Introduction To Prehistory A Systematic Approach

Author : Kenneth L. Feder
Publisher :
ISBN 13 : 9780197667699
Total Pages : 0 pages
Book Rating : 4.6/5 (676 download)

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Download or read book The Past in Perspective written by Kenneth L. Feder and published by . This book was released on 2025 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Preface Wait. You're reading this? You're reading the Preface? Huh? I mean, nothing in here is going to be on the test. If I were you, I'd skip this and get to the good stuff starting in Chapter 1. But if you really want to know, here's the deal for this new edition. Mid-twentieth-century British author L. P. Hartley begins his novel The Go-Between with the now-iconic phrase: "The past is a foreign country: they do things differently there." Now, in the context of that book, Hartley's reference is to an elderly man inspired to think about the trajectory of his own life while going through some of his old junk. I am not the first person to use Hartley's phrase as a metaphor for the broader pursuit of historians and archaeologists who, through reference to the old junk in the world's attic or basement, think about the trajectory of the broader human story. Indeed, the human past is like a foreign country where things are done differently than they are in the present. In this book we will visit that foreign country. I will be your tour guide. Keep your arms and legs inside the vehicle at all times. The Past in Perspective: An Introduction to Human Prehistory focuses on the dim echoes of the human past, presenting an accessible chronicle of human physical and cultural evolution. The readers of this text are undergraduates with no previous coursework in archaeology; for many it will be their only academic exposure to our prehistoric past and considering what's freely available about the human past on cable and YouTube, that presents a heavy burden to the textbook author. Rather than overwhelm beginning students with an all-inclusive, detailed, or encyclopedic survey of human antiquity, this text focuses on the major themes of the human evolutionary story. It begins with the evolution of our earliest hominin ancestors, traces the evolution of the modern human species, and follows the various pathways our ancestors took in the development of food-producing societies and complex civilizations. My goal throughout is to instil in readers an appreciation for the long chronicle of humanity and the ongoing processes we use to construct and assess that story. HOW THE TEXT IS ORGANIZED Chapters 1 and 2 provide context and background for the discussion of human prehistory. Chapter 1 places the study of the human past in the context of science, specifically the science of anthropology. Chapter 1 also explains how a scientific approach to the study of prehistory developed. Chapter 2 is a brief overview of key methodologies employed by archaeologists and paleoanthropologists in their study of the human past. It represents a brief introduction to archaeology. Following these introductory chapters, Chapters 3 through 14 go on to present a chronological survey of the human past. Each chapter follows a consistent format with these headings: Prelude, Chronicle, Issues and Debates, Messages From the Past, Case Study Close-up, Summary, and To Learn More. A consistent format provides a pedagogical advantage, and the trajectory of human physical and cultural evolution becomes far more apparent and connected. What we know, what we don't know, and what are still topics of vigorous debate will be clear to the reader. I hope the consistent format makes it easier to follow the stories told in the book. The PRELUDE represents a conscious attempt on my part to provide a pedagogical "hook" for each chapter. Personal anecdotes or fascinating historical incidents, for example, immediately engage students in the key issue or issues of the chapter, whether it is upright locomotion, the origins of artistic expression, or the power of ancient civilizations"--