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Archaeology Guide

Key Databases & Journals

When searching for journal articles, an Article & Research database is usually the best place to begin. Below are some recommended databases for research in Archaeology. For other databases, check the Article & Research Databases page of the library website.

Key Resources

  • Anthropology Plus (EBSCO)
    Anthropology Plus is an index of bibliographic materials combining Anthropological Literature from Harvard University and Anthropological Index, Royal Anthropological Institute, from the UK. It provides worldwide indexing of journal articles, reports, commentaries, edited works, and obituaries in the fields of social, cultural, physical, biological, and linguistic anthropology, ethnology, archaeology, folklore, material culture, and interdisciplinary studies. Coverage is from the late 19th century to the present of all core periodicals in the field in addition to lesser-known journals.
    Unlimited simultaneous users
  • AnthroSource
    AnthroSource is an online portal to full text anthropological resources. AnthroSource includes a searchable database containing American Anthropological Association (AAA) publications, more than 250,000 articles from AAA journals, newsletters, bulletins and monographs and cross-disciplinary resources for all things anthropological.
    Unlimited simultaneous users.
  • eHRAF Archaeology
    eHRAF Archaeology is a cross-cultural database containing information on the world's prehistory designed to facilitate comparative archaeological studies. This annually-growing eHRAF database is organized by archaeological traditions. The full-text sources are subject-indexed at the paragraph level. Two thesauri, Outline of the world cultures (OWC), and: Outline of cultural materials (OCM), organize the collections and are included as searchable files.
    Unlimited simultaneous users.
  • JSTOR Archival Collection
    JSTOR provides access to back issues of a variety of scholarly journals. UNB Libraries currently subscribes to the Arts & Sciences (I through X) collections, along with the Life Sciences and Ireland collections.
    Unlimited simultaneous users.
  • Scopus
    Scopus, a multidisciplinary online resource, will be invaluable to students and faculty in various fields of study within the sciences, health sciences and the social sciences. Scopus offers full-text linking, abstracting-and-indexing information including peer-reviewed titles from international publishers, Open Access journals, conference proceedings, trade publications, quality web sources.
    Unlimited simultaneous users.
  • Academic Search Premier (EBSCO)
    Academic Search Premier is a multidisciplinary resource that "provides journal coverage for most academic areas of studies."
    Unlimited simultaneous users.
  • GeoRef
    GeoRef "covers worldwide technical literature on geology and geophysics."
    Unlimited simultaneous users.

Additional Resources

  • Bibliography of Native North Americans (EBSCO)
    The Bibliography of Native North Americans contains citations to literature about native peoples of North America published from the sixteenth century to the present.
    Unlimited simultaneous users
  • America: History and Life (EBSCO)
    "America: History & Life is the definitive index of literature covering the history and culture of the United States and Canada, from prehistory to the present. With indexing for 1,700 journals from 1964 to present ... The database also includes citations and links to book and media reviews."--Database information page.
    Unlimited simultaneous users.
  • Historical Abstracts (EBSCO)
    "Historical Abstracts is an exceptional resource that covers the history of the world (excluding the United States and Canada) from 1450 to the present, including world history, military history, women's history, history of education, and more ... Provides indexing of more than 1,700 academic historical journals in over 40 languages back to 1955."--Database information page.
    Unlimited simultaneous users.
  • Early Encounters in North America
    Early Encounters in North America documents the relationships among peoples in North America from 1534 to 1850. The collection focuses on personal accounts and provides unique perspectives from all of the protagonists, including traders, slaves, missionaries, explorers, soldiers, native peoples, and officials, both men and women.
    Unlimited simultaneous users.
  • eHRAF World Cultures
    "eHRAF World Cultures is a cross-cultural database that contains information on all aspects of cultural and social life. The annually-growing eHRAF database is unique in that the information is organized into cultures and ethnic groups and the full-text sources are subject-indexed at the paragraph level."--eHRAF World Cultures Home Page. Formerly known as: eHRAF Collection of Ethnography.
    Unlimited simultaneous users.
  • ARTstor
    Artstor is a repository of approximately 300 collections composed of over 2.5 million digital images (and growing), related data and provides tools to actively use those images in a restricted usage environment that balances the rights of the content providers and the needs of the users. The images are drawn from different sources, such as museums, archaeological teams, photo archives, slide collections, and art reference publishers.

