"Archaeology: the whole story” is not just another book about the history of Archaeology and the great discoveries; it is a global narrative of how humans become what they are today. Paul Bahn after a long personal record on publicising archaeology to the general audience, coordinates a team of internationally acknowledged archaeologists to a volume that aims to be a milestone as a rough introduction to the archaeological achievements worldwide. The volume is neither an anthology of archaeological discoveries nor an introduction to the history of archaeology. It is a chronologically driven story about all these little steps that humanity covered from the Palaeolithic to the modern world.
The volume is organised in seven parts; each of the first six parts covers a chronological period and it is divided in geographical parts – chapters. Reading the book linear helps. If the reader though is interested in a particular area or would like to read about a transitional period this might be a disadvantage. The book is written in an enjoyable manner without extensive use of archaeological blurb that might discourages a less disciplinary audience. Additionally at the end of the book, part 7, presents a concise guide of how archaeology works with all the insides in the archaeological methods that an “outsider” might need.
The volume is also benefited from the excellent illustrations, the eye-catching images and the well-made maps. However “Archaeology” is not just a book for non-archaeologists. I think it is an essential read for anyone who likes to have a global understanding about archaeology from a student to a University Professor who is over-concentrated to their expertise, area, or period.
Personally, I really enjoy reading the book, I learned a lot and I even got explanations about archaeological finds that I admired but I never had time to study, such as the Cantayoc spiral aqueducts in Peru or the Kamikuroiwa rockshelter in Japan. However I have to admit that when I volunteered to review this book I was expecting a little bit more about the “story of Archaeology”. A little bit more about all these hidden stories of all these great projects, a presentation of the pioneers, anecdotal material and a hint to the development of the archaeological thought through time.
“Archaeology: the whole story” is definitely a great work and a useful reference publication. But I was personally left with the bitter taste that archaeologists, one more time, have been defeated by their finds; such as the shiny Tut’s mask on the cover page.