Archaeology Collection

Archaeology is a general term for the study of antiquities. The precise application of the term has varied from time to time with the progress of knowledge, according to the character of the subjects investigated and the purpose for which they were studied.

At one time it was thought improper to use it in relation to any but the artistic remains of Greece and Rome, i.e. the so-called classical archaeology; but of late years it has commonly been accepted as including the whole range of ancient human activity, from the first traceable appearance of man on the earth to the middle ages.

It may thus be conceived how vast a field archaeology embraces, and how intimately it is connected with the sciences of geology and anthropology, while it naturally includes within its borders the consideration of all the civilizations of ancient times. In dealing with so vast a subject, it becomes necessary to distinguish. The archaeology of zoological species constitutes the sphere of palaeontology, while that of botanical species is dealt with as palaeobotany; and every different science thus has its archaeological side.

For practical purposes it is now convenient to separate the sphere of archaeology in its relation to the study of the purely artistic character of ancient remains, from that of the investigation of these remains as an instrument for arriving at conclusions as to the political and social history of the nations of antiquity; and in this work the former is regarded primarily as "art" and dealt with in the articles devoted to the history of art or the separate arts, while "archaeology" is particularly regarded as the study of the evidences for the history of mankind, whether or not the remains are themselves artistically and aesthetically valuable.

In this sense a knowledge of the archaeology is part of the materials from which every historical article in this encyclopaedia is constructed, and in recent years no subject has been more fertile in yielding information than "archaeology," as representing the work of trained excavators and students of antiquity in all parts of the world, but notably in the countries round the Mediterranean. It is for its services in illuminating the days before those of documentary history and for checking and reinforcing the evidence of the raw material (the "unwritten history" of architecture, tombs, art-products, &c.), that recent archaeological work has been so notable.

The work of the literary critic and historian has been amplified by the spade-work of the expert excavator and explorer to an extent undreamt of by former generations; and ancient remains, instead of being treated merely as interesting objects of art, have been forced to give up their secret to the historian, as evidence for the period, character and affiliations of the peoples who produced and used them. The increase of precise knowledge of the past, due to greater opportunities of topographical research, more care and observation in dealing with ancient remains and improved methods of studying them in museums and collections, has led to more accurate reading of results by a comparison of views, under the auspices of learned societies and institutions, thus raising archaeology from among the more empirical branches of learning into the region of the more exact sciences. This change has improved not only the status of archaeology but also its material, for the higher standard of work now demanded necessarily acts as a deterrent on the poorly equipped worker, and the tendency is for the general result to be of a higher quality.

References:

1911 Encyclopaedia Britannica, Volume 2 pg. 344-354

Available Books

Book Title	Date
A Classical and Topographical Tour Through Greece Vol. 1	1819
A Classical and Topographical Tour Through Greece Vol. 2	1819
A Description of some Ancient Monuments in Lydia and Phyrgia	1842
A History of Art in Ancient Egypt Vol. 1	1883
A History of Art in Ancient Egypt Vol. 2	1883
A History of Art in Chaldaea & Assyria Vol. 1	1884
A History of Art in Chaldaea & Assyria Vol. 2	1884
A History of Egyptian Mummies	1834
A Journey from London to Persepolis	1865
A Pilgrimage to Egypt	1897
A Restoration of the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus	1909
A Select Collection of Views and Ruins in Rome	1815
A Study of Peruvian Textiles	1932
A Survey of Ancient Peruvian Art	1917
A Trip to Mexico	1880
A Winter in Upper and Lower Egypt	1863
Album des classischen Alterthums	1870
An Inquiry into the Origin of the Antiquities of America	1839
Ancient Civilizations of the Andes	1931
Ancient Khotan Vol. 1	1907
Ancient Khotan Vol. 2	1907
Ancient Mining on the Shores of Lake Superior	1863
Ancient Monuments of the Mississippi Valley	1848
Ancient Tombs of Palenque	1896
Antiquites Mexicaines	1844
Antiquities of Dacca	1823
Antiquities of Mexico Vol. 1	1831
Antiquities of Mexico Vol. 2	1831
Antiquities of Mexico Vol. 3	1831
Antiquities of Mexico Vol. 4	1831
Antiquities of Mexico Vol. 5	1831
Antiquities of Mexico Vol. 6	1831
Antiquities of Mexico Vol. 7	1831
Antiquities of Mexico Vol. 8	1848
Antiquities of Mexico Vol. 9	1848
Antiquities of the County of Meath	1833
Antiquities of the Orient Unveiled	1873
Antiquities of the Orient Unveiled	1875
Antiquities of the State of New York	1851
Archaeological Researches in Yucatan	1904
Archives de la Commission Scientifique du Mexique Vol. 1	1865
Archives de la Commission Scientifique du Mexique Vol. 2	1865
Archives de la Commission Scientifique du Mexique Vol. 3	1865
Atlantica Atland Eller Manheim	1702
Atlantis, die Urheimat der Arier	1922
Atlantis : the Antediluvian World	1882
Bactria, the History of a Forgotten Empire	1912
Beginnings or Glimpses of Vanished Civilizations	1911
Biologia Centrali-Americana Atlas Vol. 1	1889
Biologia Centrali-Americana Atlas Vol. 2	1889
Biologia Centrali-Americana Atlas Vol. 3	1889
Biologia Centrali-Americana Atlas Vol. 4	1889
Biologia Centrali-Americana Vol. 1	1889
Biologia Centrali-Americana Vol. 2	1889
Biologia Centrali-Americana Vol. 3	1889
Buried Herculaneum	1908
Byzantine Architecture	1864
Cave of Loltun, Yucatan	1879
Central American and West Indian Archaeology	1916
Cites et Ruines Americaines	1863
Coleccion de las Antiguedades Mexicanas	1827
Coleccion General de Laminas de los Antiguos Monumentos de Nueva Espana	1820
Constantinople and the Scenery of the Seven Churches of Asia Minor Vol. 1	1839
Constantinople and the Scenery of the Seven Churches of Asia Minor Vol. 2	1839
Cuzco: a Journey to the Ancient Capital of Peru	1856
Das Alte Wunderland der Pyramiden	1881
Das Wieder Erstehende Babylon	1913
Descripcion Historica y Cronologica de las dos Piedras	1792
Description of the Ruins of an Ancient City	1822
Drawings of Some Ruins and Colossal Statues at Thebes	1741
Drevnosti Rossiiskago Gosudarstva	1853
Egypt: Descriptive, Historical, and Picturesque Vol. 1	1881
Egypt: Descriptive, Historical, and Picturesque Vol. 2	1881
Egyptian Sepulchres and Syrian Shrines Vol. 1	1862
Egyptian Sepulchres and Syrian Shrines Vol. 2	1862
El Signo Escalonado en las Ideografias Americanas	1913
Excavations at Carnac Vol. 1	1877
Excavations at Carnac Vol. 2	1881
Exploration Archeologique de la Galatie et de la Bithynie Vol. 2	1862
Explorations in the Department of Peten	1911
Explorations of the Upper Usumatsintla and Adjacent Region	1908
Forged Egyptian Antiquities	1912
Guillermo Dupaix Papers	1804
Hindoo Excavations in the Mountain of Ellora	1803
Historical Researches on the Conquest of Peru, Mexico	1827
Historical Researches on the Wars and Sports of the Mongols and Romans	1826
History of Art in Persia	1892
History of Art in Phoenicia Vol. 1	1885