    Scholars can examine wide-ranging material such as Native American art from the Smithsonian, treasures from the Louvre, and panoramic, 360-degree views of the Hagia Sophia in a single, easy-to-use resource. The artistic traditions across many cultures embraces architecture, painting, sculpture, photography, decorative arts, and design as well as many other forms of visual culture.
    Unlimited simultaneous users.

  • Films on Demand
    UNB Libraries subscribes to the Master Academic Collection, along with access to FMG Archival Films & Newsreels Collection and the Entertainment Collection. Includes 42,000+ full-length videos and over 323,000 video segments licensed for use in Canada, covering a broad range of subjects including business, social sciences, education, health and medicine, humanities, sciences, and guidance, and including archival films and newsreels. UNB subscribed Collections The Master Academic Collection (over 35,000 titles) The FM Archival Films & Newsreels (5,000+ titles) Entertainment Collection (500+ titles)
    Subscribed multi-user unlimited access per title
  • Kanopy (moderated access)

    On June 1, 2019, UNB Libraries’ transitioned to a mediated access model for Kanopy online streaming, shifting from automatic purchase of titles (receiving four plays or more) to mediated purchases requiring a prior patron request.

    Kanopy is an on-demand streaming video service for educational institutions that provides access to more than 26,000 films each year. Kanopy works directly with filmmakers and film distribution companies to offer award-winning collections including titles from PBS, BBC, Criterion Collection, Media Education Foundation and more.


    Unlimited simultaneous users per leased title.
  • NFB Campus (National Film Board of Canada)
    NFB Campus offers access to over 3,500 Canadian film productions, including 500 new titles added just for classroom use.
    Unlimited simultaneous users.
  • Dissertations & Theses (ProQuest PQDT)
    ProQuest Dissertations and Theses "is the single, authoritative source for information about doctoral dissertations and master's theses. The database represents the work of authors from over 1,000 graduate schools and universities."

    All PhD dissertations and Master's theses from depositing universities are available from 1997 onwards, unless the document's author has requested a temporary delay.

    It is also possible to search within an interface exclusive to Dissertations & Theses @ University of New Brunswick.

    For UNB theses submitted after 2012, please consult UNB’s institutional repository, UNB Scholar, or the library catalogue, UNBWorldCat.
    Unlimited simultaneous users.

  • Google Scholar
    Google Scholar searches a subset of the Web that Google has classified as "scholarly literature". They do not publish a list of chosen sites, and they do not state how often sites are checked. Some important sources are not covered at all. Thus, Google Scholar alone should not be relied on for comprehensive research.
    Unlimited simultaneous users.

Academic Journals

UNB Libraries subscribe to a wide variety of academic journals, both in print and online. A few important journal titles in Archaeology include:

 

Document Delivery

If you can't locate the item you're looking for at UNB, either in print or online, you can still submit a document delivery request.

 

Reference Tools

When researching a new topic it is often necessary to get an overview, explanations of unfamiliar terms, or brief factual information.

The print and electronic resources listed below include selected reference materials (dictionaries, encyclopaedias, handbooks, guides, and standards) for the field of Archaeology.

To find additional reference materials, check our Reference Materials database.

Key Resources

  • Encyclopedia of Archaeology [HIL-REF CC70 .E53 2008 vols. 1-3]

