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The Encyclopedia of Prehistory , with regionally organized entries on each major archaeological tradition, is a comprehensive overview of human history from two million years ago to the historic period. Prepared under the auspices and with the support of the Human Relations Area Files, and an internationally distinguished advisory board, the encyclopedia is written by noted experts in the field and edited by Peter N. Peregrine and Melvin Ember. These volumes employ comparable units of description and analysis, making them easy to use and compare.
Volume 8 focuses on South and Southwest Asia .
List of contents
- Aceramic Neolithic; E. Banning.
- Akkadian; H. Weiss.
- Arabian Upper Paleolithic; P.N. Peregrine.
- Central Indian Iron Age; C. Sinopoli.
- Central Indian Chalcolithic; V. Shinde, S. Sinha Deshpande.
- Ceramic Neolithic; E. Banning.
- Chalcolithic; T. Levy.
- Early Arabian Littoral; P.N. Peregrine.
- Early Arabian Pastoral; J. Zarins.
- Early Bronze Age; J. Golden.
- Early Dynastic Mesopotamia; P.N. Peregrine.
- Early Indus; J.M. Kenoyer.
- Epipaleolithic; N. Goring-Morris.
- Ganges Neolithic; B. Vikrama, U. Chattopadhyaya.
- Gangetic India; B. Vikrama, U. Chattopadhyaya.
- Halafian; R. Matthews.
- Indus Neolithic; J.M. Kenoyer.
- Iranian Bronze Age; J. Beierle.
- Iranian Chalcolithic; B. Peasnall.
- Iranian Iron Age; P.N. Peregrine.
- Iranian Mesolithic; B. Peasnall
- Iranian Neolithic; B. Peasnall.
- Jemdet Nasr; P.N. Peregrine.
- Late Arabian Littoral; P. Magee.
- Late Arabian Pastoral; J. Zarins.
- Late Chalcolithic Mesopotamia; M. Rothman.
- Mature Indus; J.M. Kenoyer.
- Middle Arabian Littoral; P.N. Peregrine.
- Middle Arabian Pastoral; J. Zarins.
- Middle Bronze Age; J. Golden.
- Natufian; N. Goring-Morris.
- South Asian Microlithic; I. Chattopadhyaya.
- South Asian Upper Paleolithic; V. Jayaswal.
- South Indian Chalcolithic; V. Shinde, S. Sinha Deshpande.
- South Indian Iron Age; C. Sinopoli.
- Southern Asia Upper Paleolithic; P.N. Peregrine.
- Ubaid; B. Peasnall.
- Vedic; G. Possehl, M. Witzel.
Summary
The Encyclopedia of Prehistory represents temporal dimension. Major traditions are an attempt to provide basic information also defined by a somewhat different set of on all archaeologically known cultures, sociocultural characteristics than are eth covering the entire globe and the entire nological cultures. Major traditions are prehistory ofhumankind. It is designed as defined based on common subsistence a tool to assist in doing comparative practices, sociopolitical organization, and research on the peoples of the past. Most material industries. but language, ideology, of the entries are written by the world's and kinship tics play little or no part in foremost experts on the particular areas their definition because they are virtually and lime periods. unrecoverable from archaeological con The Encyclopedia is organized accord· texts. In contrast, language, ideology, and ing to major traditions. A major tradition kinship ties arc central to defining ethno is defined as a group ofpopulations sharing logical cultures. similar subsistence practices. technology, There are three types of entries in the and forms oj sociopolitical organizati01I, Encyclopedia: the major tradition entry.
Additional text
"Taking as its purpose 'to provide basic information on all archaeologically known cultures,' the set treats each major cultural region of the planet individually, with entries contributed by an international array of experts. Entries are divided into four sections -- a discussion of the time during which the cutlure flourished, geographic location, diagnostic traits as known from the archaeological record (with subtraditions demarcated as identified), and representative sites -- followed by a list of references." (Choice, 41:6)