History of Art in Phoenicia Vol. 2	1885
History of Art in Phrygia, Lydia, Caria, and Lycia	1892
History of Art in Primitive Greece Vol. 1	1894
History of Art in Primitive Greece Vol. 2	1894
History of Art in Sardinia, Judaea, Syria, and Asia Minor Vol. 1	1890
History of Art in Sardinia, Judaea, Syria, and Asia Minor Vol. 2	1890
History of Egypt, Chaldea, Syria, Babylonia and Assyria Vol. 1	1900
History of Egypt, Chaldea, Syria, Babylonia and Assyria Vol. 2	1900
History of Egypt, Chaldea, Syria, Babylonia and Assyria Vol. 3	1900
History of Egypt, Chaldea, Syria, Babylonia and Assyria Vol. 4	1900
History of Egypt, Chaldea, Syria, Babylonia and Assyria Vol. 5	1900
History of Egypt, Chaldea, Syria, Babylonia and Assyria Vol. 6	1900
History of Egypt, Chaldea, Syria, Babylonia and Assyria Vol. 7	1900
History of Egypt, Chaldea, Syria, Babylonia and Assyria Vol. 8	1900
History of Egypt, Chaldea, Syria, Babylonia and Assyria Vol. 9	1900
History of Egypt, Chaldea, Syria, Babylonia and Assyria Vol. 10	1904
History of Egypt, Chaldea, Syria, Babylonia and Assyria Vol. 11	1904
History of Egypt, Chaldea, Syria, Babylonia and Assyria Vol. 12	1904
History of Egypt, Chaldea, Syria, Babylonia and Assyria Vol. 13	1904
History of the Recent Discoveries at Cyrene	1864
Huehuetlapallan, Amerika's Grosse Urstadt	1823
Ilios : The City and Country of the Trojans	1880
Illustrations of the Rock-Cut Temples of India [Atlas]	1865
Illustrations of the Rock-Cut Temples of India [Text]	1865
In the Wonderland of Peru	1913
Inca land : Explorations in the Highlands of Peru	1922
Incidents of Travel in Central America Vol. 1	1841
Incidents of Travel in Central America Vol. 2	1841
La Poblacion del Valle de Teotihuacan Vol 1	1922
La Poblacion del Valle de Teotihuacan Vol 2	1922
La Poblacion del Valle de Teotihuacan Vol 3	1922
L'antique Rome, ou, Description Historique et Pittoresque	1796
Les Anciennes Villes du Nouveau Monde	1883
Les Ruines de Balbec	1757
Les Ruines de Palmyre	1753
Les Ruines de Paris	1871
Manuscript 512	1754
Maya Architecture	1926
Memoir Descriptive of the Resources, Inhabitants, and Hydrography, of Sicily	1824
Meroe, the City of the Ethiopians	1911
Mexico To-Day	1883
Mitla. A Narrative of Incidents	1858
Monuments anciens du Mexique	1866
Mycenae : A Narrative of Researches and Discoveries	1878
Narrative of the Operations and Recent Discoveries	1820
Nicaragua, its People, Scenery, Monuments Vol. 1	1852
Nicaragua, its People, Scenery, Monuments Vol. 2	1852
Ninive et l'Assyrie Vol. 1	1870
Ninive et l'Assyrie Vol. 2	1870
Ninive et l'Assyrie Vol. 3	1867
Observations on the Chalchihuitl of Mexico and Central America	1869
Observations on the Uses of the Mounds of the West	1847
Origin of the Red Men	1849
Paradise Found, the Cradle of the Human Race at the North Pole	1885
Perou et Bolivie	1880
Persepolis : Die Achaemenidischen und Sasanidischen Vol. 1	1882
Persepolis : Die Achaemenidischen und Sasanidischen Vol. 2	1882
Persepolis Illustrata	1739
Peru; Incidents of Travel and Exploration	1877
Plates Illustrative of the Researches and Operations of G. Belzoni	1820
Pompei	1840
Pompeii, Painted and Described	1910
Prehistoric Ruins of Copan, Hondura	1896
Raccolta di Pitture Etrusche Vol. 1	1806
Raccolta di Pitture Etrusche Vol. 2	1806
Raccolta di Pitture Etrusche Vol. 3	1806
Ragnarok: the Age of Fire and Gravel	1883
Rambles in Yucatan	1843
Reise nach Abessinien, den Gala-Landern	1868
Reliquiae Britannico-Romanae Vol. 1	1813
Reliquiae Britannico-Romanae Vol. 2	1813
Reliquiae Britannico-Romanae Vol. 3	1813
Reliquiae Britannico-Romanae Vol. 4	1813
Report of the Committee Appointed to Translate the Rosetta Stone	1858
Researches in the Central Portion of the Usumatsintla Valley	1901
Researches into the Lost Histories of America	1884
Romano-British Mosaic Pavements	1886
Ruines du Mexique et Types Mexicains	1862
Ruins of Desert Cathay Vol. 1	1912
Ruins of Desert Cathay Vol. 2	1912
Ruins of Xkichmook, Yucatan	1898
Rvins of the Palace of the Emperor Diocletia	1764
Sand-Buried Ruins of Khotan	1904
