Written by one of the leading archaeological writers in the world—in a simple, jargon-free narrative style—this brief, well-illustrated account of the major developments in the human past (from the origins of humanity to the origins of literate civilization) makes world prehistory uniquely accessible to complete beginners. Up-to-date and state-of-the-art in content and perspective, it covers the entire world (not just the Americas or Europe), placing major emphasis on both theories and the latest archaeological and multidisciplinary approaches. The main focus is on four major developments—the origins of humanity; the appearance and spread of modern humans before and during the late Ice Age, including the first settlement of the Americas; the beginnings of food production; and the rise of the first civilizations.