Archaeology and Colonialism

Ranging from the Uruk cities of early Mesopotamia through the empires of the Romans and the Aztecs to the colonies of modern European states Chris Gosden presents a comparative survey of 7000 years of colonialism. (Archaeology is the only discipline that permits such a long-term view across all forms of colonialism.) Gosden argues that modern colonialism by giving rise to settler societies is historically unusual and represents an important area for the long-term study of power and material culture.