by anyone seriously involved in Australian historical archaeology.