In the Beginning: An Introduction to Archaeology

In the Beginning describes the basic methods and theoretical approaches of archaeology. This is a book about fundamental principles written in a clear, engaging style, with minimal use of technical jargon, which approaches archaeology from a global perspective.

This new edition includes new case studies and updated sections on the latest archaeological methods, theories, and developments in archaeological science. There are heavily updated chapters on cultural resource management, public archaeology, and the important role of archaeology in society as well as new material on multidisciplinary research, ethics, diversity, underwater archaeology, and the preservation of the archaeological record. Beginning with a broad introduction to the field, this book surveys the highlights of archaeology’s vibrant history, then covers the basics of preservation, dating the past, and the context of archaeological finds. Descriptions of field surveys, including the latest remote-sensing methods, excavation, and artifact analysis, lead into the study of ancient environments, landscapes and settlement patterns, and the people of the past. There is also a chapter on archaeology as a potential career. In the Beginning takes the reader on an evenly balanced journey through today’s archaeology and introduces them to the importance of archaeology in the modern world.

This well-illustrated account, with its numerous boxes and sidebars, is laced with interesting and often entertaining examples of archaeological research from around the globe. It is aimed at introductory students in archaeology and anthropology taking survey courses on archaeology, as well as more advanced readers.

Nadia Durrani is an archaeologist, editor, and author of multiple archaeology books. With Brian Fagan, she has written the award-winning book, Climate Chaos: Lessons in Survival from our Ancestors, plus a portfolio of archaeology textbooks for Routledge. The former long-standing chief editor of Britain’s bestselling global archaeological magazine, Current World Archaeology, she has written and edited countless articles aimed at the general public. She studied archaeology and anthropology at Cambridge University, and has a PhD in Arabian archaeology from University College London. On the board of the International Association for the Study of Arabia, and a founding member of the Great War Archaeology Group, she is also a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries.

Brian M. Fagan is one of the world’s leading writers about archaeology and an internationally recognized authority on world prehistory. He studied archaeology and anthropology at Pembroke College, Cambridge University, and then spent seven years in sub-Saharan Africa. Now a distinguished professor emeritus, from 1967 to 2013 he was a professor of anthropology at the University of California, Santa Barbara.