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Elsevier

Books in Arts and humanities

Elsevier's Arts and Humanities titles encompass a rich spectrum of scholarship that explores human culture, history, philosophy, and creative expression. These works offer deep insights into language, literature, visual arts, and critical theory, supporting the academic community in understanding diverse perspectives and cultural legacies. Designed for scholars, educators, and students, this collection bridges classic studies with contemporary issues, fostering a deeper appreciation and knowledge of the human experience.

  • Advances in Archaeological Method and Theory

    Volume 11
    • 1st Edition
    • Michael B Schiffer
    • English
    Advances in Archaeological Method and Theory, Volume 11 is a collection of papers that discusses world systems theory, modeling interregional interaction in prehistory, and the archaeological analysis of ceramics. Some papers review dating and weathering of inorganic materials, strategies for paleo-environmental reconstruction, as well as deposits and depositional events. One paper reviews the Old World state formation that occurred in West Asia during the fourth and third millennia B.C. Another paper examines the role of interactions among societies in the process of local social change, and the need for archaeologists to develop a framework in which to analyze intersocietal interaction processes. The presence of items such as ceramics is associated directly to factors of availability, functions, economic values, or ethnic affiliation. As an example, one paper cites the use and misuse of English and American ceramics in archaeological analysis in identifying cultural patterns and human behavior. Another paper notes that each biological or mechanical agent of transport and deposition has its own respective attributes on a deposit where the attributes of sedimentary particles on the deposit can be defined. From such definitions, the archaeologists can make observations and inferences. Sociologists, anthropologist, ethnographers, museum curators, professional or amateur archaeologists, and academicians studying historical antiquities will find the collection very useful.

  • Advances in Archaeological Method and Theory

    Volume 9
    • 1st Edition
    • Michael B Schiffer
    • English
    Advances in Archaeological Method and Theory, Volume 9 is a collection of papers that describes protohuman culture, pastoralism, artifact classification, and the use of materials science techniques to study the construction of pottery. Some papers discuss contingency tables, geophysical methods of archaeological site surveying, and predictive models for archaeological resource location. One paper reviews the methodological and theoretical advances in the archaeological studies of human origins, particularly covering the Plio-Pleistocene period. Another paper explains the historic and prehistoric development of pastoralism through archaeological investigation. One paper traces the three phases of artifact classification, each being a representation of a different attitude and approach. Another paper evaluates pottery artifacts using a number of basic materials-science concepts and analytic approaches, toward the study of their mechanical strength; and also reviews their use in archaeological studies of pottery production and organization. To investigate archaeological intrasites, the archaeologist can use different specialized methods such as seismic, electromagnetic, resistivity, magnetometry, and radar. Another paper describes various empiric correlative models for locational prediction developed in both contexts of cultural resource management and academic research. Sociologists, anthropologist, ethnographers, museum curators, professional or amateur archaeologists will find the collection immensely valuable.

  • Advances in Archaeological Method and Theory

    Volume 1
    • 1st Edition
    • Michael B Schiffer
    • English
    Advances in Archaeological Method and Theory, Volume 1 presents the progressive explorations in methods and theory in archeology. This book discusses the strategy for appraising significance, which is needed to maximize the preservation and wise use of cultural resources. Organized into 10 chapters, this volume begins with an overview of planning for the best long-term use of cultural resources, which is the essence of conservation archeology. This text then examines importance of the concept in cultural ecological studies. Other chapters consider the methods used in determining the density, size, and growth rate of human populations. This book discusses as well the use of demographic variables in archeological explanation. The final chapter deals with the decisions that must be made in designing a survey and to identify the alternative consequences for data recovery of various strategies. This book is a valuable resource for archeologists and planners.

  • Advances in Archaeological Method and Theory

    Volume 5
    • 1st Edition
    • Michael B Schiffer
    • English
    Advances in Archaeological Method and Theory, Volume 5 presents the progressive explorations in methods and theory in archeology. This book provides information pertinent to the developments in urban archeology. Organized into nine chapters, this volume begins with an overview of cultural resource management developed to assess the significance of, and to manage the cultural resources on public lands. This text then explores the basic aspects of natural and human-caused changes on the portion of the archaeological resource base consisting of archaeological sites. Other chapters consider the practice of urban archeology in the United States, with emphasis on the relationships between human behavior and material culture in an urban setting. This book discusses as well the applications of computer graphics in archeology. The final chapter deals with the types of skeletal and population changes that accompany malnutrition. This book is a valuable resource for anthropologist, archaeologists, urban planners, and graduate students.

  • Advances in Archaeological Method and Theory

    Volume 8
    • 1st Edition
    • Michael B Schiffer
    • English
    Advances in Archaeological Method and Theory, Volume 8 is a collection of papers that discusses postprocessual archaeology, bone technology, and tree-ring dating in Eastern North America. One paper discriminates between the process and norm, and eliminates the dichotomy by locating human agency and the active. It focuses on monitoring individuals as being in the center of social theory. Another paper discuses the physical model and the textual model that describe the basic components of an archaeological record. For example, the first model implies that archaeological inferences move from material components of the record to material phenomena in the past. The second model assumes that archaeological inference should move from material phenomena to mental phenomena, from material symbols to the ideas and beliefs they encode. Another paper explains the use of analogy as a useful tool in archaeological considerations. One paper investigates bones as a material for study, including the analysis of carnivore-induced fractures or hominid-induced modifications from using bones as tools. The collection is suitable for sociologists, anthropologist, professional or amateur archaeologists, and museum curators studying archaeological artifacts.

