The Origin of Civilisation and the Primitive Condition of Man : Mental and Social Condition of Savages

Though professionally a banker and politician, John Lubbock (1834–1913) is best remembered for his scientific contributions. Tutored as a boy by Charles Darwin, Lubbock later used evolutionary theory to explain the development of human civilisations. This 1870 anthropological work compares ancient social structures with those of contemporary primitive cultures.

Though professionally a banker and politician, John Lubbock (1834–1913) is best remembered for his scientific writings. As a boy, he was tutored by his father's friend, Charles Darwin, in natural history. He went on to make contributions to archaeology, anthropology and entomology. In this illustrated anthropological treatise, Lubbock applies evolutionary theory to the development of human civilisations, outlining the progression from ancient forms of art, relationships, religion, ethics, language and law to their counterparts in the present day. He argues that the social structures of ancient cultures can be interpreted through interaction with contemporary primitive cultures. Published in book form in 1870, the material for this work was first delivered as a lecture series at the Royal Institution. Lubbock's Pre-historic Times as Illustrated by Ancient Remains, and the Manners and Customs of Modern Savages (1865), in which he coined the terms Palaeolithic and Neolithic, is also reissued in this series.