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South Coast Anthropologist Writes New Book Which Provides Overview Of History Of Archaeology

What is archaeology? For many people, it creates images of globe trotting adventures, like we saw in the “Indiana Jones” movies.  But, UC Santa Barbara researcher Dr. Brian Fagan says the excitement isn’t from Hollywood’s version of the field, it’s from the wonders that we’re discovering about more than three million years of human history. 

Fagan has written dozens of books about different aspects of archaeology, and his latest is perhaps one of his most ambitious ever, looking at the entire history of the subject.

The UCSB researcher’s book is called “A Little History of Archaeology.” He says there was a red-letter year in archaeology, 1859, because of two key things which occurred. 

Fagan says ancient tools of stone age people were discovered in the same area of a French river as bones of extinct animals.  Conventional thought at the time was based on the Bible's version of man's creation.  Then, Charles Darwin released his famous book, "On The Origin of Species," which outlined the concept of evolution.

Fagan says the way archaeologists work has changed radically over the years, with technology taking a key role in modern day research: The researcher says the interest in the field has boomed in recent years, to the point that archaeological tourism is threatening some of the world’s historic sites.

The UCSB anthropologist’s new book, “A Little History of Archaeology,” is available at bookstores and online now.

Lance Orozco has been News Director of KCLU since 2001, providing award-winning coverage of some of the biggest news events in the region, including the Thomas and Woolsey brush fires, the deadly Montecito debris flow, the Borderline Bar and Grill attack, and Ronald Reagan's funeral.