What Happened in Prehistory?

Archaeologist Peter N. Peregrine provides a brief, readable, and thorough introduction to world prehistory. Peregrine takes the reader through five major "revolutions" in human life, from the origins of our genus through the emergence of modern cognitive abilities to the development of agriculture, cities, and states, and, finally, into the modern world. Peregrine focuses on broad patterns and processes making this a perfect resource for readers who want a quick, readable overview of the human past.

Peregrine is an award-winning scholar who has conducted archaeological research on five continents during his twenty-five year career. He is currently Professor of Anthropology at Lawrence University and Research Associate for the Human Relations Area Files at Yale University.