Human prehistory and the first civilizations

This is a rousing, fascinating tour through prehistory with an archaeological focus. About half is devoted to non-sapiens hominids and their evolution and dispersion, while about a quarter of the lectures here cover early agriculture, with the remaining sections on civilizations we have a bit more information about. The latest version of this series of lectures is from 2013, so some of the research discussed here is a bit dated, particularly around pre-sapiens species and the development of agriculture, but Fagan is clear about the degree to which knowledge about these topics can change. Beyond being a great dive into the topic even if you have some background in it, Fagan is absolutely inspiring in these lectures and leaves you with a greater appreciation for the arc of human history that still underlies our modern world. Highly recommend