This book is a short and not in-depth introduction to the field of archaeology. I can't say I enjoyed it very much.

It's a nice introduction for someone who wants to get a taste on the history of archeology, of the Western archeology. It doesn't go very deep into the research, and I wouldn't use it as a reliable source.

What didn't work out for me is the author's writing style. It lacks depth and style. Every now and then, he makes unnecessary personal anecdotes which didn't add anything to the book. They left more like he's showing off instead of giving an informative opinion. There's also how he describes people, like having a "commanding" personality for pulling a gun to get a permit, or how Gertrude Bell is pushy. From a non-fiction book, I expected a more impartial view of things.

This was definitely not my cup of tea.

With thanks to Netgalley and the author.

A little history of archaeology is a gem of a book that gives the history of archaeology but doesn't go in-depth that you find yourself getting bored. A great little read.

I remember distinctly the moment little me decided she wanted to be an archaeologist. We were watching a documentary about Ancient Egypt, as one does, and I was simply in awe of the people uncovering all this beauty and wisdom from the past. And so, I thought, my future should be spent doing the same. Admittedly, it didn't quite come to that. But the fascination with archaeology remained and so Fagan's 'A Little History of Archaeology' was the perfect read for me.

First, a quick note on the 'Little Histories' series. I love that these books exist, giving readers an informed but manageable introduction to a broad variety of topics. These books are very approachable without giving the idea that you're being talked down to in any way. While it is no doubt entry-level for someone with actual experience in archaeology, this book held loads of new information for someone like myself who devours archaeology documentaries. This book doesn't just cover the basics, it also gives an insight into the academic field of archaeology, the methodological rigor of the whole undertaking, and its fraught history. There is a lot of information in this "little" book, which means it is not necessarily something you'll want to race through in an afternoon. But as I said above, the writing style is excellent and makes it all digestible. I was especially pleased by the sections devoted to female archaeologists and to the colonial history of archeology, or rather the way imperialism, colonialism, and racism have impacted archaeology and vice versa.

Of course the nature of the 'Little Histories' series does limit Fagan in a way. This book can't go as deep as some might like, it cannot even attempt to give a "full" history of the field or even cover everything it does in depth. But that is where reader responsibility also comes in, i.e. know what it is you're about to read. As the blurb says, this book is intended to give you a taste of the field, an introduction to some of its highlights, and an understanding of its low points. This is meant to be a starting point for anyone truly curious in the field, not an in-depth guide. As such, it is more of an impression than a factual rendering. But Fagan does what he sets out to do perfectly and I think this book would have only strengthened the conviction of younger me that archaeology was the field for me!

An Engaging, If Idiosyncratic, Introduction

This book seems to have two major goals, both of which it achieves with a fair degree of aplomb. On one hand we get a timeline of the development of archaeology as a legitimate professional and scholarly undertaking. On the other, we get a survey of and introduction to some of the most amazing and fascinating finds.

The organization is not strictly linear, which means we bob around a bit. We open with the amateurs and hobbyists who dabbled in digging things up. Slowly and bit by bit we hopscotch around the world looking over the shoulders of various famous, infamous, or relatively unknown explorers, adventurers, and professionals who found the big finds and developed the science of archaeology into what it is today. All of the big names get fair attention - Carter, Schliemann, and so on. Less well known, but often more important, archaeologists have their contributions to the field noted as well. (For example, the Danish contribution in the form of the Three Ages approach, (Stone, Bronze, Iron), was an unexpected point of emphasis. And a concerted effort has been made to bring notable women into the club.)

During the course of sketching out the development of the field we hit all of the high points, (Egypt, Ur, the Mayans, Troy, Stonehenge, Pompeii), but also many often overlooked sites and discoveries, (American Mound Builders, American Pueblos, early Chinese artifact hunting).

Needless to say, none of these sites get more than passing attention, and there is probably much here that is glossed over or left out of the story. While an effort has been made to include sites from all over the world, (Great Zimbabwe), the tale is notably Eurocentric. This is popular science, and that comes with all of the usual good and bad. If the goal, though, is to offer an introduction and to excite curiosity, that mission has been accomplished. This outline, in the company of a congenial and well informed guide, struck me as a fine invitation to read further and more deeply about the field in general and about sites and discoveries of special interest.

