The Archaeology of Hollywood is a light-hearted investigation of a magical era that is more a state of mind than a compact physical place. It is instead a group of five zones that reflect the material culture (that’s what archaeology is all about) of the film business from its Los Angeles origins in the early 20th century. There is the “industrial zone,” the studios where films are produced. The residential areas of Beverly Hills, Bel Air, etc. are where the wealth and power of the participants are on display. The “play areas” are for rest and recreation and include restaurants, bars, and nightclubs. “Ritual areas” include public relics of the movie cult, like sidewalk stars and footprints in cement. Lastly, there are the cemeteries where the graves provide clues to the status of the elite. Hollywood burial practices are a key element of the archaeological record.
Noted freelance British archaeologist Paul Bahn has assembled all of these themes in a very readable volume that examines the material remains of the film culture. Sadly, much of these remains are disappearing, and the author makes an urgent and poignant plea for preservation before it is too late. —Mark Michel
