In the Beginning: An Introduction to Archaeology (13th Edition)

Fagan, Brian M.; Durrani, Nadia

3.63

49 ratings by Goodreads

9780205966585: In the Beginning: An Introduction to Archaeology (13th Edition)

ISBN 10: 0205966586 ISBN 13: 9780205966585

Publisher: Pearson, 2013

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Demonstrates the importance of archaeology today

In the Beginning: An Introduction to Archaeology presents the history and methods of archaeology and explores its significance today. The text introduces archeology's basic principles along with numerous examples from all over the world. Authors Brian Fagan and Nadia Durrani provide a comprehensive summary of the field for people who have little or no experience.

Features:

Provides A Comprehensive Overview – Readers gain a broad understanding of archaeology, including its interdisciplinary nature, major scientific contributions, international research, and methods and theories. A special chapter covers career opportunities in archaeology. A new organization moves archaeological theory to the beginning, so readers can develop a deeper understanding of this field.
Offers an Engaging Introduction – The jargon-free narrative provides an accessible introduction to the study of archaeology. In the Beginning is now four-color for a livelier and enriching experience.
Explores Significant Historical Events – Seven photo essays titled People of the Past appear throughout the book, covering such luminaries as pharaoh Ramses II and societies like the Cro-Magnons of late Ice Age Europe. Spectacular findings featured in Discovery boxes reflect new developments in archaeology.
Incorporates Fresh Ideas from a New Co-Author – Esteemed colleague, Nadia Durrani, has been brought on board as a co-author. She brings a wealth of field experience in Arabia, Britain, and elsewhere as well as extensive editorial experience as the former Editor of Current World Archaeology, to the team.

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About the Author:

Brian Fagan is one of the world’s leading archaeological writers and an internationally recognized authority on human prehistory. He studied archaeology and anthropology at Pembroke College, Cambridge University, and then spent seven years in sub-Saharan Africa working in museums and in monuments conservation and excavating early farming sites in Zambia and East Africa. He was one of the pioneers of multidisciplinary African history in the 1960s. From 1967 to 2003, he was professor of anthropology at the University of California, Santa Barbara, where he specialized in lecturing and writing about archaeology to wide audiences. He is now Emeritus Professor of Anthropology.
Brian Fagan has written several best-selling textbooks and has published several scholarly monographs on African archaeology and numerous specialized articles in national and international journals. An expert on multimedia teaching, he has received the Society for American Archaeology’s first Public Education Award for his tireless efforts on behalf of archaeology and education
Brian Fagan’s other interests include bicycling, sailing, kayaking, and good food. He is married and lives in Santa Barbara with his wife and daughter, three cats (who supervise his writing), and last but not least, a minimum of seven rabbits.

Nadia Durrani is an archaeologist and writer. For much of the past decade she was the editor of Britain’s best-selling archaeology magazine, Current World Archaeology, becoming an independent editor after the arrival of her son in 2010. She has authored and edited many hundreds of articles on archaeology from every corner of the globe, contributed to dozens of books, and written two.
Throughout her career she has travelled widely --from Peru to Pakistan--to report on the latest archaeological discoveries; worked as a specialist lecturer on archaeological tours to countries including Yemen and Jordan; and contributed to a range of television documentaries.
Her specialist area is Arabian archaeology and, following a degree in archaeology and anthropology from Cambridge University, she took a PhD in South West Arabian archaeology from University College, London (2001). Other research interests include the archaeology of the First World War and she is a founding member of the Great War Archaeology Group. A fellow of the Society of Antiquaries, she lives in London with her husband, Matthew, and son Jacob ‘Caractacus’ Hillier.

Review:

“The organizational scheme of the book is sound, logical, and well done; this is clearly a book that will serve in any introductory archaeology course. The author’s style is comfortable and easy to understand.”

- James L. Fitzsimmons, Middlebury College

“. . . engaging without pandering or writing down to or patronizing the student. The chapter outlines, summaries, and study questions seem spot on.”

- Mary C. Beaudry, Boston University

“Thorough and comprehensive and works well as a basic introductory textbook for beginners in archaeology.”

- Curtis Runnels, Boston University

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