The exploration of prehistory provides a comprehensive perspective on the antecedents of human societies and civilizations, bridging the gap between scientific universality and the narrow scope of written histories. Prehistory reveals a shared human past, documented through fossils, and highlights humanity's evolutionary journey, linking us to other animals while emphasizing our unique traits, such as self-awareness, art, ethics, and philosophy. This dual nature of humans as both animals and beings with divine potential underscores the evolutionary processes that have shaped societies for survival. Prehistory also dismantles barriers once thought to separate humans from the natural world, illustrating how cultural and intellectual developments have played a central role in human progress.

The text is derived from reflections following the writing and revision of World Prehistory, culminating in lectures given by the author at various institutions, including the University of California, Berkeley, in 1969. The chapters in this book expand upon the themes of those lectures, maintaining their essence while incorporating additional insights. They explore the profound implications of prehistory for understanding humanity's origins and its shared legacy, aiming to synthesize the depth of this knowledge with the clarity and accessibility required for a broader audience. Through references and scholarly precision, the book offers a focused exploration of prehistory's central themes while acknowledging the evolutionary and cultural forces that have shaped human development.

This title is part of UC Press's Voices Revived program, which commemorates University of California Press’s mission to seek out and cultivate the brightest minds and give them voice, reach, and impact. Drawing on a backlist dating to 1893, Voices Revived makes high-quality, peer-reviewed scholarship accessible once again using print-on-demand technology. This title was originally published in 1970.