Chapter 5 introduces the reader to the remarkable world of the Neandertal, discussing some of the most controversial issues relating to this species of Homo: its emergence, lifeways and ultimate extinction. It introduces cutting-edge ideas about how the probable encounters between Neandertals and anatomically modern humans, also present in the same timeframe and territories, might have been.

Chapter 3 discusses bipedalism and stone toolmaking, considered the two first major milestones in the so-called "hominization process." The hominin record is succinctly explained with an overview of the contexts in which the first bipedal ancestors developed in Africa with a discussion of how and why first technologies might have emerged.

Chapter 1 introduces some of the basic notions of human prehistory, defining evolutionary theory, culture and the historical aspects of archeological consciousness. The chapter explains the Quaternary Period as the setting for the evolution of the genus Homo, ending with the Anthropocene, which is the first geological period to be defined on the basis of humanly induced modifications to the Earth’s ecosystems, affecting climate and geological strata.

Chapter 10 allows for reflection on the present condition of humanity from an evolutionary perspective. This unique, long-term viewpoint clearly shows how the invention and evolution of technology and its related, falsely created land-linked cultural affinities have finally led the human species to an angst-ridden condition of alienation from Nature.

The Introduction provides an overview of the book’s thirteen chapters, outlining its main goal: to explain the basic notions of prehistoric archeology and its important role in helping us to gain a better understanding of the modern-day human condition. The structure of the book is exposed in five main parts. The first part (Chapters 1 and 2) defines prehistoric archeology and the different fields of knowledge integrated into its multidisciplinary scope. The second part (Chapters 3 through 5) explores the evolutionary indicators of what it means to be human, providing a concise geographical and chronological framework using examples from the archeology. The third part (Chapters 6 and 7) focuses on the technosocial evolutionary processes leading up to Homo sapiens, the last surviving hominin on the planet. The fourth part (Chapters 8 through 12) applies the concepts explained in the previous chapters to consider how the most challenging issues facing modern humanity today are elucidated by viewing them through the lens of prehistoric archeology. The fifth and final part (Chapter 13) concludes the book with a lucid interpretation of the significant role played by prehistoric archeology and evolutionary theory in the modern world.

Chapter 8 examines how millennia of accrued technological know-how, experimentation and curiosity enabled humanity to develop the first metallurgy, exploring the founding of important trade networks. The key role of symbolic communication networking is discussed as an influencing factor in the emergence of writing as a breakthough that finally enabled ideas to transcend time.

Chapter 13 chapter synthesizes the reasoning developed throughout the book, discussing the important role played by human prehistory in understanding the challenges facing modern-day humans in a globalized world of rapidly developing technologies in an increasingly virtual existence.

Chapter 9 discusses climate change, past, present and future: What is the real role of humanity in global warming and how do actual climatic trends differ from those of the past? Using key archeological sites with long stratigraphic records assists in providing a better understanding these phenomena.

Chapter 12 applies what we have learned from prehistory to explain why religions exist and how they emerged and persisted into the present day even while their precepts are clearly contrary to all that we have learned from science. Looking at the present human challenges of warfare and terrorism from an evolutionary standpoint helps readers to better understand and deal with the problems of our modern globalized world.

Chapter 2 explains the multidisciplinary nature of prehistoric archeology, providing an overview of many of the disciplines and explaining their basic applications in the field. It describes how archeological data is amassed and interpreted in ever-more efficient ways thanks to constantly evolving modern technologies.