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World Prehistory and Archaeology explains how the process of archaeological discovery develops our picture of humanity as it emerges from archaeological research, integrating discussion of world prehistory and archaeological methods. Presenting an up-to-date perspective on what we know about our human prehistory and how we come to know it, this book focuses on archaeology as an active journey of discovery and the ways in which archaeologists gain insight into the human past. Archaeological practice and methods are introduced and also problematized with discussions and examples of how we know the past. This new edition includes recent work on early humans, genetics, social complexity, agriculture, climate change, AI, and more to ensure that the current state of archaeological research is reflected. This vibrant picture of archaeology highlights how archaeologists grasp at the traces of the past but are at the same time deeply embedded in the concerns and structure of current society. To reflect this dynamic, the context of archaeological research and the relevance of archaeology to the challenges we face today are woven through the entire text. The archaeology of the recent past is also foregrounded to engage students with this rapidly developing area with a new chapter in the first section of the volume. Providing students with the fundamentals of archaeology and engaging them with the work that goes into understanding world prehistory, World Prehistory and Archaeology locates this knowledge in the context of the modern world, recognizing the relevance of archaeology to contemporary issues.