For too long the Neanderthals have been seen as dim-witted evolutionary dead-enders who looked and behaved completely differently from us, but in recent years their story has been transformed thanks to new discoveries and advances in scientific techniques. In a compelling narrative, this book takes a fresh and engaging look at the whole story of the Neanderthals, setting out all the evidence, redressing the balance and arriving at a fairer assessment of a species that was closely related to us - and in so doing addresses what it is to be human.

Winner of the 2015 Society for American Archaeology Book Award, this is a fascinating study of the Neanderthals, informed by the latest scientific developments and discoveries

About the Author
Dimitra Papagianni trained as a Palaeolithic and stone tool specialist at Cambridge and wrote her PhD on the Neanderthal sites of northwestern Greece, the region where she was born. She has taught for the undergraduate, Masters and continuing education programs at Southampton, Cambridge, Oxford and Bath.

Reviews
'A beautifully synthesized portrait of a powerful people ... the first complete chronological narrative of the species from emergence to extinction ... a gem' - Nature
'If you thought you knew about the Neanderthals, think again. Prepare to have your prejudices shattered and your understanding of humanity challenged' - Clive Gamble, Professor of Archaeology, University of Southampton
'Excellent and absorbing' - Current World Archaeology
' Fresh, well-informed and highly recommended ... The inspired pairing of a Palaeolithic expert and a historian of science makes for compelling reading' - Paul Pettitt, Professor of Archaeology, Durham University
'A nuanced and sympathetic perspective on these fascinating people' ' - Brian Fagan, Professor Emeritus of Archaeology, University of California, Santa Barbara
' [Written] with confidence and verve ... strikes an excellent balance between broad popular appeal and satisfyingly rich content' - Society for American Archaeology
'Has the fresh charm of treating human evolution as a curious story that leads to the Neanderthals, rather than as a moral tale that rises ever upward and inevitably to us godlike moderns' - Harper's



Book Information
ISBN 9780500292044
Author Dimitra Papagianni
Format Paperback
Page Count 208
Imprint Thames & Hudson Ltd
Publisher Thames & Hudson Ltd
Weight(grams) 240g