Krish Seetah has researched butchery in past historical societies for more than 15 years and has established himself as one of the main authorities on the subject. This book, largely based on his doctoral research, consolidates his thinking on the topic, and therefore represents a very useful and important reference text. As Seetah explains in his Preface, he gained first-hand experience of the butchery trade as a teenager, valuable skills and knowledge that he has now brought to archaeology. The author's direct experience of the topic can be perceived throughout the book.

The subject of the book is that of the archaeological evidence of butchery in past historical societies, focusing on its practice through the use of metal—as opposed to stone—tools. Therefore, the period investigated spans from late prehistory to the modern era. The book is divided into two parts, the first dealing with more general theoretical concerns and current approaches, while the second focuses on the archaeological evidence.

The first two chapters provide introductory thoughts on the subject; Chapter 3, the most theoretical, discusses issues such as the application of Middle-range theory to butchery interpretation, the chaîne opératoire approach, the role of ethnography and the dilemma concerning whether butchery should be classified as taphonomy or not. Using social and ethnographic studies, Chapter 4 focuses on the role and perception of the butcher in world religion and beyond. The different ways in which the technological aspects of butchery can be interpreted in light of analogical comparisons are discussed in Chapter 5. The author identifies three main factors affecting the butchery process: demand, carcass morphology and the sequence of dismemberment. Part I concludes with a discussion of the tools of the trade (Chapter 6).

Part II begins with a chapter that surveys zooarchaeological interpretations of butchery evidence and that raises questions about the formulation of these interpretations. This topic is further developed in Chapter 8, which also postulates that what we record as archaeologists is a ‘process’ rather than simply a ‘mark’ on the bone. Chapter 9 is more methodological and proposes a potential convention for the recording of butchery marks; this represents one of the most valuable parts of the book for practice. An application of that methodology can be found in Chapter 10, which summarises fascinating evidence from Roman and medieval Britain, with a special focus on Roman Cirencester. Chapter 11 represents a continuation of the case studies, placing their interpretations into a broader context. The claim by the author that he “paid scant attention to the raw data” (p. 212) may well leave some readers, including this reviewer, slightly perplexed, as the book is rich in evidence. Is this perhaps intended as a nod to post-processualism? Chapter 12 provides general conclusions and discusses the possibilities for future research.

Readers seeking a handbook for the study of butchery in archaeology will be disappointed, although sections of the book may, indeed, fit that category. Rather, the volume charts the author's journey in discovering and exploring this field of study, as well as an interpretation of its value and potential for aiding our understanding of the human past. It is, in that respect, a fascinating book to read, full of interesting evidence and considerations. It is not, however, a particularly easy text to dip into in search of specific guidance or information.

A central concern of the author is the dilemma regarding the relationship between the collection of evidence and the understanding of human behaviour that underpins the archaeological record. This is a question that applies to all aspects of archaeology, and the conceptual argument does not introduce new thinking to the debate. It does, however, have the merit of making us consider the broader issues associated with archaeological interpretation and how they apply, in particular, to butchery evidence.

The book is nicely produced and well written, and it has many useful black and white illustrations, although I would have liked to have seen a more systematic illustration of the types of butchery marks included in the methods chapter. It is expensive, but no more than we have got used to in academic publishing; it will hopefully be available in paperback in the future. I strongly recommend this volume as a useful source for our understanding of an important human activity that has contributed greatly to defining the character of past human communities.