The Prehistory of Home

Many animals build shelters, but only humans build homes. No other species creates such a variety of dwellings. Drawing examples from across the archaeological record and around the world, archaeologist Jerry D. Moore recounts the cultural development of the uniquely human imperative to maintain domestic dwellings. He shows how our houses allow us to physically adapt to the environment and conceptually order the cosmos, and explains how we fabricate dwellings and, in the process, construct our lives. The Prehistory of Home points out how houses function as symbols of equality or proclaim the social divides between people, and how they shield us not only from the elements, but increasingly from inchoate fear.

Author: Jerry D. Moore
Publisher: University of California Press
Published: 04/18/2012
Pages: 288
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 1.16lbs
Size: 9.22h x 6.31w x 0.95d
ISBN: 9780520272217

Review Citation(s):
Publishers Weekly 06/18/2012
Choice 11/01/2012

About the Author
Jerry D. Moore is Professor of Anthropology at California State University, Dominguez Hills. He is the author of Architecture and Power in the Ancient Andes, Cultural Landscapes in the Prehispanic Andes, and Visions of Culture: An Introduction to Anthropological Theories and Theorists.