Europe in the Neolithic: The Creation of New Worlds

by Alasdair W.R. Whittle

Book Overview

Dr Whittle reviews the latest archaeological evidence on Neolithic Europe from 7000 to 2500 BC. Describing important areas, sites and problems, he addresses the major themes that have engaged the attention of scholars: the transition from a forager lifestyle; the rate and dynamics of change; and the nature of Neolithic society. He challenges conventional views, arguing that Neolithic society was rooted in the values and practices of its forager predecessors...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0521449200
• ISBN13: 9780521449205
• Release Date: June 1996
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press
• Length: 460 Pages
• Weight: 1.80 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 7.4" x 9.2"

Customer Reviews

Authoritative, provocative, inductive

This book is an excellent overview of current data and interpretations for the origins of agriculture in Europe. Whittle's thesis is that, contrary to the prevailing interpretation, indigenous European foragers adopted farming and were the perpetrators of the LBK phenomenon. He doesn't necessarily prove his point with this book (and he doesn't refute the colonization model either), but he does present some interesting observations and fresh thinking on the matter. I would recommend this book to anyone with some familiarity with European prehistory; especially those with the background to weigh his arguments against the evidence.