(Please note that I received a free ecopy of this book without a review requirement, or any influence regarding review content should I choose to post a review. Apart from that I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.)

This book is a gold mine of information! If you love history, and are interested in archaeology, then this is a must read! I loved every single page! From cultures that we are familiar with, to some that are much less known, Brian Fagan takes us on a journey from the beginning of archaeology to modern techniques.

Absolutely engaging and informative!

This is a good introductory book in archaeology. It covers a lot of time periods and a lot of different cultures in just a few pages. That allows the reader to then look for more information elsewhere if they want to dig deeper. There are a lot of facts in this book, which can get a little dry. The author tries to keep it interesting but there were some boring parts.

A Little History of Archaeology is a fun, engaging introduction to the field of archaeology for a general audience. Brian Fagan takes the reader on a journey from the early days of treasure hunting to the modern science we now know as archaeology. The style is almost conversational at times as he relays the stories of the people who were important to the development of archaeology as a science. A Little History of Archaeology is both enjoyable and extremely informative. I would recommend this to readers who enjoy both history and science, and for those who are curious about the evolution of archeology.

An excellent, easy to read overview of archaeology. From the early days up to present time, the author relates forty different chapters of stories. Each chapter is short and very engaging. I could see myself exploring pyramid and ruins alongside the famous explorers. Very fun!

If I have a favorite archaeology writer, it’s gotta be Brian Fagan, longtime prof at UCSB (University of California, Santa Barbara). Pretty sure I’ve read all of his books, and that’s saying a lot.
In this entry, Fagan is even more subtlety humorous than usual. I love his note that Layard is the only archaeologist to find two palaces in the same day. Even though I’ve been studying archaeology for nearly 40 years, there’s some names in here I’ve never come across. Others I vaguely remember, or saw the name but didn’t follow up. He’s given me a lot of stuff to research (aka more things to do when I should be working).
I’ve read a lot of books like these—some by Dr. Fagan as well—introductions to archaeological sites all over the world, written for the general public. This does that too, but it goes further in depth, especially with the personalities. I like it.

I was really excited for this book, but I could barely make it through the introduction and a few pages of the first chapter. The introduction goes over a very brief history of the rise of modern archaeology as a true science, but I don't think Fagan even mentioned the destructive habits of early archaeologists. He treats them all with reverence as pioneering spirits. I was willing to look past that, hoping he would discuss this is more detail in specific chapters, but then chapter 1 starts off by talking about how Egypt was essentially lost and no one knew about it until Napoleon showed up. I'm nearly certain Egypt was never lost to the millions of people who lived there and around the Arabic world, nor were the Pyramids ever far from sight. This Western attitude and white-washing of history just isn't acceptable anymore. A more nuanced approach or even some discussion about a lack of interest from Egyptians at the time about their ancient history would have gone a long way.

All of this said, I will admit I didn't read any further. I don't know how Fagan approaches other topics, or if he has a more well-rounded approach, but I couldn't get past the beginning to get to any of it.

Brian Fagan managed to present a history book that was actually easy to read. In "A Little History of Archaeology" he travels through several centuries, and even millennia, touching on several ancient societies such as those in Babylonia/Sumer and Great Zimbabwe to more modern times. For each place he visits, he manages to inform the reader about the more key elements in that regions establishment and it's previous connection to the world, i.e. Uruk and its connection to the Bible, Napoleón and his connection to deciphering the Egyptian hieroglyphics, and so on. However, the key promise in this book is not just on history and the archaeological evidence behind it but also the main question that has plagued men such as himself for eons: how did humanity originate? If one reads pass the surface layer, the underlying theme of Fagan's work can be understood: man's continuous search for humanity.

A Little History of Archaeology
(Little Histories)
by Brian Fagan

I received a complimentary ARC copy of A Little History of Archaeology by Brian Fagan from NetGalley and Yale University Press in order to read and give an honest review.

