Introduction to World Prehistory

This course is an introduction to World Prehistory. We will survey the archaeological cultures of the world. The course will cover the major prehistoric cultures of the world from human origins in Africa to the peopling of Europe, Asia, and the Americas upto the Spanish Conquest of the Americas.

Class attendance is a requirement and a responsibility. A 3-5 page written report and an oral example based on tow areas of research will be given at the end of the term.

Oral Exam 60%

Written Report 20%

Class Participation 20%

We will use the following books for the course:

Fagan, M. Brian. 1998. World Prehistory: A Brief Introduction, Fourth Edition. Upper New York: Longman.

 

• Major Developments in World Prehistory

• Fossil Evidence of Human Evolution
• The Archaeology of Early Human Behavior

• The Life of Homo erectus (c. 1.9 M-200,000 YA)
• Archaic Homo sapiens (c. 400,000-130,000 YA)
• The Neanderthals (c.150,000-32,000 YA)
• The Origins of Modern Humans (?180,000-150,000YA)
• Out of Tropical Africa

• The Peopling of Southeast Asia and Australia (45,000-15000 YA)
• Hunter-Gatherers of Eurasia (40,000-15,000 YA)
• The Peopling of East Asia (35,00-15,000 YA)
• The First Americans (?before 15,000-9000 BC)

• The Holocene (After 10,000 BC)
• Changes in Forager Societies
• Theories of Origins of Farming
• Consequences of Food Production

• Asia
• Europe
• Africa
• America

• Reciprocity and “Big Men”
• The Pacific
• The American Southwest
• Eastern North America

• Defining State Societies
• Theories of State Origins

• The First Cities

• Dynastic Egyptian Civilization

• Origins of Asian Civilizations

• The Origins of Mayan Civilizations

• Origins of Highland Civilizations

• The Origins of African Civilizations