Reading Medieval Ruins: Urban Life and Destruction in Sixteenth-Century Japan: Morgan Pitelka, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2022, xiv, 223 pp. + bibliography, index, ISBN 978-1-00906-997-7 pb, https://www.cambridge.org/au/universitypress/subjects/history/east-asian-history/reading-medieval-ruins-urban-life-and-destruction-sixteenth-century-japan?format=PB

The book "Reading Medieval Ruins: Urban Life and Destruction in Sixteenth-Century Japan" by Morgan Pitelka explores the archaeological site of Ichijōdani, a sixteenth-century urban center in Japan. Pitelka argues that the material culture found at Ichijōdani has not been fully utilized as a historical source and challenges the traditional narrative of the Sengoku period as a time of constant warfare and destruction. The book examines various aspects of Ichijōdani, including its layout, material culture, political power, religious activities, and sociocultural production. Pitelka also discusses the destruction of Ichijōdani and its representation in the Ichijōdani Asakura Family Site History Museum. The book offers new insights into the Sengoku period and highlights the need for interdisciplinary collaboration in studying medieval Japan. [Extracted from the article]