The novelty of this publication lies primarily in its concept: the dictionary is aimed for practical use during fieldwork, which is to say direct communication with other scholars. Accordingly, the author's aim was to select and include in the dictionary terms that are most widely used in the practical language of archaeologists. The dictionary also contains words that are absolutely necessary for communication in the field (i.e. names of tools, human bones, materials, etc.) as well as popular archaeological jargon. The structure of the dictionary is similar to that of phrase books in that it helps the user not only find the translation of a term, but also a phonetic transcription and pronunciation. The small size and pocket format ensure that the book is easy to use in the field.
In this newly revised (2007) version, the author has greatly expanded both the number and length of entries. Continuing to focus on the practical language of archaeologists, this edition has additional terms describing architecture, conservation, ancient glass and pottery, along with the names of tools, human bones, materials, numismatics, popular archaeological jargon, and measuring systems. Translations are accompanied by phonetic transcription and pronunciation. The guide still fits easily into a pocket, providing an invaluable resource for communicating with scholars and students in the field.