BOOK REVIEW
Ronald G. Beckett and Gerald J. Conlogue: Paleoimaging: field
applications for cultural remains and artifacts
CRC Press, 2010, pp 405, Hardback ISBN 978-1-4200-9071-0
Jason M. Wiersema
Published online: 4 December 2010
Ó Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2010
The book entitled Paleoimaging: Field Applications for
Cultural Remains and Artifacts represents a valuable ref-
erence for the subset of archaeologists and curators whose
research is heavily influenced by the constraints associated
with the collection and analysis of fragile mummified
remains. Practitioners in search of a detailed, well informed
review of the available technologies and their relative
advantages and disadvantages will benefit from this book
during the project design and funding processes. However,
there are few references to contexts that are more generally
applicable, thereby potentially limiting the audience that
would apply the techniques in the specific manner descri-
bed. On the other hand both the detail and real world
examples presented in the book encourage consideration of
the possible applications of these technologies in other field
contexts. In other words, the book is focused on mummies
as the primary context in which these technologies have
been applied, but others, including bioarchaeologists and
forensic anthropologists may benefit in ways not specifi-
cally described in the text. There are undoubtedly less
traditional uses for these technologies for those whose
material falls on the opposite side of the taphonomic
spectrum from the well preserved mummies used as
examples in this text. Recording the location of human
remains in relation to surrounding matrix in cases of poor
preservation, tissue damage, or commingling is an example.
The book also presents an unapologetic opinion of what
the authors feel is necessary with regard to the personnel
needed to effectively employ these techniques. The authors
suggest that the inclusion of experts in the use and inter-
pretation of the described techniques is critical to the
successful use of the equipment. This will likely be con-
sidered impractical by some, but again the book is useful in
this regard as a well informed reference to those who do, or
plan to do this kind of investigation. The format of the
book is effective and the level of detail will be useful to
principal investigators who are in the process of project
design and funding acquisition. However, the audience
may be limited by the examples presented by the authors.
J. M. Wiersema (&)
Forensic Anthropologist, Harris County Institute of Forensic
Sciences, Houston, TX, USA
e-mail: [email protected]
123
Forensic Sci Med Pathol (2011) 7:230
DOI 10.1007/s12024-010-9203-8
