Frauds, Myths, and Mysteries: Science and Pseudoscience in Archaeology - Softcover

Feder, Kenneth L.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0190629657 ISBN 13: 9780190629656

Publisher: Oxford Univ Pr, 2017

Synopsis

Frauds, myths, and supposed mysteries about humanity's past are moving targets for anyone committed to the scientific investigation of human antiquity. It is important for anyone interested in the human past to know, for example, that there is no evidence for a race of giant human beings in antiquity and no broken shards of laser guns under Egyptian pyramids. Debunking such nonsense is fun and useful in its own way, but more important is the process by which we determine that such claims are bunk.

Now published by Oxford University Press, Frauds, Myths, and Mysteries: Science and Pseudoscience in Archaeology, Ninth Edition, uses interesting--and often humorous--archaeological hoaxes, myths, and mysteries to show how we can truly know things about the past through science. It is not just a book about how we know what isn't true about the human past--it's also about how we know what is true.

About this title

Review:

"Frauds, Myths, and Mysteries is the only textbook for a course of this sort, which I think should be offered at every institution of higher education."--Curtis Runnels, Boston University

"Frauds, Myths, and Mysteries takes things that everyone is fascinated by--aliens, Atlantis, the curses of Ancient Egypt--and packages them in a way that is entertaining, but also shows how the scientific method works. It helps students to think critically about many of the so-called 'documentaries' on television."--Christa Abdul-Karim, Lewis-Clark State College

"I very much enjoy this text and the writing style; I appreciate Feder's humor and the way he explains things. Frauds, Myths, and Mysteries is accessible to students because it isn't dry and stuffy. This is a great topic--students are interested--and the book is written in a way that is easy to read and enjoyable."--Kristy Miller, Estrella Mountain Community College

From the Publisher:

An appendix has been added that provides suggestions for videos to accompany each chapter.
A new section has been added to Chapter 12 that discusses Kennewick Man.
All of the 'Best of the Web' sections have been updated, and this edition offers brief descriptions of each site.The text presents examples of fantastic findings and carefully, logically, and entertainingly describes the flaws in the purported evidence for each fantastic claim; readers can hone their own evaluative skills by example. As one user said, 'One of the greatest challenges a teacher faces is getting students to critically evaluate information. This text provides readable and critical discussion of some of the more bizarre, nonsensical, and entertaining interpretations of archaeological data 'All students would benefit by reading this book.' A checklist on the inside cover gives students prompts to use in thinking critically when evaluating claims.
Well-chosen examples of cases popularized by the media invite student interest. Students are eager to read about ancient astronauts, the power of pyramids and crystals, the Atlantis legend, and so on. As another user said, 'It's a real eye-opener and slate-cleaner for them to learn how slanted much of the popular media has been. After they read this book, students are much better prepared - to understand archaeology coursework.'
'Frequently Asked Questions' sections in each chapter represent questions students have asked over the years that relate specifically to the issues and controversies of the chapter.
'Current Perspectives' sections provide a current scientific look at the chapter topic, reinforcing how real science works.
The final chapter presents genuine archaeological mysteries. Having debunked some of the more spectacular claims about the past in the previous chapters, the author leaves readers with some genuine unsolved mysteries to ponder: e.g., Stonehenge and crop circles, the collapse of Maya civilization, and the origin of Kennewick Man.
Numerous photographs and illustrations support the text examples. Especially useful are the side-by-side comparisons of 'mysterious' phenomena with similar looking elements that are scientifically documented.

About this edition

• Publisher: Oxford Univ Pr
• Publication date: 2017
• ISBN 10: 0190629657
• ISBN 13: 9780190629656
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 325