Brian Fagan is an archaeologist and anthropologist whose work delves into the broad sweep of human prehistory. He skillfully blends traditional cultural history with newer approaches in his accessible writings, crafting compelling historical narratives from archaeological data and interdisciplinary sources. Fagan champions multidisciplinary perspectives and is dedicated to bringing archaeology to a wider audience through his engaging lectures and media contributions. His distinctive style makes complex historical subjects understandable and captivating for all readers.
Offering a global perspective, this introduction to human prehistory spans 3 million years, from the origins of humanity to the emergence of pre-industrial civilizations. It is designed for beginners, featuring a jargon-free style that balances theoretical insights with engaging descriptions, making complex concepts accessible and relatable.
The narrative explores the prehistory of humankind, tracing our evolution from origins over 3 million years ago to the emergence of the first pre-industrial states around 5,000 years ago. It delves into the development of early societies, cultural practices, and the significant milestones that shaped human history during this expansive time frame.
A gripping account of 200 years of archaeological research, excavation and thought, told through the life stories of 70 of the world's greatest pioneers and practitioners. Brian Fagan has assembled a team of some of the world's greatest living archaeologists to write knowledgeably and entertainingly about their distinguished predecessors. Full of fascinating anecdotes, personal accounts and unexpected insights, this comprehensively illustrated book encompasses more than two centuries of research and excavation round the globe. Controversial figures such as Heinrich Schliemann of Troy fame, and Aurel Stein, plunderer of ancient manuscripts from Central Asia, are reassessed. Little-known pioneers - for example, Max Uhle in Peru and Li Chi in China - are set beside the giants in the field: Lepsius, Mariette and Carter in Egypt; Koldewey, Dörpfeld and Woolley in the Near East; Stephens and Catherwood, discoverers of the Maya of Mexico; and Louis and Mary Leakey, who transformed knowledge of our African ancestry. Other indomitable women here include Gertrude Bell, explorer of Arabia and Iraq, Kathleen Kenyon, the excavator of Jericho, and the script-decipherer Tatiana Proskouriakoff.
Archaeology: The Basics, rewritten for this fourth edition, is a short, engaging book takes the reader on a journey through the fascinating world of archaeology and archaeologists.
Classical Times to the Twenty-First Century
Focusing on the evolution of archaeology, this book explores early excavations and the discipline's transformation into a multidisciplinary science. It highlights the modernization of excavation techniques in the twentieth century and showcases significant discoveries that reshaped our understanding of human societal development.
World Prehistory: The Basics tells the compelling story of human prehistory, from our African origins to the spectacular pre-industrial civilizations and cities of the more recent past.
An important new primer on the significance and relevance of archaeology.
Pulling back the covers on the fascinating, yet often forgotten, history of the bed "If you thought that your bed was only good for sleeping in, having sex in, or dying in, then this book will disabuse you--in fact, it's so entertaining, it will keep you awake long into the night."--Paul Chrystal, author of In Bed with the Ancient Greeks and In Bed with the Romans Louis XIV ruled France from his bedchamber. Winston Churchill governed Britain from his during World War II. Travelers routinely used to bed down with complete strangers, and whole families shared beds in many preindustrial households. Beds were expensive items--and often for show. Tutankhamun was buried on a golden bed, wealthy Greeks were sent to the afterlife on dining beds, and deceased middle-class Victorians were propped up on a bed in the parlor. In this sweeping social history that covers the past seventy thousand years, Brian Fagan and Nadia Durrani look at the endlessly varied role of the bed through time. This was a place for sex, death, childbirth, storytelling, and sociability as well as sleeping. But who did what with whom, why, and how could vary incredibly depending on the time and place. It is only in the modern era that the bed has transformed into a private, hidden zone, and its rich social history has largely been forgotten.
The thrilling history of archaeological adventure, with tales of danger, debate, audacious explorers, and astonishing discoveries around the globe
Fagan (Emeritus, Anthropology/Univ. of California, Santa Barbara; The Attacking Ocean: The Past, Present, and Future of Rising Sea Levels , 2013, etc.) brings consummate skill to this frequently horrifying study of humanity's interaction with animals . . . His analysis, however, is sound, the product of an accomplished archaeological and anthropological background. Though reminding us of the cruelties still visited upon animals and insisting that we respect them anew--not merely as pets or idealized creatures of the wild--Fagan offers no resolutions to our conflicting attitudes toward them, but his compelling, cohesive book calls for further enlightenment. starred review, Best Books of 2015 Kirkus