Review (PDF) The Human Past: World Prehistory And The Development Of Human Societies (Second Edition)
The Human Past has established itself as the most authoritative introduction to social, cultural, and economic developments in human prehistory. Using a regional and chronological framework, this groundbreaking book highlights the enormous diversity of human experience and the ways in which archaeologists are able to learn about it. Professor Chris Scarre has seamlessly integrated the work of an international team of archaeologists from North America, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand. The result is a unique textbook that engagingly and comprehensively embraces the entire expanse of human prehistory while also offering the most up-to-date accounts of separate regions and periods by the leading specialists in these areas. There are hundreds of maps, diagrams, and photographs, many in full color, as well as timelines and boxes on key sites, methods, discoveries, and controversies. For the second edition, the text has been thoroughly updated to include recent discoveries and new interpretations from around the world. The coverage of archaeology in the Middle East is expanded to include the Jiroft excavations in Iran and the Late Bronze Age in Qatna, Syria. The Americas section includes new dates for Clovis sites and new information on Kennewick man. There is also a new discussion on the link between climate change in Mesoamerica and the many historical changes: the Classic Maya collapse, in particular. 770 illustrations, 219 in color
Paperback: 784 pages
Publisher: Thames & Hudson; 2 edition (June 29, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0500287813
ISBN-13: 978-0500287811
Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 1.2 x 11 inches
Shipping Weight: 4.2 pounds
Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
Best Sellers Rank: #412,283 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #124 in Books > History > Ancient Civilizations > Prehistory #245 in Books > Textbooks > Social Sciences > Archaeology #638 in Books > Textbooks > Humanities > History > Ancient
The Human Past is an indispensable guide to world prehistory & introductory archaeological methods. It is an edited volume with each chapter written by one or two experts focusing on a particular region/time period. The result is that each individual chapter is a stand-alone synthetic treatment of, for example, the prehistory/archaeology of Holocene Europe or South Asia. Equal treatment seems to be given to both New and Old World developments, a quality many other World Prehistory Textbooks lack!The timelines & maps in each chapter allow a comparative perspective both geographically and temporally. It is visually pleasing, logically laid out, and relatively inexpensive as far as introductory textbooks go. In my opinion, this book has a place on any Anthropology undergraduate or graduate student's bookshelf!
Bought this book for a class on World Archaeology. As an anthropologist I was intrigued by it, but there was way too much fluff. Could definitely have been condensed and edited better.
The first half of the book (covering up to about 50000BC) reads like a dictionary of archaeological sites, which makes it frustrating to read. However, the author(s) are so thorough that I can't imagine there is much on the topic of Anthropology that you couldn't find in this book.
Great prehistory textbook for Universities! Are you a fan of being a sapien? This book could clue you in to your past, and the hominid evolutionary timeline and much more.
Very dense material, not well-organized (in my humble opinion), difficult to find what information you're looking for, and VERY dry. Good luck if your professor assigns you this book and actually makes you read it! Ours at least recognized how dense and impossible this book was to get through and had us work mainly from the notes and scientific articles she posted online.
This book arrived on time or before in the condition listed (used-good). The picture is the exact book which is what I was basing my purchase on. This purchase met all of my expectations.
Deciphering the human history is intriguing. What does that mean? What were they trying to say? Where did they go? Interesting dialogue on subject.
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