Product Description

This study takes a look at current ideas on the development of the farming economy and is an extremely valuable resource for students of European prehistory.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #180022 in Books
• Published on: 1999-06-24
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 248 pages

From the Back Cover
The development of the farming economy was a key stage in human history. However, despite its crucial role in the growth of human societies, it is still widely misunderstood. This study takes a look at the growing body of information on the late Mesolithic and early Neolithic periods, examining the considerable mass of recent literature and archaeological evidence. It offers a comparative analysis of the current theories surrounding the transition to agriculture by examining social and economic developments. Particular attention is given to the social competition theory of agricultural transition, which is examined in the light of the evidence for hunter-gatherer social complexity.
This clearly written and accessible text provides an extremely valuable picture of a vital period in European prehistory, which saw the transformation of the relationship between people and their environment. Included is much in-depth material on Southern Scandinavia, Britain and Ireland which is set against the primary Near Eastern circumstances and the broader European picture.
For the paperback edition the author has included a new introduction which sets the book in its wider context and provides an update on significant new developments in the various fields covered.