Quest for the Past: Great Discoveries in Archaeology

"A master storyteller s expert treatment continues to serve students of the subject of archaeology at all levels of investigation. Exciting. Well illustrated. Nicely balanced. Needed humanistic and personal perspective. Fagan s elegant writing style and compelling synthesis of the great discoveries in archaeology make this an outstanding work in the field as well as a student favorite. He throws light on some of the ways in which the founders of archaeology unearthed early civilizations, probed the origins of humankind, and explored the history of non-Western societies.

Each essay serves as an independent description of some of the challenges faced and discoveries made by adventurous pioneers like Austen Henry Layard and trained scientists like Rene Millon and Gertrude Caton-Thompson.

Brian Fagan s work is consistently top quality. His clear, readable yet very detailed writing style and coverage captivate my intro-level students. Elizabeth Mathias, St. Johns University

A great read. Fagan s elegant writing style and compelling synthesis of the great discoveries in archaeology make the book an outstanding work in the field. E. J. Fabyan, Vincennes University

A great book—one that clearly adds the human dimension to introductory archaeology. It also illustrates how the historical circumstances of archaeology have changed, along with the questions we address. George Nicholas, Simon Fraser University