Since the early 20th century the study of Anglo-Saxon texts has been augmented by excavation and analysis of physical evidence. This evidence has confirmed some readings of the Anglo-Saxon literary and documentary sources and challenged others. More recently, large-scale excavations, the application of computer methods to data, new techniques for site identification, and new dating methods have put archaeology at the forefront of Anglo-Saxon studies. The Handbook of Anglo-Saxon Archaeology, written by a team of experts and presenting the results of up-to-date research, will support further investigation into those aspects of Anglo-Saxon life and culture which archaeology has illuminated. It will prove an essential resourse for our understanding of a society poised at the interface between prehistory and history.