    Archaeology is a subject that fascinates us. From Egyptian tombs to a frozen Alpine wayfarer, from cities buried under volcanic ash to stone arrow heads turned up by the plow, archaeology is in the news and in our backyards. It is paradoxical that a subject that so easily captures the imagination is so difficult for the serious layman to access. Superficial media treatments and picture-book atlases and site guides on the one hand, jargon-heavy scholarly books and narrowly focused articles on the other-there are few ways to learn about the real world of archaeology outside the college classroom or the dig site. The Encyclopedia of Archaeology changes this, in making all aspects of archaeology accessible to a broad audience of the general scientific community, educators, students, and avocational archaeologists. Professional archaeologists and anthropologists will also find the encyclopedia a ready source of up-to-date information on specialities outside their own expertise. The Encyclopedia of Archaeology encompass all aspects of archaeology, including the nature and diversity of archaeology as a scientific discipline, the practice of archaeology, archaeology in the everyday world, and the future of the discipline. Featured in the Encyclopedia of Archaeology are articles by leading authors that summarize archaeological knowledge at the beginning the 21st century, highlighting important sites and issues, and tracing the development of prehistoric cultures around the globe. No existing work provides the breadth and depth of coverage as the Encyclopedia of Archaeology. * A completely new encyclopedia; not a revision or expansion of an earlier publication * The first and only reference work to cover all elements of archaeology, from the Artic to Underwater * Topics provide coverage of 15 general subject areas, encompassing many specific fields of study. Approximately 200 overview articles, specifically commissioned for this work * Distinguished Editorial Board headed by Editor-in-Chief Professor Deborah Pearsall, University of Missouri, along with many other prominent scientists serving as Editorial Advisors * Every article is carefully peer-reviewed to ensure accuracy and comprehensiveness * Each entry in the Encyclopedia begins with an outline of the article content and a concise definition of the subject of the article * Glossary entries explain key terms * Further Reading lists appear at the end of each entry * Extensive cross-referencing system links related articles Distributed by Syndetic Solutions, Inc.

  • Handbook of Archaeological Methods [HIL-REF CC75 .H337 2005 vols. 1-2]

    Designed to accompany the Handbook of Archaeological Theory (2005), this reference contains 34 essays by British and American archaeologists describing the history and various practices utilized in their field, with the chapters grouped according to type, namely, methods used in the field, for analysis, in application, methodological frameworks, and management issues. Individual chapter topics include ethnoarchaeology, maritime archaeology, statistics, pottery, rock art analysis, geoarchaeology, and funding archaeological research. Each chapter concludes with a bibliography. The reference will be used by undergraduate and graduate students as well as specialists. Maschner teaches anthropology at Idaho State U. Chippindale, former editor of Antiquity, is with the Cambridge U. Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology in the UK. Annotation #169;2006 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com) Distributed by Syndetic Solutions, Inc.

  • Archaeological Survey Manual, The [HIL-REF CC76.3 .W458 2007]

    Governmental guidelines have forced a dramatic change in the practice of archaeological surveying. This book provides an introduction to students, field novices, and land managers on the strategies, methods, and logic of contemporary survey work. It is useful for an archaeological methods class, field school, or reference collection.

  • Archaeologist's Fieldwork Companion, The [HIL-REF CC76 .K57 2007]

    Kipfer, a lexicographer and author, provides a guide to information and materials needed when doing archeological fieldwork, compiled in one volume that can be carried while in the field. Aimed at students, amateurs, and professionals, the book covers classification and typology; sample forms and records; lists and checklists; mapping, drawing, and photographing settings and artifacts; measurements and conversion, including charts and using equipment; and planning and designing projects. Resources are listed in the final chapter, including organizations and journals, ethical guidelines, legislation, and government information. Chapters cover topics in alphabetical order; no index is supplied. Annotation #169;2007 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com) Distributed by Syndetic Solutions, Inc.

  • Oxford Handbook of North American Archaeology [HIL-REF E77.9 .O94 2012]

    The Oxford Handbook of North American Archaeology reviews the continent's first and last foragers, farmers, and great pre-Columbian civic and ceremonial centers, from Chaco Canyon to Moundville and beyond.

  • Archaeology in America: an encyclopedia [HIL-REF E159.5 .A68 2009 vols. 1-4]

    Archaeology in America is the first resource that provides students, researchers, and anyone interested in their local history with a survey of the most important archaeological discoveries in North America. Leading scholars, most with an intimate knowledge of the area, have written in-depth essays on over 300 of the most important archaeological sites that explain the importance of the site, the history of the people who left the artifacts, and the nature of the ongoing research.

