This page presents a list of specialized subject encyclopedias. These are an excellent starting point for research. Articles include background information, identify issues, and provide selected bibliographies that list other sources recommended by an expert in the field.
Your professor may have told you not to use encyclopedias as sources for your projects. It is true that general encyclopedias such as Wikipedia or Britannica are usually not considered appropriate sources for research papers. Subject encyclopedias are different: the articles are written by experts on the subject selected because of their specific expertise. The articles provide the background information you will need to begin your subject as well as short bibliographies of important works recommended by the author.
Cambridge Encyclopedia of Archaeology by 
Encyclopedia of Food and Culture by 
Encyclopedia of Latin American History and Culture by 
Encyclopedia of the Ancient World by 
Encyclopedia of Women in the Ancient World by 
Women in the Middle Ages by 
