The question of ethnicity is highly controversial in contemporary archaeology. Indigenous and nationalist claims to territory, often rely on reconstructions of the past based on the traditional identification of "cultures" from archaeological remains. However, many argue that such associations of remains with past ethnic groups is hopelessly inadequate. This study calls into question how such evidence is used and what conclusions can legitimately be drawn from it. Sian Jones responds to the need for a reassessment of the ways in which social groups are identified in the archaeological record, with a comprehensive and critical synthesis of recent theories of ethnicity in the human sciences. In doing so, she argues for a fundamentally different view of ethnicity, as a complex dynamic form of identification, requiring radical changes in archaeological analysis and interpretation.

希安·琼斯,斯特林大学环境历史与遗产系教授,前曼彻斯特大学考古和遗产系教授。她的研究聚焦于身份与政治的考古,以及围绕着历史纪念物、建筑和地点的考古,希安一直从事遗产保护与管理的研究,特别是文化意义、社会价值和真实性的研究。她的研究是跨学科的,整合了考古学、社会人类学、文化历史与物质文化研究。希安的著作包括: 《族属的考古》( The Archaeology of Ethnicity ) ( Routledge ), 《中世纪早期的雕塑与含义、价值和地点的提炼》( Early Medieval Sculpture and the Production of Meaning, Value and Place ) ( Historic Scotland ),以及共同主编的论文集《碎片化的杰作：复原卡德伯尔石板的希尔顿传记》( A Fragmented Masterpiece: recovering the biography of the Hilton of Cadboll cross-slab) ( Society of Antiquaries of Scotland )。她近来还主编过一期《国际历史考古学杂志》( The International Journal of Historical Archaeology )有关回忆、口述史和考古学的专辑( 2012年)。

陈淳,复旦大学文物与博物馆学系考古学教授、博导。著作有《考古学的理论与研究》《考古学理论》《当代考古学》《文明与早期国家探源》《考古学研究入门》《考古学前沿研究：理论与问题》；译作有《手》《骗局、神话与奥秘》《欧洲文明的曙光》《考古学思想史》（第二版）《时间与传统》（重译本）《龙骨山——冰河时代的直立人传奇》《考古学：理论、方法与实践》等。

沈辛成,美国佐治亚理工学院在读博士,从事科技史和城市史研究。本科毕业于北京大学考古文博学院,并在复旦大学文物与博物馆学系和美国哥伦比亚大学人类学系获得硕士学位。