Saracenic and Norman Remains	1840
Sculptured Stones of Scotland Vol. 1	1856
Sculptured Stones of Scotland Vol. 2	1857
Six Months Residence and Travels in Mexico	1824
Six New Plates Illustrative of the Researches and Operations	1822
Sketches Between the Persian Gulf and Black Sea	1852
Temple Ante-Diluvien dit des Geants	1830
The Ancient Cities of the New World	1885
The Antiquities, Natural History, Ruins, and Other Curiosities of Egypt	1780
The Book of Chilam Balam of Chumayel	1913
The Byzantine Empire	1910
The Chultunes of Labna, Yucatan	1897
The Dolmens of Ireland Vol. 1	1897
The Dolmens of Ireland Vol. 2	1897
The Dolmens of Ireland Vol. 3	1897
The Excavations at Babylon	1914
The Fundamental Principles of Old and New World Civilizations	1901
The Goldsmith's Art in Ancient Mexico	1920
The Holy Land : Syria, Idumea, Arabia, Egypt & Nubia Vols. 1 & 2	1855
The Holy Land : Syria, Idumea, Arabia, Egypt & Nubia Vols. 3 & 4	1855
The Holy Land : Syria, Idumea, Arabia, Egypt & Nubia Vols. 5 & 6	1855
The Home of a Forgotten Race	1914
The Lost Atlantis, and Other Ethnographic Studies	1892
The Lost Lemuria	1904
The Mastodon Giganteus of North America	1852
The Mausoleum at Halicarnassus Restored	1862
The Migration of Symbols	1894
The Migrations of Early Culture	1915
The Necropolis of Ancon Vol. 1	1880
The Necropolis of Ancon Vol. 2	1880
The Necropolis of Ancon Vol. 3	1880
The Palace of Minos Vol. 1	1921
The Palace of Minos Vol. 2, Pt. 1	1928
The Palace of Minos Vol. 2, Pt. 2	1928
The Palace of Minos Vol. 3	1930
The Palace of Minos Vol. 4, Pt. 1	1935
The Palace of Minos Vol. 4, Pt. 2	1935
The Palace of Minos Vol. 5	1936
The Principal Ruins of Asia Minor	1865
The Ruined Abbeys of Britain Vol. 1	1882
The Ruined Abbeys of Britain Vol. 2	1882
The Ruins of Balbec	1757
The Ruins of Choqquequirau	1911
The Ruins of Gour	1817
The Ruins of Mandoo	1860
The Ruins of Paestum, otherwise Posidonia	1768
The Ruins of Palmyra	1753
The Ruins to be Found in New Mexico	1874
The Sea-Kings of Crete	1910
The Serpent Motive in the Ancient Art of Central America and Mexico	1905
The Serpent Symbol	1851
The Snake-Dance of the Moquis of Arizona	1884
The Story of Atlantis	1896
The Swastika, the Earliest Known Symbol, and its Migrations	1896
The Temple of the Andes	1884
The Tomb of Alexander	1805
Tihuanacu: The Cradle of American Man Vols. 1 & 2	1945
Tihuanacu: The Cradle of American Man Vols. 3 & 4	1957
Tiryns. The Prehistoric Palace of the Kings	1885
Travels in Egypt and Nubia Vol. 1	1757
Travels in Egypt and Nubia Vol. 2	1757
Travels in the Central Parts of Indo-China Vol. 1	1864
Travels in the Central Parts of Indo-China Vol. 2	1864
Troja : Results of the Latest Researches and Discoveries	1884
Troy and its Remains	1875
Turquois Work of Hawikuh, New Mexico	1921
Vanished Cities of Northern Africa	1900
Viaje Pintoresco y Arqueolojico de la Republica Mejicana	1840
Views and descriptions of Cyclopian, or, Pelasgic remains	1834
Views in Egypt	1801
Views in Greece	1821
Views in India, China, and on the Shores of the Red Sea	1835
Views in Palestine	1804
Views in the Ottoman Dominions	1810
Views in the Ottoman Empire	1803
Views of Ancient Monuments in Central America	1844
Views of Pompeii	1828
Views of the Remains of Ancient Buildings in Rome	1844
Vitcos, the Last Inca Capital	1912
Voyage a l'Oasis de Syouah	1823
Voyage a l'Oasis de Thebes	1821
Voyage a Meroe - Atlas	1823
Voyage a Meroe Vol. 1	1826
Voyage a Meroe Vol. 2	1826
Voyage a Meroe Vol. 3	1826
Voyage a Meroe Vol. 4	1826
Voyage dans le Levant	1819
Voyage de l'Arabie Pétrée	1830
Voyage d'Exploration en Indo-Chine [Atlas-Vol. 2]	1873
Voyage d'Exploration en Indo-Chine [Text-Vol. 1]	1873
Voyage d'Exploration en Indo-Chine [Text-Vol. 2]	1873
Voyage Pittoresque dans les Grands Deserts du Nouveau Monde	1862
Voyage Pittoresque et Archeologique dans la Province d'Yucatan	1838
Voyage Pittoresque et Archeologique du Mexique	1836
Vues des Cordilleres et Monumens de l'Amerique	1813
Vues et Descriptions de Constructions Cyclopeennes ou Pelasgiques	1834