People of the Earth

People of the Earth is a narrative account of the prehistory of humankind from our origins over 3 million years ago to the first pre-industrial civilizations, beginning about 5,000 years ago. This is a global prehistory, which covers prehistoric times in every corner of the world, in a jargon-free style for newcomers to archaeology. Many world histories begin with the first civilizations. This book starts at the beginning of human history and summarizes the latest research into such major topics as human origins, the emergence and spread of modern humans, the first farming, and the origins of civilization.

People is unique in its even balance of the human past, in its readily accessible style, and flowing narrative that carries the reader through the long sweep of our past. Boxes and sidebars describe key dating methods and important archaeological sites. This classic world prehistory sets the standard for books on the subject and is the most widely used...