The Palaeolithic Origins of Human Burial

Humans are unique in that they expend considerable effort and ingenuity in disposing of the dead. Some of the recognisable ways we do this are visible in the Palaeolithic archaeology of the Ice Age. The Palaeolithic Origins of Human Burial takes a novel approach to the long-term development of human mortuary activity – the various ways we deal with the dead and with dead bodies. It is the first comprehensive survey of Palaeolithic mortuary activity in the English language.  Observations in the modern world as to how chimpanzees behave towards their dead allow us to identify ‘core’ areas of behaviour towards the dead that probably have very deep evolutionary antiquity. From that point, the palaeontological and archaeological records of the Pliocene and Pleistocene are surveyed. The core chapters of the book survey the mortuary activities of early hominins, archaic members of the genus Homo, early Homo sapiens, the Neanderthals, the Early and Mid Upper Palaeolithic, and the Late Upper Palaeolithic world.  Burial is a striking component of Palaeolithic mortuary activity, although existing examples are odd and this probably does not reflect what modern societies believe burial to be, and modern ways of thinking of the dead probably arose only at the very end of the Pleistocene. When did symbolic aspects of mortuary ritual evolve? When did the dead themselves become symbols? In discussing such questions, The Palaeolithic Origins of Human Burial offers an engaging contribution to the debate on modern human origins. It is illustrated throughout, includes up-to-date examples from the Lower to Late Upper Palaeolithic, including information hitherto unpublished.

History

Pettitt, Paul

Ancient Civilizations

Routledge

Humans are unique in that they expend considerable effort and ingenuity in disposing of the dead. Some of the recognisable ways we do this are visible in the Palaeolithic archaeology of the Ice Age. The Palaeolithic Origins of Human Burial takes a novel approach to the long-term development of human mortuary activity – the various ways we deal with the dead and with dead bodies. It is the first comprehensive survey of Palaeolithic mortuary activity in the English language. Observations in the modern world as to how chimpanzees behave towards their dead allow us to identify ‘core’ areas of behaviour towards the dead that probably have very deep evolutionary antiquity. From that point, the palaeontological and archaeological records of the Pliocene and Pleistocene are surveyed. The core chapters of the book survey the mortuary activities of early hominins, archaic members of the genus Homo, early Homo sapiens, the Neanderthals, the Early and Mid Upper Palaeolithic, and the Late Upper Palaeolithic world. Burial is a striking component of Palaeolithic mortuary activity, although existing examples are odd and this probably does not reflect what modern societies believe burial to be, and modern ways of thinking of the dead probably arose only at the very end of the Pleistocene. When did symbolic aspects of mortuary ritual evolve? When did the dead themselves become symbols? In discussing such questions, The Palaeolithic Origins of Human Burial offers an engaging contribution to the debate on modern human origins. It is illustrated throughout, includes up-to-date examples from the Lower to Late Upper Palaeolithic, including information hitherto unpublished.

The British Palaeolithic: Human Societies at the Edge of the Pleistocene World (Routledge Archaeology of Northern Europe)

The British Palaeolithic provides the first academic synthesis of the entire British Palaeolithic, from the earliest occupation (currently understood to be around 980,000 years ago) to the end of the Ice Age. Landscape and ecology form the canvas for an explicitly interpretative approach aimed at understanding the how different hominin societies addressed the issues of life at the edge of the Pleistocene world. Commencing with a consideration of the earliest hominin settlement of Europe, the book goes on to examine the behavioural, cultural and adaptive repertoires of the first human occupants of Britain from an ecological perspective. These themes flow throughout the book as it explores subsequent occupational pulses across more than half a million years of Pleistocene prehistory, which saw Homo heidelbergensis, the Neanderthals and ultimately Homo sapiens walk these shores. The British Palaeolithic fills a major gap in teaching resources as well as in research by providing a current synthesis of the latest research on the period. This book represents the culmination of 40 years combined research in this area by two well known experts in the field, and is an important new text for students of British archaeology as well as for students and researchers of the continental Palaeolithic period.

Politics & Social Sciences

White, Mark

Archaeology

A world renowned expert reveals how our understanding of the evolution of our species has been transformed by momentous discoveries and technological advancements. 
Who are we? How do scientists define Homo sapiens, and how does our species differ from the extinct hominins that came before us? In this accessible, lushly illustrated account palaeoarchaeologist Paul Pettitt shows how the latest scientific advances, especially in genetics, are revolutionizing our understanding of human evolution. Pettitt reveals the extraordinary story of how our ancestors adapted to unforgiving and relentlessly changing climates, leading to remarkable innovations in art, technology, and society that we are only now beginning to comprehend. 
Drawing on twenty-five years of experience in the field, Pettitt takes readers from the caves and rock-shelters that provide evidence of our African origins to the far reaches of Eurasia, Australasia, and ultimately the Americas. Popular accounts of the evolution of Homo sapiens emphasize biomolecular research, notably genetics, but this volume also draws from the wealth of information from specific excavations and artifacts, including the author’s own investigations into the origins of art and how it evolved over its first 25,000 years. 
Drawn from cutting edge research in this field, with a unique perspective from Pettitt’s own studies focusing on human behavior, this immersive and surprising book paints the clearest picture we have ever had of our own evolution. 80 color illustrations

Homo Sapiens Rediscovered: The Scientific Revolution Rewriting Our Origins (The Rediscovered Series)

Thames&Hudson

This is the story of the discovery, in 2003, of Britain's first Ice Age cave art at Creswell Crags. It includes a definitive list, photographs, drawings and description of the motifs and sets the discovery in its archaeological and geological context.

Britain's Oldest Art: The Ice Age cave art of Creswell Crags (English Heritage)

Arts & Photography

Bahn, Paul G.

History & Criticism

Historic England

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Books by Pettitt, Paul

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Pettitt, Paul. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

The Palaeolithic Origins of Human Burial

The Palaeolithic Origins of Human Burial

The British Palaeolithic: Human Societies at the Edge of the Pleistocene World (Routledge Archaeology of Northern Europe)

The British Palaeolithic: Human Societies at the Edge of the Pleistocene World (Routledge Archaeology of Northern Europe)

Homo Sapiens Rediscovered: The Scientific Revolution Rewriting Our Origins (The Rediscovered Series)

Britain's Oldest Art: The Ice Age cave art of Creswell Crags (English Heritage)

Homo Sapiens Rediscovered: The Scientific Revolution Rewriting Our Origins (The Rediscovered Series)