Ancestral Journeys: The Peopling of Europe from the First Venturers to the Vikings

by Jean Manco

Overview

“An ambitious and lucid full narrative account of the peopling of Europe . . . this will undoubtedly provide a base line for future debates on the origins of the Europeans.” —J. P. Mallory, author of In Search of the Indo-Europeans and The Origins of the Irish

Who are the Europeans? Where did they come from? New research in the fields of archaeology and linguistics, a revolution in the study of genetics, and cutting-edge analysis of ancient DNA are dramatically changing our picture of prehistory, leading us to question what we thought we knew about these ancient peoples.

This paradigm-shifting book paints a spirited portrait of a restless people that challenges our established ways of looking at Europe’s past. The story is more complex than at first believed, with new evidence suggesting that the European gene pool was stirred vigorously multiple times. Genetic clues are also enhancing our understanding of European mobility in epochs with written records, including the arrival of the Anglo-Saxons, the spread of the Slavs, and the adventures of the Vikings.

Now brought completely up to date with all the latest findings from the fast-moving fields of genetics, DNA, and dating, Jean Manco’s highly readable account weaves multiple strands of evidence into a startling new history of the continent, of interest to anyone who wants to truly understand Europeans’ place in the ancient world.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780500292075
Publisher:	Thames & Hudson
Publication date:	02/15/2016
Edition description:	Revised and Updated Edition
Pages:	312
Product dimensions:	5.10(w) x 7.70(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

Jean Manco was a building historian who trained within an archaeological unit and applied an interdisciplinary approach to her work. Her other books include Ancestral Journeys and The Origins of the Anglo-Saxons.

Table of Contents

Preface 6

1 Who Are the Europeans? 8

2 Migration: Principles and Problems 14

3 The First Europeans 49

4 Mesolithic Hunters and Fishermen 60

5 The First Farmers 72

6 Dairy Farming 95

7 The Copper Age 106

8 The Indo-European Family 122

9 Indo-Europeans and Genetics 145

10 Beaker Folk to Celts and Italics 158

11 Minoans and Mycenaeans 171

12 Iron Age Traders and Warriors 178

13 Etruscans and Romans 192

14 The Great Wandering 200

15 Enter the Slavs 224

16 Bulgars and Magyars 235

17 Vikings 241

18 Epilogue 262

Notes 265

Bibliography 277

Sources of Illustrations 307

Index 308

Editorial Reviews

"An interesting account of the peopling of Europe that attempts to integrate archaeology, history, and linguistics with the latest genetic evidence. . . . Recommended."

Choice

"Richly illustrated . . . this highly readable volume outlines a new paradigm in European archaeology and pre-history and tackles the central question of the meaning of European identity, genetic and cultural."

ProtoView

"The armchair route to uncovering the mysteries of who we really are."

Woman Around Town