The archaeology of geological catastrophes.

The archaeology of geological catastrophes. W.J. McGUIRE, D.R. GRIFFITHS, P.L. HANCOCK & I.S. STEWART(ed.). The archaeology of geological catastrophes (Geological SocietySpecial Publication 171). ix+417 pages, 218 colour & b&wfigures, 31 tables. 2000. London: Geological Society; 1-86239-062-2hardback 79 [pounds sterling] & US$132 (non-members). Ms NICHOLSON & Prof. O'CONNOR introduce 13 papers onpeople's impacts on the environment. Ten are case studies, rangingfrom the palynology pal��y��nol��o��gy?n.The scientific study of spores and pollen.[Greek palunein, to sprinkle + -logy. of three periods in northern Greece to the effectsof Bronze Age Bronze Age,period in the development of technology when metals were first used regularly in the manufacture of tools and weapons. Pure copper and bronze, an alloy of copper and tin, were used indiscriminately at first; this early period is sometimes called the mining at Mount Gabriel and a reassessment ReassessmentThe process of re-determining the value of property or land for tax purposes.Notes:Property is usually reassessed on an annual basis. You may request a "reassessment" if you disagree with your assessment. of pre-Europeanerosion in Mexico. R. Tipping contributes a methodological paper oncorrelating flood deposits (and see the review of Earth sciences in thenext section). There are a couple of papers on faunal extinctions(Mediterranean and South American). An interesting paper on the impactof marine transgression on mites departs from the general theme. Thelate C. Dickson contributes on the prehistoric decline of woodland inOrkney; and R. Housley writes an obituary of her. Prof. BAILEY et al.present 16 papers: four general essays (N. Winder on theory, D.Brothwell on microbes, Prof. O'Connor on scavengers in Medievaltowns and J. Bintliff on `settlement and territory') and nine casestudies, ranging from the effects of the diversification caused bytectonics tectonicsScientific study of the deformation of the rocks that make up the Earth's crust and the forces that produce such deformation. It deals with the folding and faulting associated with mountain building; the large-scale, gradual, upward and downward movements of the and vulcanism on human evolution in the African Rift (BAILEYet al.), to those of fluctuating sea level on activity around the Humber(R. v.d. Noort & W. Fletcher), to the Danebury Environs project (G.Campbell & J. Hamilton) and suggestions arising from thecontemporary spread of beaver in France (B. Coles). On problems ofsilting, see below, our picture review and TRIPATI in `South Asia'. The subject of the Geological Society's book (McGUIRE et al.)is more dramatic. 19 of the 28 substantial papers are case studies ofthe direct or indirect effects of volcanic explosions from Santorini(Thera -- five articles, one on the island's pre-Minoan form) andPompeii to Mexico (two studies, one of them with remarks on symbolicresponses, the other with new data on the sequence at Cuicuilco), Alaskaand New Guinea New Guinea(gĭn`ē), island, c.342,000 sq mi (885,780 sq km), SW Pacific, N of Australia; the world's second largest island after Greenland. . R.A. Dodgshon et al. assess the effects of vulcanism inIceland on farming in Scotland. There are a couple of articles on usesof volcanic stone (Roman and Olmec) and a handful of methodologicalpapers. See too Earth Sciences in the following section; and The LittleIce Age in `Also received', below. Archaeological techniques and methods