From the coming of Stone Age man to the fall of the Roman Empire, the prehistory of Europe is often seen as a mysterious, fascinating, and by nature, indistinct phase of human development. Based on an entirely new concept designed to bring this period into sharper focus, The Oxford Illustrated Prehistory of Europe is a history of both man and the environment, looking at the changing landscape of Europe and the way man has responded and adapted to it over the millennia.

Beautifully illustrated, it provides a complete survey of the development of European society from the continent's earliest evidence of human population seven hundred thousand years ago, through the first farmers to barbarian and Iron Age societies, and the impact and eventual decline of Roman power in the eighth century AD. The twelve chapters focus on the principal periods and areas of innovation and culture, such as the Minoan and Mycenean civilizations, showing not only how these societies developed but their relationship to each other and the landscape. Each chapter is written by an expert in his field and is accompanied by a rich assortment of colour and black-and-white plates, maps, and drawings.

A useful time chart shows the developments of societies and their techniques against the background of events both historical and geographical. This unique and fascinating book will be enjoyed by anyone interested in the early history, art, and archaeology of Europe, and the changing face of the European landscape.