The Archaeology of Prehistoric Arabia
The Archaeology of Prehistoric Arabia
£97.00
GBPEncompassing a landmass greater than the rest of the Near East and Eastern Mediterranean combined, the Arabian peninsula remains one of the last great unexplored regions of the ancient world. This book provides the first extensive coverage of the archaeology of this region from c.9000 to 800 BC. Peter Magee argues that a unique social system, which relied on social cohesion and actively resisted the hierarchical structures of adjacent states, emerged during the Neolithic and continued to contour society for millennia later. The book also focuses on how the historical context in which Near Eastern archaeology was codified has led to a skewed understanding of the multiplicity of lifeways pursued by ancient peoples living throughout the Middle East.
- Provides the first detailed analysis of the archaeology of Arabia, covering a land mass greater than Turkey, Syria, Iraq, Egypt, Palestine, Lebanon, Israel, Cyprus, Greece, and Italy combined
- Examines the adaptation of humans to Arabia's environment and the eventual formation of a unique society that flourished for millennia
- Builds upon two decades of field research by the author
Reviews & endorsements
'… it will be difficult to find a more comprehensive book on the topic, combining the presentation of the latest research with stimulating and prospective thoughts.' Antiquity
'Magee's book sheds light on the various topics of current debate; moreover, the author proposes a personal vision grounded in his own research and in sustained and objective analysis of the findings of other research groups … [A] courageous and quite successful attempt at a synthesis of the archaeology of Arabia.' Bulletin de la Société préhistorique française
'Part of the Cambridge World Archaeology series, this useful book aims to provide a definitive overview of the social formation of Arabia from the Neolithic to the Iron Age (7000 BC to 800 BC) for professional archaeologists and students.' David Millar, World Archaeology Magazine
Product details
April 2014Adobe eBook Reader
9781139989312
0 pages
0kg
97 b/w illus. 21 maps
This ISBN is for an eBook version which is distributed on our behalf by a third party.
Table of Contents
- 1. Arabia and the study of the ancient Near East
- 2. Ecological and environmental diversity in Arabia
- 3. The formation of Arabian society:
- 7000 to 3000 BC
- 4. Eastern Arabia from 3000 to 2000 BC
- 5. The Bronze Age in western Arabia
- 6. Eastern Arabia from 2000 to 1300 BC
- 7. Humans, dromedaries, and the transformation of ancient Arabia
- 8. Intensification and consolidation: Arabia from 1300 to 800 BC
- 9. Expansion and engagement: Arabia and the ancient Near East
- 10. Adaptation and social formation in ancient Arabia.
