Introduction
Works on archaeology can be found in a number of the library’s collections, ranging from books on the theory of archaeology and material culture, to reports on specific excavations sites, to a range of journals found physically in the library or accessible electronically from the library’s PCs.
The majority of works on archaeology can be found in the library’s British collections (General British: classmark B, English Local: classmark BC, Ireland: classmark BI, London: classmark BL, Scotland: classmark BS and Wales: classmark BW). Some works, however, can be found in the libraries European collections, including our French, German and Spanish collections.
Also, since the overall collection policy of the library concentrates on medieval history onwards, the great majority of archaeological works concentrate on the post-500 AD period. At the end of this guide, however, there is a list of other collections in London with significant library holdings on archaeology, covering all periods and geographic regions.
Highlights from the Collections
General Works
- The Cambridge Companion to Historical Archaeology
- Archaeology: theories, methods and practice
- Medieval Archaeology: an encyclopaedia
- Archaeological Theory: an introduction
- Dictionary of Industrial Archaeology
- Glossaire archéologique du Moyen Âge et de la Renaissance
- Archaeology and Text
- Building on the Past: papers celebrating 150 years of the Royal Archaeological Institute
- Guide to periodicals and bibliographies dealing with geography, archaeology, and history
- Handbook for British and Irish Archaeology: sources and resources
English Local
The English Local History collection is broken down into counties and other areas under the classmarks BC.5—9. The archaeological books within these sections can range from extensive records of the city of Bristol, providing data and detail to support archaeological inquiries into the city’s history, to the history of a particular castle, such as Pontefract Castle in Yorkshire. There are also many county specific archaeological journals, magazines, and collections held within the library.
For example:
- Computer Analysis of an Archaeological Landscape: medieval land divisions in the Isle of Man
- Aspects of Archaeology and History in Surrey: towards a research framework for the county
- The Archaeology of Kent
- Publications of the Archaeological Society of North Oxfordshire
- Settlements and strongholds in early medieval England : texts, landscapes, and material culture
- Somersetshire Archaeological and Natural History Society, Proceedings
- Some Notes on recent Archaeological Discoveries at Broadstairs
London
The sections on the archaeology of London can be found under classmarks BL.41 and BL.525-7 which cover the archaeology of Greater London and Middlesex and the City of London respectively. Many of these are connected to or published by the Museum of London Archaeology Service, as either site reports or guides to excavations. The Library also holds an extensive collection of maps which depict the topography of the city of London at different stages of its history.
For example:
- Archaeology in Greater London, 1965-1990: a guide to records of excavations by the Museum of London
- The Archaeology of the London Area: current knowledge & problems
- The Archaeology of Greater London: an assessment of archaeological evidence for human presence in the area now covered by Greater London
- Archaeological Landscapes of East London: six multi-period sites excavated in advance of gravel quarrying in the London Borough of Havering
Ireland
- A Bibliography of Irish Archaeology, 1980-1982
- Pieces of the Past: archaeological excavations by the Department of the Environment for Northern Ireland, 1970-1986
- Seanchas: studies in early and medieval Irish archaeology, history and literature in honour of Francis J. Byrne
- The Miscellany of the Irish Archaeological Society, Vol. 1
- Archaeological Inventory of County Waterford
- Journal of the Kilkenny and South-East of Ireland Archaeological Society
Scottish Local
The Scottish collection contains several works relating to archaeology, in particular at a local level and for specific reports of excavations. The Scottish Burgh Survey series contains a number of volumes documenting specific towns with each volume outlining the geography and topography of the town, its known archaeology and history and its historic standing buildings. These can be found within the Scottish Local classification scheme under the classmark BSL.
For example:
Wales
Other European Areas
- Les dents et les ossements humains: que mangeait-on au moyen age?
- Un Chapiteau de l'église Saint-Pierre de Caen, étude archéologique et littéraire
- Hundert Jahre Antiquarische Gesellschaft in Zürich, 1832-1932
- Kongens borg: 123 års arkaeologi på Vordingborg
- Dans la haute vallée de la Charentonne. Notes d'un archéologu
- Archaeological and Historical Research in Dutch Universities 1988-1992
Online Resources
Please note that access to these resources is available onsite at the IHR, or offsite for staff and students of the IHR only.
Periodicals
- British and Irish Archaeological Bibliography
- Archaeologia Cambrensis
- Transactions of the London and Middlesex Archaeological Society
- Lincolnshire History and Archaeology
- Norfolk Archaeology: a journal of archaeology and local history
- Revue du Nord: Archéologie: Nord de la France, Belgique, Pays-Bas
Other Collections
Within the IHR Wohl Library
Browse collection guides to find material relevant to your particular area of interest. Some other collections include
- General History (especially titles under shelf-mark E.181 Archaeological Methodology and Material Culture)
- Byzantine Empire
- Crusades
Other libraries, archives, organisations
Further Help
Contact us if you would like help on finding or using our collections, or if you have any comments or suggestions about the content of this guide. We are happy to help.
You can also book a tour or training session.
