A brief and original prehistory of the world

Prehistory covers human existence before written records, which constitutes the largest part of human history. It also refers to the science that studies prehistory. Prehistory begins with the discovery of a distant human past and the subsequent dramatic development of its study: early archaeological excavations, geology, Darwin's ideas on evolution, cave paintings, discoveries of human ancestor fossils, museums and collections, radiocarbon dating, and DNA analysis.

Renfrew challenges the traditional hypothesis regarding a definitive 'human revolution' 40,000 years ago - when Homo Sapiens first appeared in Europe - and suggests that significant developments occurred much later. The author's case studies cover a wide range, from Orkney to the Balkans, from the Indus Valley to Peru, from Ireland to China, providing new perspectives on iconic monuments such as the Egyptian pyramids, the Valley of the Kings, Stonehenge, and the sacrificial pyramids in Teotihuacán, Mexico. The book concludes with an interesting chapter on the transition from Prehistory to History, as well as early writing systems.

Pages: 272, Year of Publication: 1101, Dimensions: 19.9x19.9cm