An overview of the way the archaeological debate has developed over the last 10 years. Hodder aims to break down the separation between theory and practice and reconcile the division between the intellectual and the 'dirt' archaeologist.

Preface; 1. Theory practice and praxis; PART A. SYMBOLIC AND STRUCTURAL ARCHAEOLOGY 2. Symbolism, meaning and context 3. Symbols in action (1982) 4. Burials, houses, women and men in the European Neolitihic (1984); PART B. SOME IMPLICATIONS OF THE NEW IDEAS 5. Post-processual archaeology 6. Theoretical archaeology: a reactionary view (1982) 7. Archaeology in 1984 (1984) 8. Politics and archaeology in the World Archaeological Congress 1986 (1986); PART C. DEBATE AND RE-EVALUATION 9. The processual reaction: You have gone too far 10. Towards radical doubt: a dialogue 11. The post-processual reaction: You haven't gone far enough 12. Towards a coherent archaeology.