Clearly laid out and fully illustrated, this is the only comprehensive book on the subject at an introductory level. Perfect as a practical reference book for professional and students who work with excavated materials, and as an introduction for those training as archaeological conservators.
I really wish we had studied this in my undergrad. It was on the periphery of labwork, but was so fascinating to me and would have come in handy during field school. Better late than never I guess.