  • Advances in Archaeological Method and Theory

    Volume 3
    • 1st Edition
    • Michael B Schiffer
    • English
    Advances in Archaeological Method and Theory, Volume 3 presents the progressive explorations in methods and theory in archeology. This book discusses the general cultural significance of cult archeology. Organized into nine chapters, this volume begins with an overview of the spectrum of professional reactions to cult archeology. This text then examines the applicability of evolutionary theory to archeology. Other chapters consider the fundamental principles of adaptation as applied to human behavior and review the state of application of adaptational approaches in archeology. This book discusses as well the convergence of evolutionary and ecological perspectives in anthropology that has given rise to a distinct concept of culture. The final chapter deals with obsidian dating as a chronometric method and explains the problems that limit its effectiveness. This book is a valuable resource for archeologists and anthropologists. Graduate students and archeology students will also find this book extremely useful.

  • Advances in Archaeological Method and Theory

    Volume 4
    • 1st Edition
    • Michael B Schiffer
    • English
    Advances in Archaeological Method and Theory, Volume 4 presents the progressive explorations in methods and theory in archeology. This book discusses the increasing application of surface collection in cultural resource management. Organized into eight chapters, this volume begins with an overview of the fundamental aspects of archeoastronomy and explains what kinds of testable hypotheses that archeoastronomy generates. This text then examines the general implications for the study of cultural complexity. Other chapters consider the use of surface artifacts by archeologists to locate sites, establish regional culture histories, and to know where to excavate within sites. This book discusses as well the interpretative interfaces between archeology on the one hand, and ethnohistory and ethnology on the other, that is based on a theoretical stance advocating a fundamental holistic approach to anthropology. The final chapter deals with understanding the ecology of ancient organisms. This book is a valuable resource for archeologists and anthropologists.

  • Advances in Communication Systems

    Theory and Applications
    • 1st Edition
    • A. V. Balakrishnan
    • English
    Advances in Communication Systems: Theory and Applications, Volume 3 focuses on feedback systems, data compression, satellite communications, decoding techniques, and synchronization. The selection first elaborates on sequential signal design for channels with feedback and adaptive data compression for video signals. Discussions focus on theory and application of an adaptive compression system, feedback systems with an average power constraint, and a time-continuous binary system with peak and average power constraints. The text then ponders on the aspects of communications satellite systems, including communications satellites and modulation methods. The manuscript takes a look at advances in threshold, signal design problem of coding and synchronization, and progress in sequential decoding. Topics include Wozencraft sequential decoding algorithm, phased-locked loop approach, rapid acquisition sequences, and optimality of the square-wave correlation function for the first-order loop. The selection is a vital source of data for researchers interested in feedback systems, satellite communications, synchronization, and decoding techniques.

  • Agents Unleashed

    A Public Domain Look at Agent Technology
    • 1st Edition
    • Peter Wayner
    • English
    Agents Unleashed: A Public Domain Look at Agent Technology covers details of building a secure agent realm. The book discusses the technology for creating seamlessly integrated networks that allow programs to move from machine to machine without leaving a trail of havoc; as well as the technical details of how an agent will move through the network, prove its identity, and execute its code without endangering the host. The text also describes the organization of the host's work processing an agent; error messages, bad agent expulsion, and errors in XLISP-agents; and the simulators of errors, functions, and resources. Agent language, XLISP, TCL and other languages are also considered. The book further tackles security and encryption; commercial cash; and some ambitious and extreme examples of how people are attempting to create agents. The text also encompasses the instructions on how to use the XLISP agents. Software agents will find the book invaluable.

  • Maya Subsistence

    Studies in Memory of Dennis E. Puleston
    • 1st Edition
    • Kent V. Flannery
    • English
    Maya Subsistence: Studies in Memory of Dennis E. Puleston presents studies on the history and development of Maya subsistence in honor of Maya archaeologist Dennis E. Puleston (1940-1978). The discussions are organized around four themes: ecological models for early Maya adaptations; archaeological investigations of Pre-classic and classic Maya subsistence; contributions of geography and soil science to an understanding of ancient Maya subsistence; and Maya subsistence in the post-classic, colonial, and modern eras. Comprised of 15 chapters, this book begins with an analysis of Puleston's career and a review of the history of inquiry into Maya subsistence. Maya subsistence from the earliest Pre-classic period up to the present day is then examined, with emphasis on agriculture, hunting, wild plant collecting, animal husbandry, and trade. In particular, cultural development in the Valley of Guatemala from 1500 B.C. to the Spanish Conquest is discussed, along with the resources of the tropical lowlands and actual prehistoric cornfields miraculously preserved by volcanic ashfall in El Salvador. The book also presents evidence for Maya soil and water conservation over the entire area from Yucatan to Chiapas and central Guatemala, and looks at the traditional role of women and animals in lowland Maya economy. This monograph will be of interest to archaeologists and anthropologists.

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