Use this guide to help you make the most of the library and information resources and services.
Search the print and online collections for books, chapters, articles, journals + lots more.
For a full selection of databases and archives, use the A-Z Databases List.
Key Archaeology DatabasesThese are the key databases we recommend that you use. You can see a fuller list in the A-Z database listing under Archaeology.
Content is organized into 3 sections:
Reference resources can be very useful as you begin your background research into a topic, before you move on to more in depth research. A number of archaeology related reference works are available to you online via the Oxford Reference Online service, with thousands or archaeology related entries.
Use these to find short-entry, general reference information or to cross search more in-depth articles on specialized subjects.
You have access to a number of anatomy resources that providing high quality 3D images of the human body. Further details can be found on the Anatomy Libguide.
Use the A-Z Database List to access the full list of databases the library subscribes to.
You can browse by subject e.g. Archaeology or by type (e.g.maps, news, images etc.) or search to find your required resources.
Explore the full A to Z Database list:
Explore research materials available elsewhere
Library Hub Discover - Search the catalogues of over 100 major UK and Irish national, academic and specialist libraries to find books, journals and other materials
WorldCAT - Search the collections of over 10,000 worldwide libraries
The European Library - Access to the collections of the 48 National Libraries of Europe and leading European Research Libraries.
The Library of Congress - Catalogue records of the print and digital resources held in the Library of Congress collections (USA)
LibWeb - Find online library catalogues worldwide
CORE - Search the world's largest collection of open access research papers
Books
Our book collection includes both print and ebook formats. Increasingly, books are made available in ebook format. This gives the best access to materials, allowing 24/7 access to books from any location. Where ebooks are not available, multiple print copies of key titles are purchased.
Textbooks are useful for providing an introduction or general overview of a topic. For example:
The Oxford Handbook of Archaeology by
Archaeology is a vast subject - it is the study of human society everywhere in the world, from distant human origins 3-4 million years ago up to the present day. The Oxford Handbook of Archaeology brings together 35 authors - all specialists in their own fields - to explain what archaeologyis really about. This is one of the most comprehensive treatments of the subject and of the key debates ever attempted. It is designed to open up the world of archaeology to non-specialists and to provide an essential starting point for those who want to pursue particular topics in more depth.
Scholarly monograph books include in depth discussions of research areas/themes/topics and are accompanied by detailed bibliographies in order to explore the literature on the given topic in more detail. For example:
Breathing New Life into the Evidence of Death by
Taking cues from current theoretical perspectives and capitalizing on the strengths of new and sophisticated methods of analysis, Breathing New Life into the Evidence of Death showcases the vibrancy of bioarchaeological research and its potential for bringing "new life" to the field of mortuary archaeology and the study of human remains. These new trajectories challenge old stereotypes, redefine the way research of human remains should be accomplished, and erase the divide that once separated osteologists from archaeologists. Through case studies ranging from body piercing in prehistoric Chile to Christian burials in early Medieval Ireland, the contributors to this book take a broad and deep look at themes including archaeologies of identity, the contemporary sociopolitical effects of bioarchaeological research, and materiality in the mortuary record.
Most of our journal articles are available in digital format. Older print journals are kept in the Forum Library.
Our journal databases may offer full text access or abstracts only, or sometimes a mixture of both:
- Full text = view or download the entire journal article
- Abstract only = provides a summary of a journal article. Often links out to the full-text held elsewhere in our collections.
Key Archaeology Journals
The University has access to an extensive range of online primary source materials. These contain digitised copies of documents, letters, books, photographs and other primary sources.
The Primary Sources Libguide will help you identify the best databases for your research. As we have over 550 Primary Source collections, the collections have been categorised by Country, Time Period and Theme so that you can quickly find the most relevant collections for your research.
Exeter subscribes to a wide range of online specialist map resources, the most useful of these to archaeology is the Digimap collection.
These collections provides extensive online access to aerial, Lidar, Ordnance Survey and historical maps.
Click here to find out more.
The print collection in the library is organised by shelf number according to Dewey Decimal Classification, so that books on the same subject are grouped together..
You will find archaeological works throughout the 910s and 930s in the Dewey sequence.
For example, this screenshot which shows on online browse view of items on the shelves adjacent to Archaeology : an introduction / Kevin Greene and Tom Moore. - 930.1 GRE
A quick online guide is available to help you understand classmarks.
Each book has a classmark or call number on it's spine that refers to it's Dewey Decimal Classification.
The Dewey Decimal Classification system has 10 broad classes:
Each of these topics may be further divided into more specific subject areas, e.g. 900-999 History & Geography, 930-939 History of Ancient World, 936 History of Europe north & west of Italy to ca. 499, 937 History of Italy & adjacent territories to 476
The numbers can be subdivided further using a decimal point and additional numbers after the point. The more numbers, the more specific the classification, e.g. 930.1 Archaeology, 930.16 History Archaeology Iron age
After the numbers you will usually find 3 letters - either the first 3 letters of the author's surname or the title of the book, e.g. 930.1 GIL.
Many of the Archaeology books are found in the 900-930 section, but depending on the exact nature of the material, you may well find relevant books in other sections of the library.
Pamphlets are short printed works, typically less than 50 pages. They tend to get lost or misfiled if kept in the main book sequence. Instead they are organised in pamphlet boxes at the end of each of the broad Dewey classes.
Pamphlets in the archaeology subject area (900s) are located in boxes at the end of the 900-999 sequence on Level +1 at the Forum end of the library floor.
Oversize books are large books which do not fit on the normal shelves.
As with pamphlets, you'll find them at the end of each broad Dewey class. So oversize books in the 900s, are found at the end of the 900-999 sequence on Level +1 at the Forum end of the library floor.
You can tell from the classmark/call number on the Library Search catalogue whether an item is a standard book and will be in the main sequence and whether an item is an oversize or pamphlet item so that you need to look in those sections. The table below illustrates how the differing sized items are reflected on the catalogue.
| Location | Call No. | Loan Type | Status | |
| Standard Book | Forum Library | Standard | Available | |
| Oversize Book | Forum Library | Standard | Available | |
| Pamphlet | Forum Library | Standard | Available |
To find the pamphlets and oversize sections, walk to the end of the 900-999 shelf sequence - this will take you to the Forum end of the Library, Level +1.
It is important to plan your search strategy, and manage your search results so that you get the most from your online searching.
Keep a record of all the material you need to cite in your assignments, papers, projects etc.
Use the Search Techniques and Referencing guidance to assist you.
As you search you need to keep track of all the material you will be using in your academic work so that you can cite and reference it appropriately.
Always check your module handbook for specific departmental guidance on the style required for your assessed works and dissertations. Check with your personal tutor or dissertation supervisor if you need clarification.
For more guidance take a look at:
Find out more about the skills support available to help you develop a range of study skills including essay writing, referencing, critical reading and getting the most out of lectures.
Sage Research Methods Online (SRMO) is a great resource to use when you are planning and conducting your research.
It is targeted at social science researchers but is useful across all subject areas as it covers key research methodology topics that are applicable across the research spectrum.
Sage have produced a comprehensive LibGuide to help you get the best from the resource.
If you are a dissertation student, at some point in your research, you may need to access resources held outside of the university library collections.
The library offers a number of services to help you access these materials. Find out more by exploring the guides below.
