Many times, finding an industry primer with detailed content, reliable views, attractive style, and moderate difficulty will not only open a door to a beautiful new world for us, but also do much more with less than the blind people in the industry. Therefore, a comprehensive and high-quality industry entry book list will be particularly precious, after all, only people who really read a lot of books can roughly extract their reading experience and extract the younger generations.
In order to answer the most common questions of readers outside the archaeology blog, "What book should I read to get started with archaeology?" And in response to the most urgent needs of young people who have just entered the archaeological and cultural industry, "What books should I read first when I first enter the archaeological and cultural industry?" "We have cordially invited 8 senior teachers from the School of Archaeology and Archaeology of Peking University, as well as doctoral and master students of the School of Archaeology and Archaeology of Peking University, to present you with this carefully selected "Introduction to Archaeology and Literature". I hope that these "ladders of knowledge" in the archaeological literature industry can help you understand the archaeological literature, enter the archaeological literature, and fall in love with the archaeological literature.
Introductory book on archaeology
Teacher Wu Xiaohong recommended
Archaeology: Theories, Methods, and Practice
By Colin Lenfou, Paul Barn
As the title suggests, this book provides a rich and comprehensive presentation of the theory, methods, and practices of archaeology, especially western archaeology. The author, Colin Renfreud, is a renowned archaeologist at the University of Cambridge, whose broad vision makes this book an all-encompassing list of case studies from around the world. Paul Barne is the famous author of popular archaeology books, and his brilliant writing makes this book easy and interesting. This book is a good choice for archaeologists who want to understand the basics of archaeology and for archaeology students in the lower grades. (Teacher Wu Xiaohong)
Teacher Lei Xingshan recommended
The Story of Archaeology: 100 of the World's Greatest Discoveries
By Paul Barne
This book introduces 100 real and landmark discoveries in the history of world archaeology, which are richly illustrated, vivid and interesting, and most importantly, to allow readers to perceive what real archaeology looks like. This is the best science book on archaeology I've read so far! The author of this book is also Paul Barn, whose Past and Future of Archaeology: An Oxford General Reader and The Cambridge Illustrated Archaeological History have also been translated into Chinese. (Teacher Lei Xingshan)
Recommended by teacher Xu Tianjin
"Archaeology is not digging treasure - the right and wrong of Chinese archaeology", "Archaeology is fun"
Author: Gaumont River
Mr. Gao Menghe is a professor in the Department of Cultural Relics and Museology of Fudan University, and in recent years he has been promoting archaeology by writing articles, appearing in programs, planning museums, etc., and has taught public archaeology courses, recruited public archaeology students, and conducted public archaeology research at Fudan University. Because of the extensive knowledge in the field of public archaeology, Mr. Gao Menghe's two archaeological books for the public have rarely jumped out of the shackles of "academic style" and completely used the language that the public likes to hear, satisfying the public's curiosity about the archaeological industry. Although the two books are a summary of mostly independent articles, and do not aim to introduce the theories and achievements of archaeology in a systematic and in-depth manner, it is believed that the public and even newcomers who have just entered the archaeology industry can still gain a vivid understanding of the appearance, attitude, pursuit, hot spots and even anecdotes and gossip of the archaeological industry after reading the two books. (Master Xi Muliang)
Recommended by teacher Xu Tianjin
Introduction to Children's Archaeology
Author: Sichuan Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology
If you can draw a comic strip of the complex question of "what is archaeology", it is indeed the most interesting and easy to understand way for teenagers to get started with archaeology. The "Introduction to Children's Archaeology", which was created by the Sichuan Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology, uses cartoons (and animations that have also been launched) to show the basic methods and discoveries of archaeology easily and vividly. In this "era of reading pictures", my mother no longer has to worry about me not understanding archaeology. In addition, the Yunnan Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology has also launched the "Cartoon Hand-Painted Yunnan - South-South Archaeology Exploration", which is also worth seeing. (Master Xi Muliang)
Recommended by teacher Xu Tianjin
"Tombs in Liangdai Village: A Public Archaeological Report"
Editor-in-chief: Chen Xiejun, Wang Weilin
