This book is intended as an approachable introduction to themes in field of 'heritage' as it relates to the material legacy of our pasts. It is also intended as an introduction to - and an invitation to indulge in - a way of thinking about issues which are central to the
heritage field itself and, indeed, to the interpretation of our pasts.
In concentrating upon themes and issues, the book is expressly
theoretical in tone: it is not intended as a guide for practitioners on
how to 'do' heritage nor does it recommend particular ways of
managing the heritage. Nor yet should it be considered as an
examination 'primer'. Rather than offering representative examples
of heritage practices, it considers such practices in terms of the
meanings they hold and the consequences they produce. The book
therefore draws upon some current approaches to theorizing
material culture and archaeological practice to present to readers
some ideas about how we understand and relate to the remains,
sites, structures and buildings that have come into our present from
the past.