Product Description

This is a complete handbook for those wishing to reconstruct the history of a building.'

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #260596 in Books
• Published on: 2000-10-14
• Format: Illustrated
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 176 pages

From the Back Cover
A COMPLETE HANDBOOK FOR BOTH AMATEURS AND PROFESSIONALS.

The study of buildings - whether out of sheer interest or to assist planning decisions - is a branch of archaeology which is distinct from both archaeology and architectural history, yet allied to both.

The first need in understanding any building is to understand the fabric - the materials and the way they are used in the construction. So individual sections are devoted to stone, brick, and timber-framing, plus shorter sections on other materials such as thatch, iron, clay and glass. The various clues left by the builders, in carpenters' or masons' marks for example, and the way alterations can be identified, are highlighted.

With this background information the buildings archaeologist - professional or amateur - can get to grips with the equipment and techniques needed for recording in the field. The level of detail may range from an outline sketch to stone-by-stone drawings, and the equipment from the hand-tape to the high-tech - such as photogrammetry and computer-aided design - but the basic philosophy of objective observation should always be the same.

Once the building has been surveyed and recorded, Richard Morris outlines how some of the basic documentary sources (such as hearth returns, wills and inventories) can add to the historic background and use of the site, and explains how all these strands of information can be woven together to produce a detailed understanding of how any building has developed over the years.

Over 100 illustrations and two invaluable appendices - typical examples of buildings archaeology in practice and an illustrated glossary of terms - complete a handbook that has long been needed by professionals and amateurs alike.

Customer Reviews

Essential reading for either the amateur or professional
Richard Morris's latest addition to the world of archaeological literature is an extremely thorough text. He successfully explores the many elements of historic buildings and presents a tried and tested methodology to examine them further.

This should be a basic text for students of the archaeology of buildings. It concisely explains the terminology of the discipline and the practical constraints.

Architectural historian, architect, archaeologist or engineer this book provides a wealth of information that is fully referenced and backed up with numerous examples.