The original research materials of archaeology are recorded in archaeological reports. However, because many archaeological reports are highly objective, detailed and professional, not only can almost no public have the ability and patience to read archaeological reports, but even archaeologists sometimes face archaeological reports and headaches. "Tombs in Liangdai Village - A Public Archaeological Report" has a unique approach, using annotations, illustrations, popular science texts and other forms, re-compiling the archaeological report of the two-week ancient tomb group in Liangdai Village, which not only helps the public to intuitively understand the content of one of the "Top Ten New Archaeological Discoveries in China in 2005", but also uses this as an entrance to show and explain the true face of the archaeological report and even archaeological work to the public. For the public who want to rationally explore the academic nature of archaeology, this book is a worthwhile choice. (Master Xi Muliang)
Recommended by teacher Xu Tianjin
Fax of Chinese Civilization (All Ten Volumes)
Editor-in-chief: Liu Wei
Shanghai Dictionary Publishing House, 2001
Understanding Chinese history through archaeological discoveries and cultural relics is not only one of the pursuits of Chinese archaeologists, but also an important reason for the public's interest in archaeological literature. However, it is not easy to let the "things" that cannot speak and are chaotic and chaotic tell the "history" that is beautiful and analyzed in detail; if we also want to present the "history of things to the public", we need more careful, patient, and intimate "translation" work. On the one hand, the knowledge of archaeological relics is rich and rigorous, a large number of color pictures are particularly eye-catching, on the other hand, the content clues are still running through the perspective of Chinese history, so that readers can upgrade their understanding of Chinese history through archaeological discoveries and cultural relics, and truly realize "seeing history with things". If you love Chinese history and want to know what Chinese archaeologists have achieved in the past century, this book is not to be missed. (Master Xi Muliang)
Recommended by Zhao Huacheng and Sun Qingwei
A New Exploration of the Origin of Chinese Civilization
Author: Su Bingqi
There is also the 2013 edition of the People's Publishing House and the 1997 edition of the Commercial Press (Hong Kong) Limited
In the face of cold and non-verbal artifacts, how to interpret the information contained in themselves? The problems faced by archaeology giant Mr. Su Bingqi in the 1930s and 1940s were the primary problems in the study of Chinese archaeology in the future. To this end, Mr. Su has been groping for several years and finally learned how to read the "Heavenly Book" of artifacts. In the last years of Mr. Su's life, "New Explorations on the Origin of Chinese Civilization" condensed and showed his greatest contribution to Chinese archaeology - how to obtain the practical operation method of typology, and how to use the perspective of archaeology to interpret the origin of Chinese civilization. Although this book is a thin pamphlet, it has become a milestone in Chinese archaeology. (Dr. Li Hongfei)
Recommended by teacher Zhao Huacheng
What Is Archaeology: Selected Works of Yu Weichao's Archaeological Theory
Author: Yu Weichao
This is an introductory book of archaeology full of feelings: both a brief review of the history of archaeology and a deep reflection on the current work; both an accurate understanding of basic theories and a detailed display of specific research; both a search for the direction of progress and a ardent hope for later scholars. The pen is thick, the pen is free, the foresight is far-sighted, and the book is paid. As a famous contemporary archaeologist, Mr. Yu Weichao made a wonderful interpretation of the proposition of "what is archaeology" in this book. (Dr. Li Nan)
Recommended by teacher Xu Tianjin
The Earliest China, Why China: A Picture of the Central Plains in 2000 BC
Author: Xu Hong
"The Earliest China" takes the Erlitou site as the starting point, puts the rise of Chinese civilization under the global vision, and systematically explains why the Erlitou era was the earliest "China". The book is not only the refinement and sublimation of the archaeological achievements of the Erlitou site, but also reflects the combing and reflection on the history of archaeology and the theoretical methods of archaeology. "Why China" can be seen as a companion piece to "The Earliest China", which is an inquiry into the birth process of the earliest "China". Starting from the Tao Temple Revolution, the conflict and confrontation in the hinterland of the Central Plains, the rise and fall of the New Pillars, the rise and fall and radiation of Erlitou, and the spatial contours of the vast kingdoms of the Central Plains in later generations, Mr. Xu Hong painted a dynamic picture of the hinterland of the Central Plains around 2000 BC. Mr. Xu Hong is an active "practitioner of public archaeology" in recent years, and his two books are rigorous and vivid, illustrated and rich, easy to understand, and highly interesting, which are exemplary works of archaeology out of the ivory tower to the public. (Dr. Zhang Ran)
Recommended by Teacher Hang Kan
"Zhang Yanyuanhe"
Author: Su Bai
