Over the past twenty-five years Andrew Sherratt has reinterpreted the growing mass of information about the economic foundations of prehistoric Europe using concepts drawn from history and the social sciences. Sherratt's classic articles on the subject are collected together here for the first time. Written by the archaeologist and prehistorian in the first twenty years of his career, these articles not only represent Sherratt's most important work but also offer his interpretation of this work and of general developments in his field. This volume covers, for example, his studies of farming, subsistence, and prehistoric demography, and his search for a more sophisticated way of dealing with value and exchange. Throughout, the author looks back over the changing perspectives of the past few decades and considers the intellectual rhythms of recent centuries.
Sherratt identifies in his commentaries the significance of each article within the framework of the entire collection. In addition to these commentaries, Sherratt's collection includes notes throughout the text that update the reader on developments taking place in the field after the time of the article's first publication.
