For courses in Introduction to Archaeology, World Prehistory, Human Antiquity, Archaeology, and a supplement for courses in Introduction to Anthropology and Physical Anthropology.
Written by one of the leading archaeological writers in the world―in a simple, jargon-free narrative style―this brief, well-illustrated account of the major developments in the human past (from the origins of humanity to the origins of literate civilization) makes world prehistory uniquely accessible to complete beginners. Up-to-date and state-of-the-art in content and perspective, it covers the entire world (not just the Americas or Europe), placing major emphasis on both theories and the latest archaeological and multidisciplinary approaches. The main focus is on four major developments―the origins of humanity; the appearance and spread of modern humans before and during the late Ice Age, including the first settlement of the Americas; the beginnings of food production; and the rise of the first civilizations.
Brian Fagan is one of the leading archaeological writers in the world and an internationally recognized authority on world prehistory. He studied archaeology and anthropology at Pembroke College, Cambridge University, and then spent seven years in sub-Saharan Africa working in museums and in monuments conservation and excavating early farming sites in Zambia and East Africa. He was one of the pioneers of multidisciplinary African history in the 1960s. Since 1967, he has been Professor and Emeritus Professor of Anthropology at the University of California, Santa Barbara, where he has specialized in lecturing and writing about archaeology to wide audiences.
Professor Fagan has written several best-selling textbooks: Ancient Lives: An Introduction to Archaeology and Prehistory; In the Beginning, 11/E (with Christopher DeCorse); Archaeology: A Brief Introduction, 8/E; People of the Earth: An Introduction to World Prehistory, 11 /E; Ancient Civilizations (with Chris Scarre); and this volume―all published by Prentice Hall―which are used around the world. His general books include The Rape of the Nile, a classic history of Egyptology; The Adventure of Archaeology; Time Detectives; Floods, Famines, and Emperors: El Nino and the Fate of Civilizations; and The Long Summer. He is General Editor of the Oxford Companion to Archaeology. In addition, he has published several scholarly monographs on African archaeology and numerous specialized articles in national and international journals. He is also an expert on multimedia teaching and has received the Society for American Archaeology's first Public Education Award for his indefatigable efforts on behalf of archaeology and education.
Brian Fagan's other interests include bicycling, sailing, kayaking, and good food. He is married and lives in Santa Barbara with his wife and daughter, four cats (who supervise his writing), and last but not last, five rabbits.
