What the Bones Tell Us

An Anthropologist Examines the Evidence in an Attempt to Unravel Ancient Mysteries and Modern Crimes

Nonfiction, Social & Cultural Studies, Social Science, Archaeology, Anthropology
Cover of the book What the Bones Tell Us by Jeffrey H. Schwartz, Henry Holt and Co.
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Jeffrey H. Schwartz ISBN: 9781627799102
Publisher: Henry Holt and Co. Publication: October 13, 2015
Imprint: Henry Holt and Co. Language: English
Author: Jeffrey H. Schwartz
ISBN: 9781627799102
Publisher: Henry Holt and Co.
Publication: October 13, 2015
Imprint: Henry Holt and Co.
Language: English

Jeffrey Schwartz, professor of physical anthropology at the University of Pittsburgh and research associate at the American Museum of Natural History, ranges from digs in the Negev Desert through Africa and Europe to the local coroner's office to explain how interpretations of the past are made. What counts is the data and the context in which the evidence is analyzed. Along the way the author constructs a new hominid family tree to take account of recent assessments of human evolution. The author, part of the team that unearthed burial urns from the ancient city of Carthage, exposes the inner workings of archeology and anthropology, illustrating what can be learned from fossils and fragments of ancient cultures and civilizations. Because every living thing on earth will have had a single, unique history, whether it be the life of an individual, of a civilization, a species, or a diverse evolutionary group, "the discovery," writes the author, "is less a matter of unearthing a fossil or sequencing a species' DNA than it is of interpreting data in an attempt to reconstruct the missing pieces of the puzzle." Bone fragments can be used not only to identify animal species but also to tell us of their past history. Studies of bones can also reveal the land's past capacity to sustain animal life, whether domestic or wild. Frequently the physical evidence overturns sacred historical writings (and occasionally such evidence is suppressed). And when the author misidentifies what turns out to be an incomplete human specimen for the coroner, we come to understand just how easily incomplete data can deceive us. After reading this fascinating and authoritative work, any reader will be better equipped to evaluate the evidence for various new theories about our origins and evolution. Another value of this pioneering book is its deep insight into scientific infighting and the competing speculations about evolutionary history.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

Jeffrey Schwartz, professor of physical anthropology at the University of Pittsburgh and research associate at the American Museum of Natural History, ranges from digs in the Negev Desert through Africa and Europe to the local coroner's office to explain how interpretations of the past are made. What counts is the data and the context in which the evidence is analyzed. Along the way the author constructs a new hominid family tree to take account of recent assessments of human evolution. The author, part of the team that unearthed burial urns from the ancient city of Carthage, exposes the inner workings of archeology and anthropology, illustrating what can be learned from fossils and fragments of ancient cultures and civilizations. Because every living thing on earth will have had a single, unique history, whether it be the life of an individual, of a civilization, a species, or a diverse evolutionary group, "the discovery," writes the author, "is less a matter of unearthing a fossil or sequencing a species' DNA than it is of interpreting data in an attempt to reconstruct the missing pieces of the puzzle." Bone fragments can be used not only to identify animal species but also to tell us of their past history. Studies of bones can also reveal the land's past capacity to sustain animal life, whether domestic or wild. Frequently the physical evidence overturns sacred historical writings (and occasionally such evidence is suppressed). And when the author misidentifies what turns out to be an incomplete human specimen for the coroner, we come to understand just how easily incomplete data can deceive us. After reading this fascinating and authoritative work, any reader will be better equipped to evaluate the evidence for various new theories about our origins and evolution. Another value of this pioneering book is its deep insight into scientific infighting and the competing speculations about evolutionary history.

More books from Henry Holt and Co.

Cover of the book Do Rabbits Have Christmas? by Jeffrey H. Schwartz
Cover of the book Cornered by Jeffrey H. Schwartz
Cover of the book My Family and Other Hazards by Jeffrey H. Schwartz
Cover of the book Operation Bunny by Jeffrey H. Schwartz
Cover of the book The Body of Il Duce by Jeffrey H. Schwartz
Cover of the book Close Case by Jeffrey H. Schwartz
Cover of the book Better by Jeffrey H. Schwartz
Cover of the book Global Discontents by Jeffrey H. Schwartz
Cover of the book The Haunting of Falcon House by Jeffrey H. Schwartz
Cover of the book A Good Man by Jeffrey H. Schwartz
Cover of the book It Rained Warm Bread by Jeffrey H. Schwartz
Cover of the book Bringing Down the Mob by Jeffrey H. Schwartz
Cover of the book Guardian of the Green Hill by Jeffrey H. Schwartz
Cover of the book What's the Matter with Kansas? by Jeffrey H. Schwartz
Cover of the book Prince Philip by Jeffrey H. Schwartz
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy