Archaeology Magazine - September/October 1983 - 64

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neh/asor
1984"85
Post-Doctoral
Fellowships
in Jerusalem
and Amman

For research at the W.F.
Albright Institute of
ArchaeologicalResearch in
Jerusalem or the American
Center of Oriental Research
in Amman.
To promote the study of
archaeology, anthropology,
biblicalstudies, languages, art
history and other humanistic
disciplines in the Middle East
for all periods.
Stipends are $22,000for 12
months, $11,000for 6 months.
Application deadline is
December 1, 1983.
For complete details write:
ASOR Administrative Offices
4243 Spruce Street
Philadelphia, PA 19104
Tel: (215)222-4643

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Height:7 inches
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64

ARCHAEOLOGY

The Archaeological History of the
British Isles. 1982. Three color filmstrips with sound cassettes by Janice B.
Klein. Part I: 74 frames , 27 minutes;
Part II: 79 frames, 30 minutes ; Part III :
78 frames , 27 minutes. Purchase $39.95
each from The Reading Laboratory,; Inc.,
Content Material Division, P.O. Box 681,
South Norwalk, CT 06856
This set of three filmstrips presents a
survey of British archaeology from the
earliest evidence of human occupation
around 250,000years ago to the Norman
Invasion of A.D.1066.The first set covers
the earliest materials to around 750 b.c.
(the beginning of the Iron Age), the
second from 750 B.c. to the end of the
Roman occupation of Britain about A.D.
410, and the third the early Mediaeval
period.
Each filmstrip includes a number of
maps showing the locations of sites and
regions in Britain which are very useful
in orienting the viewer.Individual frames
illustrate various material aspects of the
periods under consideration. Representative objects shown include tools, weapons, pottery, and various ornaments.
Stonehenge, several Iron Age hillforts
and a selection of Roman towns are
among the many archaeological sites
photographed, and reconstructions of
buildings and settlements provide impressions of what sites looked like in the
past.
The information presented is a
straightforward, traditional view of the
prehistoric and early historic archaeology of the British Isles. It is accurate and
is set forth in a logical and clear order.
No new interpretations are suggested,
nor are puzzling issues discussed in any
detail.
The quality of many of the pictures,
however,is disappointing. For example,
some landscape views of archaeological
sites are poorly lighted and even slightly
out of focus. Photographs of some sites
have no scale, not even a person to give
an impression of wall heights, and in
several instances only a small portion
of a site is shown. Such pictures will be
comprehensible only to viewers already
familiar with the sites. In many cases,
much better views of sites than those
represented in the filmstrips could have
been obtained.
The photographs of objects are somewhat better overall, but even here the
quality is occasionallypoor. Photographs
of the maps, which are consistently
clear, colorful and accurate, are by far
the best. The narration is also very good:
the narrator has a clear, pleasant voice,
and the intonation helps maintain the
viewer'sattention to the text throughout.

FILMS

These filmstrips would be appropriate
for high school use and for introductory
college courses since the information
covered is quite general and is presented
in a readily understandable fashion, and
the illustrations show important and representative materials. Of special value >
for their clarity and the information
they provide are the maps and reconstructions.
For a good introduction to and fine
general overview of British archaeology,
these filmstrips are a valuable resource.
They provide good coverage of the principal features of the different periods
and illustrate representative objects and
sites. Their only major shortcoming is
the disappointing quality of some of the
photographs.
Peter S. Wells is Associate Professor of
Anthropology at Harvard University.
His special interests are in the Bronze
and Iron ages of Europe.
A Tale of Two Rivers. 1973. Produced by Clyde Smith. 16mm, color,
optical sound, 40 minutes. Purchase
$540, rental $42 from Extension Media
Center, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720
The film makers' avowed objective, as
stated at the beginning of A Tale of Two
Rivers, is to present an interdisciplinary
approach to the role played by the
Dordogne and Vezère river valleys in
southwestern France during the last
quarter of a million years of human
history. According to the publicity blurb
that accompanies the film, "Although
this area has been of immense importance to archaeologists and prehistorians, it is also, as A Taleof TwoRivers
clearly demonstrates, a fascinating and
important area for historians, medievalists, art historians, and travellers."
At the least, then, one might expect a
brief examination of the human ecology,
cultural history, history, art, architecture, and living patterns of the region,
particularly since there was no shortage
of high-quality talent and professional
expertise available to the film makers.
Prehistoric archaeologists James Sackett
and J. Desmond Clark, Mediaeval historian Philippe Wolff and art historian
Hershel Chipp- all highly competent
and well known in their fields- have
credits in the film. But A Ta,le of Two
Rivers is unsuccessful and, considering
what it might have been, more than a
little disappointing.
Whether the prospective audience is
composed of undergraduate students,
adult education students, travel agents,

Archaeology Magazine - September/October 1983

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Archaeology Magazine - September/October 1983