"The first part of the volume unravels the history of women's role in the development of archaeology, and is composed of studies of the interaction of women in particular countries. The second part explores the individual women's lives, focusing on issues such as the tension between their archaeological work and their socio-political situation, with particular reference to the suffragette and feminist movements. It also highlights the problems women have encountered in gaining access to the accepted institutions of the archaeological community." "This critical assessment of women in archaeology makes a major contribution to the history of archaeology. It reveals how selective the archaeological world has been in recognizing the contributions of those who have shaped its discipline, and how it has been particularly inclined to ignore the achievements of women archaeologists."--Jacket.