For most of Europe's long past we have no writing, no named individuals, no recorded deeds. This means that its history is almost entirely that of the ordinary individual--the hunger-gatherer, farmer, or metallurgist--rather than the king. Evidence of privileged elites and material splendor is not lacking, however. The skills and expertise of prehistoric Europeans were often employed in the production of exquisite jewelry, elaborately woven cloth, beautifully made tools, and finely wrought weapons. Though the palaces that have attracted excavators in other lands are absent, there are few monuments elsewhere in the world to rival Europe's massive megalithic tombs or great stone circles. And though individuals preserve their anonymity and many of their secrets, modern technology has made it possible to reveal parts of their life history in astonishing detail. Handbook to Life in Prehistoric Europe gathers the results of recent archaeological discoveries and scholarly research into a single accessible volume. Organized thematically, the handbook covers all aspects of life in prehistoric Europe, including the geography of the continent, settlement, trade and transport, industry and crafts, religion, death and burial, warfare, language, the arts, and more. Complemented with more than 75 illustrations and maps, the result is a fascinating introduction to the 7,000-year period that immediately preceded the Roman Empire.

在欧洲漫长的历史中，我们没有文字，没有命名的个人，没有记录的契约。这意味着它的历史几乎完全是普通人的历史--饥饿的采集者、农民或冶金家--而不是国王的历史。然而，并不缺乏特权精英和物质辉煌的证据。史前欧洲人的技能和专长往往被用于生产精致的珠宝、精心编织的布匹、精美的工具和精巧的武器。虽然在其他地方没有吸引挖掘者的宫殿，但世界上其他地方很少有能与欧洲巨大的巨石墓或大石圈相媲美的遗迹。尽管个人保留了他们的匿名性和许多秘密，但现代技术已使揭示他们生活史的部分细节成为可能，令人吃惊。史前欧洲生活手册》将最近的考古发现和学术研究的成果汇集成一本易懂的书。该手册按主题组织，涵盖了史前欧洲生活的所有方面，包括欧洲大陆的地理、定居、贸易和运输、工业和手工业、宗教、死亡和埋葬、战争、语言、艺术等。在75幅插图和地图的补充下，这本书是对罗马帝国之前的7000年时期的精彩介绍。