This book is a transcript of a lecture by Mr. Su Bai in the Han and Tang Archaeology Research Course of the Department of Archaeology of Peking University (2001), which studies Zhang Yanyuan's family era and the circulation and collation of the "Famous Paintings of Past Dynasties", and discusses other related issues. Through specific case analysis, the author describes the problems that should be paid attention to when reading an ancient book, prompting us to attach importance to the reading method of "starting from bibliography" and the "double evidence" method of combining documents with archaeological materials, which has also had a positive impact on the field of art history. This book can be called a classic demonstration that integrates traditional methods of governance, archaeology, history, art history and many other disciplines. (Dr. Zhang Baoqing)
Recommended by Teacher Cao Hong
Introduction to Museum Work
Author: George Iris Boko
This book introduces the basic framework of philosophical and practical knowledge in American museums. Very classic, very suitable for beginner students to read. In the future, after in-depth study of museology, you can still read it from time to time. Many foreign universities use this book as one of the textbooks for museum introduction courses. (Teacher Cao Hong)
Recommended by Teacher Cao Hong
Making the Mummies Dance – A Transformation of the Metropolitan Museum of Art
Author: Thomas Hoven
From the personal perspective of Thomas Hovin, former director of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the book is not only the autobiography of a legendary figure, but also reveals to the reader how a museum sought development in an era of change from the perspective of a witness. The book deals with many topics often covered in museum research, such as collection, research, curation, management, and public relations, but in a plain and understandable language, it exposes the true and sensitive side of the usual avoidance in museum research. (Dr. Wang Siyu)
Teacher Xu Yitao recommended
History of Chinese Architecture
Author: Liang Sicheng
There are also 2005 and 2007 editions of Hundred Flowers Literary and Art Publishing House, and 2000 editions of Sanlian Bookstore (Hong Kong) Co., Ltd
Mr. Liang Sicheng's "History of Chinese Architecture" is the first systematic general history of Chinese architecture written by mainland scholars. The book is divided into eight chapters, the first chapter is the introduction, the first is a macroscopic summary of the characteristics of Chinese architecture and the phases of architectural history, and the second is a brief introduction to the "grammar textbooks" of ancient Chinese architectural research, "Construction of French Style" and "Engineering Rules of the Ministry of QingGong". The following chapters 2 to 8 describe the architectural characteristics of each era from antiquity to the end of the Qing Dynasty and the beginning of the Ming Dynasty, most of which first sort out the general outline of architectural activities from the literature, then describe the physical remains, and then analyze the characteristics of each generation in detail. This book covers a wide range of ancient building types, reveals the development of architectural structural systems and the evolution of shapes, reflects Mr. Liang Sicheng's complete academic achievements in the study of ancient Chinese architecture, and is also the foundation of the discipline of ancient Chinese architectural history. (Dr. Lina Yu)
Recommended by Teacher Hang Kan
Pictorial History of Chinese Architecture
Author: Liang Sicheng
There is also a 1991 edition of China Architecture and Building Industry Publishing House, a 2001 edition of Hundred Flowers Literary and Art Publishing House, and a 2015 edition of Sanlian Bookstore (Hong Kong) Co., Ltd
Written by Mr. Liang Sicheng in the 1940s, the book "Pictorial History of Chinese Architecture" aims to illustrate the development and morphological evolution of China's architectural structural system with the help of photographs and illustrations of several typical examples in combination with the early results of the construction society's early investigations in Northern China, Sichuan and Yunnan. The book covers a wide range of ancient building types, and is a general reading of the history of ancient Chinese architecture. Originally written in English, the book was originally published in the United States in 1982 and later translated back into Chinese. This book is an introduction to ancient Chinese architecture and an important reference for the comparison of ancient architecture terms between Chinese and English. (Dr. Lina Yu)
Recommended by Teacher Hang Kan
"Huaxia Yismith- Analysis of The Principles of Classical Chinese Architectural Design"
Author: Lee Yoon-hoon
"Huaxia Yishang", according to Mr. Li Yunjun's own words, is "the architectural design concept of ancient China". Architecture is not only an engineering product, but also an art. The stylistic characteristics and unobtrusive stylistic beauty of traditional Chinese architecture make it occupy a unique position in the history of world architecture. From the background analysis of nature, society and history to the character and classification of buildings, from the organizational layout and appearance of buildings to the composition of each component, this book uses easy-to-understand language and a large number of pictures to lead us to recognize and evaluate classical Chinese architecture, and also provides local traditional reference for today's architectural designers. As a highly professional ancient book, "Huaxia Yishang" reads without a sense of obscurity, but it is still unfinished. (Dr. Chen Hao)
![Mr. Yu Weichao's relic donation record[fig]](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAP///wAAACwAAAAAAQABAAACAkQBADs=)