Early Man: Prehistory and the Civilizations of the Ancient Near East

by Chester G. Starr

Traces the development of man from the earliest food-gatherers thru the origins of civilization to the consolidation of the Persian Empire.

Genres: History

216 pages, Paperback

First published April 12, 1973

Reviews

[l.g.115 · Rating 2 out of 5]

A rather basic overview of ancient humanity up to the Persian empire. Definitely outdated, with a tinge of eurocentrism. The development of civilization is described in broad strokes, jumping between thousands of years and remote regions in the Near East. I definitely won't be recommending this to anybody. The serious student of history will find this work heavily outdated and insubstantial, and the layperson can find better books covering the Mesopotamian, Egyptian, Assyrian, or Persian civilizations elsewhere.

[Catherine Woodman · Rating 3 out of 5]

For the reader who has a very sketchy knowledge of Neolithic, Paleolithic, and the Bronze and Iron Era human civilizations, this is a very concise and readable history of this time period, with appropriate emphasis on the success of the Sumerian culture and it's influence on the surrounding area. They invented writing in the west, and they did it on durable clay tablets that persist into modern times. A very cool perspective on the past.

[Mesoscope · Rating 2 out of 5]

A decent if basic overview of early man from the Paleolithic through early Rome. Useful for providing a rough outline of several early Levantine societies. Also includes many sumptuous photographs. Pretty old and a bit out-of-date.

I lowered my review from three stars to two stars to punish Starr for pilfering Samuel Kramer's excellent table of early alphabets without giving credit.