Overview

This book provides a concise overview of human prehistory. It shows how an understanding of the distant past offers new perspectives on present-day challenges facing our species - and how we can build a sustainable future for all life on planet Earth. Deborah Barsky tells a fascinating story of the long-term evolution of human culture and provides up-to-date examples from the archaeological record to illustrate the different phases of human history. Barsky also presents a refreshing and original analysis about issues plaguing modern globalized society, such as racism, institutionalized religion, the digital revolution, human migrations, terrorism, and war. Written in an accessible and engaging style, Human Prehistory is aimed at an introductory-level audience. Students will acquire a comprehensive understanding of the interdisciplinary, scientific study of human prehistory, as well as the theoretical interpretations of human evolutionary processes that are used in contemporary archaeological practice. Definitions, tables, and illustrations accompany the text.

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9781316515426

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Reviews

'Barsky's groundbreaking book is of enormous importance to researchers in a wide range of disciplines who are concerned with the impact of technology, for good and for ill, on human bio-cultural evolution. The book is a major contribution to our understanding of this evolution and its implications for the 'progressive divorce from nature' that our cultural and technological development has entailed.' Paul J. Thibault, professor in linguistics and communication studies, University of Agder, Kristiansand, Norway 'Hitherto, not since Gordon Childe's Man Makes Himself (1951 (1936)) has a book on prehistory and archaeology highlighted its author's concerns about those contemporary environmental and societal concerns that colour debates over the forseeable future that upcoming generations will inherit. Those generations deserve this book.' M. Walker, Antiquity 'Human Prehistory: Exploring the Past to Understand the Future, is a testament to the fundamental importance of the past.' Brad Lepper, The Columbus Dispatch 'Deborah Barsky's book is a valiant, welcome attempt to stimulate the general public to take an interest in prehistory.' Michael J. Walker, Antiquity

'Barsky's groundbreaking book is of enormous importance to researchers in a wide range of disciplines who are concerned with the impact of technology, for good and for ill, on human bio-cultural evolution. The book is a major contribution to our understanding of this evolution and its implications for the 'progressive divorce from nature' that our cultural and technological development has entailed.' Paul J. Thibault, professor in linguistics and communication studies, University of Agder, Kristiansand, Norway 'Hitherto, not since Gordon Childe's Man Makes Himself (1951 (1936)) has a book on prehistory and archaeology highlighted its author's concerns about those contemporary environmental and societal concerns that colour debates over the forseeable future that upcoming generations will inherit. Those generations deserve this book.' M. Walker, Antiquity

Author Information

Deborah Barsky is a lithic specialist, archaeologist, and researcher at The Catalan Institute of Human Paleoecology and Social Evolution and assistant professor with the UOC (Universitat Obert de Catalunya) in the History and Art History Department at the Universitat Rovira I Virgili in Tarragona, Spain.  Engaged in research projects on archaeological sites throughout the world, she has published numerous works in books and scholarly journals.

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