Course Description
This course is an overview of world prehistory, including human biological and cultural evolution, from our first bipedal ancestors to the emergence of cities and states. It uses the archaeological record to trace human biological and cultural developments in different parts of the world. The course represents a travel through time from the origins of the human species, to hunter-gatherer adaptations, to the development of agriculture, social inequalities, and ultimately the rise of complex social and political systems in both the Old and New World. Students will learn about specific cultural sequences in particular regions and evaluate commonalities, as well as differences, between these prehistoric societies. Students will also gain insights into what archaeology and biological anthropology are and how they obtain information that leads to reconstructions of past lifeways.
Required Text
Scarre, Chris (ed.) 2018. The Human Past: World Prehistory and the Development of Human Societies. Fourth edition. Thames & Hudson, London. ISBN: 978-0-500-29335-5
Additional Readings
All other readings and materials will be made available through Canvas.