The Human Past: World Prehistory & the Development of Human Societies - Tapa blanda

'Brings global prehistory ... within easy reach not only of students but also of scholars ... Lavishly illustrated with well-chosen figures ... A magnificent achievement' - Leendert P. Louwe Kooijmans, Leiden University 'Brings alive world archaeology in an exciting, accessible and informative way that makes it by far the best introduction available. Written by a galaxy of experts, it is copiously and imaginatively illustrated, as well as up-to-date in terms of both ideas and evidence' - Cyprian Broodbank, Institute of Archaeology, University College London 'A magnificent achievement ... Chris Scarre has brought together a brilliant international team to provide the most up-to-date overview of world prehistory. The Human Past is absolutely essential reading for all students of archaeology' - Barry Cunliffe, University of Oxford

The Human Past has established itself as the most thorough and authoritative introductory survey of human prehistory and the development of civilizations around the globe, adopted by colleges and universities worldwide. With a clear and logical framework, and written by an international team of 24 acknowledged experts, this unique textbook provides a comprehensive overview of world prehistory through a series of chapters focusing on individual regions and time periods that presents the vast panorama of human social, cultural and economic development over the past three million years. This new edition has been completely revised and updated, with more colour illustrations, to take account of new discoveries and developments, including what the analysis of ancient DNA tells us about our evolution; the latest theories about the domestication of key plants and animals, including rice and maize; and new thinking on the earliest Paleoindian hunting strategies.

Table of Contents

Introduction: The Study of the Human Past
Part 1 - The Evolution of Humanity (6 million to 11,500 years ago)
African Origins
Hominin Dispersals in the Old World
The Rise of Modern Humans
Part 2 - After the Ice (11,500 years ago to the early Civilizations)
The World Transformed: From Foragers and Farmers to States and Empires
From Foragers to Complex Societies in Southwest Asia
East Asian Agriculture and its Impact
Australia and the Pacific Basin During the Holocene
Origins of Food-producing Economies in the Americas
Holocene Africa
Holocene Europe
Peoples and Complex Societies in Ancient Southwest Asia
The Mediterranean World
South Asia: From Early Villages to Buddhism
Complex Societies of East and Southeast Asia
Mesoamerican Cuivilization
From Village to Empire in South America
Complex Societies of North America
The Human Past: Retrospect and Prospect
Glossary, Bibliography, Index