J. P. Droop (1882–1963) was a classical field archaeologist. After graduating from Trinity College, Cambridge, in 1904 he worked as a field archaeologist for the British School at Athens, and was appointed Chair of Classical Archaeology at Liverpool University in 1914. This volume was intended as a guide to practical archaeological excavation and was first published in 1915 as part of the Cambridge Archaeological and Ethnological series. At the time of publication, archaeology was starting to become a more scientific and academic discipline, as can be seen in Droop's arguments on the importance of archaeological context and knowledge of stratification on site. The development of excavation as a scientifically based practice is shown by the emphasis on planning of the site, in contrast to earlier guides to excavation. This volume provides insights into the development of the theory as well as the practice of archaeology.
