Kenneth A. Sheedy and Gillan Davis (editors), Metallurgy in Numismatics 6. Mines, Metals, and Money: Ancient World Studies in Science, Archaeology and History.
pp. xii + 326, 396 illus., including one folding map in colour. 0-901405-37-X
Royal Numismatic Society Special Publication no. 56.
Distributed by Spink & Son Ltd.,
69 Southampton Row, Bloomsbury, London, WC1B 4ET

Metallurgy in Numismatics 6. Mines, Metals, and Money: Ancient World Studies in Science, Archaeology and History contains 23 studies on geology and mining in ancient Greece, the manufacture and metallurgy of ancient Greek coins and the analysis and conservation of these coins. In the tradition of the Metallurgy in Numismatics series, the chapters collectively place numismatics within an interdisciplinary context. The volume uses the framework of behavioural archaeology to explore the life history and technology of coin manufacture and subsequent use, both ancient and modern. It covers topics ranging from the geological forces which created ores to mining, manufacture, loss and excavation through a broad range of scientific and numismatic techniques used to analyse and conserve coins.

A key strength is the inclusion of contributions from leading international scholars translated into English. These provide access to French, German and Greek scholarship to an English-speaking audience, all with extensive bibliographies. The book will be of interest to historians, archaeologists, numismatists and others wanting a good understanding of the role and state of numismatics presented in an holistic and easily comprehensible format.

Kenneth Sheedy is the founding director (2000-) of the Australian Centre for Ancient Numismatic Studies at Macquarie University, Sydney and a member of the teaching staff of this university's Department of History and Archaeology where is an associate professor. He is the author of The Archaic and Early Classical Coinages of the Cyclades, Royal Numismatic Society SP 40 (London 2006). He was elected a Fellow of the Australian Academy of the Humanities in 2010.

Gillan Davis is the Director of the Program for Ancient Mediterranean Studies at Macquarie University where he teaches ancient Greek history within the Department of History and Archaeology and runs the Ancient Israel Program including organising its annual excavations. He is the Managing Editor of the Journal of the Numismatic Association of Australia. His main research interests are the political and economic history of Archaic Athens, numismatics and archaeometallurgy as well as ancient communications, in all of which he has published extensively.

Price: £50 (Fellows of the Royal Numismatic Society: £33). To order: visit
Metallurgy in Numismatics 6 - Mines, Metals, and Money: Ancient World Studies in Science, Archaeology and History (RNS Special Publication 56) by Kenneth A Sheedy and Gillian Davis (editors)(http://www.spinkbooks.com/index.php?route=product/product&path=59/&product_id=752)