One of the debates within Archaeology today concerns the use of ancient texts to help understand archaeological finds. To many observers, the idea of archaeology existing without the use of ancient texts to understand the material finds seems pointless, but to a new generation of archaeologists, the use of texts is redundant and the finds stand on their own merit. 

James Strange, University of South Florida discusses this issue in the accompanying video. Strange was recorded at the annual meeting of ASOR (American Schools of Oriental Research) in San Diego, November 2007.