  • Encyclopedia of Archaeology : History and Discoveries [HIL-REF CC100 .E54 2001 vols. 1-3]

    Written by the most authoritative scholars from around the world, a massive treasure-house of information on all aspects of archaeology, from prehistory to the present day.

  • Historical dictionary of Mesoamerica [HIL-REF F1219 .W58 2012]

    Mesoamerica is one of six major areas of the world where humans independently changed their culture from a nomadic hunter-gatherer lifestyle into settled communities, cities, and civilization. In addition to China (twice), the Indus Valley, the Fertile Crescent of southwest Asia, Egypt, and Peru, Mesoamerica was home to exciting and irreversible changes in human culture called the Neolithic Revolution. The changes included domestication of plants and animals, leading to agriculture, husbandry, and eventually sedentary village life. These developments set the stage for the growth of cities, social stratification, craft specialization, warfare, writing, mathematics, and astronomy, or what we call the rise of civilization.

  • Archaeology of Ancient Mexico and Central America: An Encyclopedia [HIL-REF F1218.6 .A73 2001]
    A reference devoted to the pre-Columbian archaeology of Mesoamerica features in-depth articles on the major cultural areas of ancient Mexico and Central America, coverage of important sites, articles on day-to-day life of ancient peoples in these regions, and several b&w regional and site maps and photographs.
  • Oxford handbook of African archaeology [HIL-REF DT13 .O94 2013]

    This handbook provides a comprehensive and up-to-date synthesis of African archaeology, covering the entirety of the continent's past from the beginnings of human evolution to the archaeological legacy of European colonialism. As well as covering almost all periods and regions of the continent, it includes a mixture of key methodological and theoretical issues and debates, and situates the subject's contemporary practice within the discipline's history and the infrastructural challenges now facing its practitioners.

  • Companion to Forensic Anthropology

    Presents the most comprehensive assessment of the philosophy, goals, and practice of forensic anthropology currently available, with chapters by renowned international scholars and experts.

  • Oxford Bibliographies Online
    "Oxford Bibliographies Online (OBO) is an entirely new research tool for the social sciences and humanities. A scholar-curated library of discipline-based subject modules, OBO is designed to help busy researchers find reliable sources of information in half the time by directing them to exactly the right chapter, book, website, archive, or data set they need for their research."
    Unlimited simultaneous users.

Additional Resources

  • Archaeology at the Millennium : A Sourcebook [HIL-REF CC165 .A63 2007]

    An internationally distinguished roster of contributors considers the state of the art of the discipline of archaeology at the turn of the 21st century and charts an ambitious agenda for the future. The chapters address a wide range of topics including paradigms, practice, and relevance of the discipline; paleoanthropology ...

  • Dictionary of Artifacts [HIL-REF CC70 .K55 2007]

    While archaeologists, researchers, and students generally know the meanings and terms used for artifacts within their own areas of study, it is difficult to find authoritative definitions for those from periods or cultures outside of their expertise. Containing close to 3,000 words and definitions, the Dictionary of Artifacts is an indispensable reference for anyone working within the field of archaeology.

  • Handbook to life in the ancient Maya world [HIL-REF F1435 .F676 2005]

    Focuses on a mysterious and grand civilization, from its beginnings to the Spanish Conquest in the 16th century. Each chapter of this book, is supplemented by a bibliography and photographs, original line drawings, and maps. It includes civilization and archaeology, evolution, geography, society and government, astronomy and more.

  • Handbook to life in the Inca world [HIL-REF F3429 .S93 2011]

    Handbook to Life in the Inca World is a comprehensive and accessible examination of the Inca Empire, which stretched across the Andes Mountains in Peru from the 13th century until the invasion of the Spanish in the 16th century.

