The Rise of Ancient Civilizations : Selected Readings

The anthology The Rise of Ancient Civilizations: Selected Readings features readings that emphasize how cultural interaction among ancient societies was the dominant factor that led to a rise in societal complexity and technological accomplishments, commonly referred to as “civilization.” 

The collection begins with an introduction to anthropology, the study of culture, subfields of anthropology, and why the study of the rise of civilizations is important within the discipline. The readings that follow include both material evidence and historical narrative to provide students with greater awareness of how cultural interactions were received or ignored by certain societies, and the consequences of that acceptance or disregard. The readings explore various ancient civilizations, including the Minoans, Chinese, Maya, Incas, Harrapans, and Egyptians, written by renowned and revered anthropologists in the field. 

The Rise of Civilization is an excellent supplementary resource for courses in world prehistory, anthropology, archaeology, and cultural geography.

Christopher S. Davis earned his Ph.D. in archaeology and M.A. in anthropology from the University of Illinois in Chicago. He is a post-doctoral fellow in teaching and mentoring, with an honorary affiliation with the Department of Anthropology at the University of Illinois in Chicago Honors College. His doctoral research focused on the rock art and archeoastronomy of Paleoindians along the lower Amazon River in Brazil near the end of the Ice Age. He is currently involved in research on the various ways that knowledge is generated and transmitted within societies and throughout time.