I have been a fan of Brian Fagan for a long time. His books are always enjoyable, packed with information and written in a way that is entertaining yet educational. In A Little History of Archaeology, Dr. Fagan does it again.

In A Little History of Archaeology, he walks us through history, showing us the humble beginnings and evolution of archaeology. His style is that of a person who loves his subject matter and he takes a subject which to some may seem complex and tedious and breaths life into it.

Dr. Fagan takes us along a journey traveling through time and visiting the far reaches of the earth. We begin with Napoleon's scientists aka "donkeys" in Egypt before "archaeology" had really begun. The "donkeys" who were a collection of experts in agriculture, art, engineering, and botany although methods somewhat crude were one of the first to explore with curiosity.  We meet the likes of Darwin, Clark, Kenyon, and Kelso, all of whom have paved the way to the advent of archaeology.

We get introductions to carbon dating, travel far a wide and learn so much along the way. Whether you are an armchair archaeologist or in the field, there is something in A Little History of Archaeology for everyone.

More historiography than history itself. Details advancements and key points on archaeology over the years.

Very short chapters and a lot of information, names, dates, etc are crammed in. Essentially on chronological order which helps you cement the timeline of advancements. Would suit a history buff or student.

I love the little history series and this was fascinating! Packed with factual detail and in an incredibly readable style, I loved this exploration of archaeology and great finds from the past. Recommended.

A big thank you to NetGalley and Yale University Press for the ARC. I am voluntarily reviewing this book. I have long admired Dr. Fagan, for his eloquence and clarity. He takes a very convoluted and complex subject and finds a way to make it understood by all. I am an archaeologist and thoroughly enjoyed this book. It is a nice condense history, which could take many volumes. It is written in a way to get you involved and get you to think....endless posibilities!! I think anyone with even a hint of interest in the past or archaeology would enjoy this book.

This short book (less than 300 pages) gives a whistle-stop tour of the history of archaeology from the early days of, effectively, tomb-robbing to the present where technology has almost taken away the need for digging at all. Of course, as well as explaining the development of archaeology as a science the book also explores the human history which archaeology covers. From early stone tools, through the rise of farming, the splendours of Egypt and other near-Eastern civilisations and onto the Romans and Greeks. We also visit China – the amazing terracotta armies – and cultures in North and South America, and in Africa we go beyond the usual to look at Greater Zimbabwe. As well as the history and the science we also meet the archaeologists themselves: from the early days of gentleman amateurs to increasing levels of scientific and academic rigour. For every showboating Schliemann there is the less well-known Vincent Gaffney. (Which then takes me back to the years I worked at Bradford University where his brother Christopher developed the ‘geophys’ used on Time Team, and his niece Bella, a talented local folk singer – talk about six degrees of separation…). I feel I know a fair bit about archaeology and still managed to learn from this book. Because care is taken to explain any even slightly specialist term it is also a great introduction for anyone (from a keen youngster onwards) who wants to delve deeper than just watching an Indiana Jones film.

#AlittleHistoryOfArchaeology #NetGalley #UNESCO #Archaeology #WorldHistory

Brian explains and illustrates the story behind the biggest and most famous archaeological discoveries around the world. This is very interesting to know the behind scenes of the archaeology.

Long ago, when I was a senior in high school, I wanted more than anything to be either an Archaeologist or a Park Ranger, Both of those careers sounded perfect to me. I'd be outside, teaching others about the history around us, Unfortunately, my father talked me out of it saying it would be all but impossible for me to make a living doing either one. I still am enthralled by archaeology and all that in entails. This book was so interesting to me. If someone has a love of history, I think they would really enjoy this book.

This "Little" history of archaeology is packed full of information. Very readable and informative. Lovely illustrations, a shame there weren't more. A fascinating insight into the development of archaeology and the people who have contributed to it.

While many of the hunts described in this book are interesting and many of the archeologists as well, I just was not captivated by the writing. Perhaps the author write in this dull style on purpose to combat the romantic notions the public might have about archeology. But it made for a not very good book.