  • Companion to biological anthropology, A
    This title is part of the Wiley/Blackwell Reference Online e-book collection available through the Wiley Online Library.
    Unlimited simultaneous users
  • Cambridge Companion to Historical Archaeology [HIL-REF CC77 .H5 C36 2006]

    The Cambridge Companion to Historical Archaeology provides an overview of the international field of historical archaeology (c. AD 1500 to the present) through seventeen specially-commissioned essays from leading researchers in the field. The volume explores key themes in historical archaeology including documentary archaeology, the writing of historical archaeology, colonialism, capitalism, industrial archaeology, maritime archaeology, cultural resource management and urban archaeology. Three special sections explore the distinctive contributions of material culture studies, landscape archaeology and the archaeology of buildings and the household. Drawing on case studies from North America, Europe, Australasia, Africa and around the world, the volume captures the breadth and diversity of contemporary historical archaeology, considers archaeology's relationship with history, cultural anthropology and other periods of archaeological study, and provides clear introductions to alternative conceptions of the field. This book is essential reading for anyone studying or researching the material remains of the recent past.

  • Encyclopedia of Underwater and Maritime Archaeology [HIL-REF CC77 .U5 E53 1998]

    The Encyclopedia of Underwater and Maritime Archaeology is the first comprehensive reference book on the discovery and recovery of the submerged past. Written by archaeologists and other scientists who have made the discoveries, the encyclopedia's entries describe sites around the world and across time: prehistoric American Indian settlements; submerged Bronze and Iron Age settlements; sunken Phoenician, Greek, and Roman cities and harbors; Viking ship burials; ancient warships and merchant craft in the Mediterranean; warships sunk during atomic bomb tests; and much more. Detailed entries also cover new fields of research in underwater and maritime archaeology, the techniques and tools used by underwater archaeologists, critical issues and the relevant legislation that has been passed, and important institutions and individuals. Overview articles examine work in broader regional, national, and scientific contexts.

  • Research Methods in Anthropology : Qualitative and Quantitative Approaches

    Electronic Resource. This text is the standard for anthropology students and researchers alike and offers valuable information and advice to all social scientists interested in research methods and analysis... An absolute must for all libraries, classrooms, and individuals interested in this subject matter.

  • Archaeological Method and Theory: An Encyclopedia [HIL-REF CC75 .A654 2000]
  • International Encyclopedia of the Social & Behavioral Sciences (2nd Ed.)
    see also [HIL-REF H41 .I58 2001 vols. 1-26]
    Fully revised and updated, the second edition of the International Encyclopedia of the Social and Behavioral Sciences, first published in 2001, offers a source of social and behavioral sciences reference material that is broader and deeper than any other. Available in both print and online editions, it comprises over 3,900 articles, commissioned by 71 Section Editors, and includes 90,000 bibliographic references as well as comprehensive name and subject indexes.

    UNB has online access to the 2001 edition as well as owning print volumes of the earlier edition.
    Unlimited simultaneous users.
  • Oxford Handbook of Archaeology [HIL-REF CC65 .O96 2009]
    Archaeology is a vast subject - it is the study of human society everywhere in the world, from distant human origins 3-4 million years ago up to the present day. The Oxford Handbook of Archaeology brings together 35 authors - all specialists in their own fields - to explain what archaeologyis really about. This is one of the most comprehensive treatments of the subject and of the key debates ever attempted. It is designed to open up the world of archaeology to non-specialists and to provide an essential starting point for those who want to pursue particular topics in more depth. Distributed by Syndetic Solutions, Inc.
  • Oxford Companion to Archaeology, The
    Since its publication in 1996, the Oxford Companion to Archaeology has firmly established itself as the standard reference work in the field of archaeology, remaining a favorite among students, scholars, and anyone interested in archaeology. In close to 800 entries, the second edition provides thorough coverage of historical archaeology, the development of archaeology as a field of study, and the ways the discipline works to explain the past. In addition to these theoretical entries, other entries describe the major excavations, discoveries, and innovations, from the discovery of the cave paintings at Lascaux to the deciphering of Egyptian hieroglyphics and the use of luminescence dating.
    5 simultaneous users.
  • Concise Oxford dictionary of archaeology, The
    "From amphora to ziggurat, and Beaker Culture to molluscan analysis, this comprehensive dictionary, covers the essential vocabulary for archaeological work, including principles, theories, techniques, artefacts, materials, people, places, monuments, equipment, and descriptive terms. The dictionary focuses especially on Europe, the Old World, and the Americas, and covers legislation relating to the United Kingdom and the USA."
    5 simultaneous users.
  • Archaeology: the key concepts
  • Encyclopedia of precolonial Africa : archaeology, history, languages, cultures, and environments [HIL-REF DT2 .E53 1997]

