Ancient Europe 8000 B.C.--A.D. 1000: encyclopedia of the Barbarian world Volume 2

Such methods are the basis of this interesting reconstruction of European history from the first post-glacial foragers around 8000 B.C. to the Christianization of northern Europe about 1000 A.D. The focus is not the classical and medieval civilizations that recorded their history on clay, stone, papyrus and vellum, but the peoples who lived on the fringes of such societies, well beyond the reach of imperial swords and the bureaucrat?s pen and stylus. Mesolithic farmers, megalith builders, Etruscans, Celts, Huns, Picts, Vikings and a host of other barbaric peoples for whom our chief sources of information are simply the material remains they left behind are introduced to the reader. Following an introduction to various approaches to archaeology, the arrangement is roughly chronological, with sections focusing on the transition to agriculture, the introduction of metallurgy, the European Iron Age and the period of great migrations. Many of the 212 scholarly articles discuss such topics as early crops, the first domestication of the horse, the building of trackways through swamps, the first boats, the beginnings of trade and markets, and the origins of iron production. Other entries feature particular sites or finds like the Ice Man, Varna, Stonehenge and Sutton Hoo. A glossary, timelines, more than 300 maps and illustrations and selective bibliographies in each entry aid the beginning researcher. This insightful guide is highly recommended for academic libraries. Bogucki (Princeton U.) and Crabtree (anthropology, New York U.) head an impressive group of archaeologists and anthropologists--at universities and museums in the UK, the US, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Hungary, Denmark, Poland, Sweden, and Germany--who have written the entries for this two-volume reference. It is appropriate for undergraduate, advanced high school, and general reader audiences. It spans the end of the Ice Ages until the rise of governments and record-keeping brought prehistory to an end, and the editors have deliberately extended the geographical area considered beyond western Europe to include Slavic lands. The volumes begin with introductory chapters describing the field of archaeology and essential elements of prehistoric cultures, including such topics as settlement patterns, gender, ritual and ideology, and warfare and conquest. Subsequent entries pertain to postglacial foragers, the transition to agriculture, the consequences of agriculture, the age of metal, the Iron Age in Europe, and the early middle ages and migration period. B&w illustrations, maps, diagrams, and drawings support the text. Annotation ♭2004 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com) This detailed encyclopedia is the first to explore the many peoples of early European civilization. Viewed as'barbarian'through the lens of ancient Greece and Rome, these civilizations were responsible for such accomplishments as the rise of farming in the Neolithic era and the building of Stonehenge. Coverage extends from prehistoric origins through the early Middle Ages (8000 B.C. to A.D. 1000) when tribal movements helped define the end of ancient culture and the rise of the modern European world. Arrange topically and chronologically Ancient Europe, 8000 B.C. to A.D. 1000 features include 200 illustrations (including the black & white images, color images, and line drawings); 70 maps; a chronology; index; two eight-page color inserts; cartographic endpapers; glossary of key archaeological terms and more.While Gale strives to replicate print content, some content may not be available in the eBook version due to rights restrictions. Call your Sales Rep for details. This detailed encyclopedia is the first to explore the many peoples of early European civilization. Viewed as barbarian through the lens of ancient Greece and Rome, these civilizations were responsible for such accomplishments as the rise of farming in the Neolithic era and the building of Stonehenge. Coverage extends from prehistoric origins through the early Middle Ages (8000 B.C. to A.D. 1000) when tribal movements helped define the end of ancient culture and the rise of the modern European world. Arrange topically and chronologically Ancient Europe, 8000 B.C. to A.D. 1000 features include 200 illustrations (including the black & white images, color images, and line drawings); 70 maps; a chronology; index; two eight-page color inserts; cartographic endpapers; glossary of key archaeological terms and more. A superbly written work that covers a history all but ignored in conventional historical surveys, Ancient Europe, 8,000 B.C.-A.D. 1,000 features 212 essays written for a general readership by 131 contributors. The span of years covered by the set is explained in the introduction of the first section: "The beginning is marked by the freeing of Europe from glacial ice . . and the end is determined by the spread of Christianity across northern and eastern Europe and the establishment of many European states that persist into the present." Many of the contributors are archaeologists, and the set is focused accordingly. Examines the diverse peoples of early European civilization through a series of 212 essays, presented in chronological order. Coverage includes prehistoric origins through the early Middle Ages (8000 B.C. to A.D. 1000). Includes maps, photos, and chronologies. For the general reader V. 1. The Mesolithic To Copper Age (c. 8000-2000 B.c.) -- V. 2. Bronze Age To Early Middle Ages (c. 3000 B.c.-a.d. 1000). Peter Bogucki & Pam J. Crabtree, Editors-in-chief. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Online version of the 2-volume work, published: New York : Charles Scribner's Sons, 2004