Bigger than History: Why Archaeology Matters

by Brian M. Fagan, Nadia Durrani

Why Archaeology Matters Today

An exciting and much anticipated new archaeology title written by titan Brian Fagan and journalist Nadia Durrani, Bigger than History introduces students to archaeology’s contributions to many of today’s important debates of interest to students. Each chapter focuses on one of today’s important topics, such as gender equality, ethnicity and racism, climate change, and nationality and nationalism, showing how archaeology contributes to our understanding of the issues related to those topics. Bigger than History is affordable and concise enough to be used alongside a textbook, or on its own to engage and draw students into learning about archaeology.

Genres: History, Archaeology, Nonfiction

144 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 6, 2019

About the author

Brian Murray Fagan was a British author of popular archaeology books and a professor emeritus of Anthropology at the University of California, Santa Barbara.

Reviews

[Kathryn Douglas · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was slow and bland. I feel like I need a nap to recover.

[Anita ♪ ♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

"...despite our common physical and mental attributes, archaeology reveals infinite cultural expressions of what it means to be human."

It took me a while to finish this book, but it gives you a nice and quick perspective on how valuable and important archaeology really is! I definetaly recommend this book if you want more of a general introduction into archaeology.

[Spooky Socialist · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting overview on the importance of archaeology, especially its deep history perspective that provides a more objective view of the past. It's a bit self-congratulatory, but I would be interested to read more on a Marxist perspective of the field.

[Tahlia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very solid in conveying the broader importance of archaeology and the questions it aims to answer. Definitely recommend for those sceptical of its significance particularly in the modern day, as opposed to the prior invasive practices of the past.

[Mohamud · Rating 2 out of 5]

I expected this work to be less a polemic in favour of archaeology. I’m convinced archaeology is fascinating and in many ways will bigger than conventional history. This book ain’t it if you’re looking to fall in love with archaeology as a discipline.