    An excellent introduction to Africanist archaeology for undergraduate students and general readers. Part one provides context: the presentation of environmental information, research histories, and background to the technologies, languages, and lifeways of sub-Saharan Africa. The remainder of the encyclopedia carries the narrative from the physical development of humanity through the adaptive stages of stone-using foragers, food producers, and complex societies, to the residues of historically recorded times and the investigation of identifiable sites in the historical record.

  • Wiley/Blackwell Reference Online
    Wiley/Blackwell Reference Online "is a vast new online library giving instant access to the most authoritative and up-to-date scholarship across the humanities and social sciences. With more than 350 reference volumes to be published in Blackwell Reference Online by the end of 2008, it is the largest academic reference collection available online and includes the critically-acclaimed Blackwell Companions and Handbooks, major reference works such as the Blackwell Encyclopedia of Management and the Companion to Syntax, and a whole host of other valuable reference materials such as dictionaries, encyclopedias and concise companions."
    Unlimited simultaneous users.
  • Oxford Reference
    Multi-part database of the online versions of Oxford University Press texts. Each topical division contains the searchable version of the latest edition of published dictionaries and encyclopedias. Additionally, information about Oxford University Press is provided. Online texts will be updated after new editions of the print monographs are published. Covers the humanities and social sciences.
    5 simultaneous users.

 

Find Books

UNB WorldCat is our catalogue for searching UNB Libraries' collections.  It is useful when you don't have a particular title in mind and are instead searching by topic or keyword(s) to see what is available.  Note that UNB WorldCat also includes links to selected article records by default.  After an initial search you can limit results to books, if desired.

Search UNB WorldCat:
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Advanced Search | Locations Guide | Help

Books and other materials appearing in your results and not held by UNB may be requested for loan from another institution.  Please refer to the document delivery page for electronic request forms and more details.

To browse the shelves for books in archaeology, try the following ranges:

CB 3-482 History of Civilization
CC Archaeology - General
DE-DG Ancient Mediterranean
GN 49-298 Physical Anthropology
GN 700-890 Prehistoric Archaeology
E 51-99 Indians of North America
F1435-1435.3 Mayas

 

The Government Documents, Data, and Maps Department on the 3rd floor of the Harriet Irving Library also house a variety of archaeological reports that are published either federally or provincially.  The location of government materials is reflected in the Quest Catalogue as HIL-GOV.  Please contact the Government Documents Information Desk when requesting assistance locating government publications.

 

Document Delivery Service


Books and other materials not available at UNB may be available for loan from another institution through our document delivery service.  See the document delivery page for the electronic request form.  Delivery in print or electronic form usually takes between 3-7 days.

 

 

Find Images

Images from archaeological sites, excavations plus artifacts in museums/private collections are often digitized and made available through databases or on the web.

The following are a selection of a few image databases:

 

Free Internet Sites

While there is a wealth of information freely available on the internet, not all sites are created equal. Careful evaluation is a critical part of doing research on the Internet. Below are some recommended sites:

 

Citing Your Sources

Accurate, properly formatted footnotes, reading lists, and bibliographies are hallmarks of good academic research. Through citing, you acknowledge the source of any ideas you mention in your writing, document your research, and provide the information your readers need to track down your sources.

Numerous citation styles exist, and each specifies what elements are required (title, author, journal name, etc.) and how the citation should be formatted.

The standard citation style for Anthropology is American Anthropological Association (AAA) Style Guide (which uses The Chicago Manual of Style), but your instructor may require or recommend that you use another.

Consult your course syllabus or check with your instructor to be sure that you are using the correct citation style for your assignment.

 

 

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