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is the first in the McGraw-Hill series "Explorations in World History"
which, according to the editors of the series, "seeks to convey recent
research in World History in a form wholly accessible to beginning students."
(vi) Lauren Ristvet surveys early world history in five concise chapters,
one each for human evolution, the origins of agriculture, and the appearance
of chiefdoms and early states; and two chapters on the elaboration and
development of the principle centers of ancient civilization. Her history
stops around 1000 BCE in the Old World, but she looks at events in North
America up through the Mississippian and Anasazi periods.
Ristvet
has given us a clearly written, stimulating introduction to the often
hazily understood beginnings of world history. To be clear, this is not
narrative world history of humankind nor a systematic survey of the major
cultures of the world. Rather, she focuses on some of the key issues in
prehistory and ancient history such as the origins of agriculture and
sedentism, the spread of crops, the formation of early states, the creation
of nomadism and its relation to agriculture societies, early interconnections
between cultures, the origins of social inequality, and the evolution
of writing. Her book is especially valuable in presenting the earliest
periods of human history that most teachers of history do not feel fully
comfortable discussing, since it involves considerable knowledge of anthropology,
genetics, and even climatology. Incorporating the latest research in the
fast developing field of prehistory she takes the reader through human
evolution and the formation of complex societies without bogging the reader
down in scientific data. Ristvet, however, does not over-simplify. Instead,
she conveys the complexity of these fundamental issues in comprehending
the human past. Her clear, engaging style makes the book a real pleasure
to read. Undergraduate students should find the book accessible and enjoyable
as well.
Since
this is a brief introduction it is not surprising that some topics of
considerable interest and debate, such as the human migration out of Africa,
are just briefly touched upon. Others are not dealt with at all. Missing
is a discussion of the definition and origin of race. Also absent are
the issues related to the emergence and classification of language, and
of historical-linguistics as a methodological tool Nonetheless, she provides
a great deal of information in this slender volume. Ristvet, for example,
gives an especially clear and insightful explanation of state formation,
and her treatment and analysis of the development of writing is also quite
good.
An underlying theme throughout the book is changing gender roles in history.
While avoiding the more extreme claims of proponents of a golden age of
matriarchal bliss, Ristvet tends to take a feminist interpretation of
history. The author supports the idea of a "female invention of sedentism,"
(71) but finds later technological developments in agriculture and the
rise of the state led to a loss of control by women and a devaluation
of their contributions to society. She mentions that archaeological evidence
"questions" the argument put forward by feminist scholars that all early
agricultural societies in Europe and Asia were peaceful matriarchies that
had been overrun and destroyed warlike, horse-riding invaders. However,
on the matriarchy to patriarchy controversy in early history she gives
support for the existence of cultures that emphasized family, equality
and community that were later displaced by male dominated cultures based
on hierarchy, individualism, violence and alcohol. Occasionally Ristvet
takes a controversial position on a topic. An example is her view of Indus
Valley civilization as being stateless. Most of the author's other interpretations
are quite standard. She adheres to the traditional definitions of chiefdoms
and states, and to the concept of six primary areas of state formation
in Mesopotamia, Egypt, India, China, Mesoamerica and Peru.
There
are some limitations to the book as a text. It has only five maps and
five chronological charts and a few small black and white illustrations.
More and better maps would have been useful. A Further Reading section
is rather brief; so are the notes. Her sparing use of notes is unfortunate
since it would be useful to know the basis of some of her more controversial
statements so the reader can situate them in the scholarly literature.
To give one example, her discussion of the evolution of human intelligence
(12-13) appears to be, at least in part, an argument against the neurological
change thesis advocated by Richard Klein and others who see a sudden breakthrough
in human intellectual capacity between sixty and forty thousand years
ago. Since this book is useful as an aid to non-specialists a note on
the scholarly debate and some readings on this would be useful. Furthermore,
the book cannot stand alone as a text. In just 172 pages she only touches
upon some of the major cultures. Moreover, her interests are those of
an anthropologist more than a historian of world cultures. There is a
great deal about pottery and farming methods but little on religious traditions,
literature or art. Major cultural traditions such as those of the Aegean
are mentioned in passing or only to illustrate a general point she is
making.
Although it has some shortcomings, In the Beginning is an excellent
introduction well worth reading by anyone interested in world history.
The book is filled with insights, interesting comparisons and the odd
bits of fact that illuminate major issues in the story of humankind. For
the world history teacher Ristvet provides ideas for explaining those
early areas of history that are often covered too quickly in survey courses.
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