Includes bibliographical references and index.

Frameworks for Europe's past. Geography and environment ; Geology ; Past climate ; Raw materials ; Time and chronology ; A very short history of European archaeology -- The first Europeans. Early Europeans ; Atapuerca, Spain, 1.3 million years ago ; Boxgrove, England, 500,000 years ago ; Schöningen, Germany, 400,000 years ago ; Neanderthals ; Krapina, Serbia, 130,000 years ago ; Salzgitter-Lebenstedt, Germany, 55,000 years ago ; El Sidrón, Spain, 43,000 years ago ; Grotte du Renne, France, 40,000 years ago ; Vindija Cave, Croatia, 34,000 years ago ; Ancient DNA ; Neanderthal diet ; Some reflections -- The creative explosion. Origin and spread of modern humans ; The Upper Paleolithic ; Pstera cu Oase, Romania, 40,000 years ago ; Grotte Chauvet, France, 32,000 years ago ; Grande Grotte, Arcy-sur-Cure, France, 32,000 years ago ; Dolní Věstonice, Czech Republic 27,500 years ago ; Grotte de la Vache, France, 14,000 years ago ; Gönnersdorf, Germany, 11,500 years ago ; Pincevent, France, 12,000 years ago ; Doggerland, North Sea, 11,000 BC ; The last hunters ; Franchthi Cave, Greece, 9000 BC ; Mount Sandel, Ireland, 7000 BC ; Moita do Sebastião, Portugal, 6000 BC ; Polderweg, Netherlands 5500 BC ; Tybrind Vig, Denmark, 5000 BC ; Vedbæk, Denmark, 5000 BC ; Rock art : Vingen, Norway, 5000 BC ; Some reflections -- The first farmers. The origins and spread of agriculture ; Neolithic Cyprus ; Shillourokambos, Cyprus, 8200 BC ; Asprokremnos, Cyprus, 8800 BC ; Nea Nikomedeia, Greece, 6200 BC ; Lepenski Vir, Serbia, 6200 BC ; Vinča, Serbia, 5500 BC ; Rudna Glava, Serbia, 5000 BC ; Varna, Bulgaria, 4500 BC ; Passo di Corvo, Italy, 6000 BC ; Linearbandkeramik ; Vaihingen, Germany, 5300 BC ; Polished flint axes ; Spiennes, Belgium, 4400 BC ; La Draga, Spain, 5000 BC ; Arbon-Bleiche 3, Switzerland, 3384 BC ; Ötzi, Italy, 3300 BC ; The megaliths of Western Europe ; Skara Brae, Orkney Islands, 3200 BC ; Stonehenge, England 3100 BC ; Newgrange, Ireland, 3100 BC ; Los Millares, Spain, 3200 BC ; Hal Saflieni, Malta, 3600 BC ; Rock art : Barranco de la Valtort, Spain 5500 BC ; Some reflections -- Bronze Age warriors. The rise of metals ; The Bronze Age in the Aegean ; Knossos, Crete, Greece, 3000 BC ; Akrotiri, Santorini, Greece, 1626 BC ; Mykene, Greece, 1600 BC ; Uluburun, Turkey, 1300 BC ; The Bronze Age north of the Alps ; Bell beaker ; The Indo-Europeans ; Amesbury Archer, England 2470 BC ; Poggiomarino, Italy, 1600 BC ; Croce del Papa, Italy, 2150 BC ; Nebra, Germany, 1600 BC ; Bronze Age finds ; Su Nuraxi di Barumini, Sardinia, Italy, 1800 BC ; Borum Eshøj, Denmark, 1350 BC ; Bredarör, Sweden, 1000 BC ; Salcombe, England, 1000 BC ; Flag Fen, England, 1350 BC ; Rock art : Tanum, Sweden, 1500 BC ; Some reflections -- Centers of power, weapons of iron. At the edge of history ; The Celts ; The Germans ; The Scythians ; Making iron ; Biskupin, Poland, 738 BC ; The Etruscans ; Necropoli della Banditaccia, Italy, 650 BC ; Hallstatt, Austria, 800 BC ; Hochdorf, Germany, 530 BC ; Vix, France, 4880 BC ; Danebury, England 550 BC ; Grauballe, Denmark, 300 BC ; Manching, Germany, 300 BC ; Maiden Castle, England, 43 BC ; Gournay-sur-Aronde, Ribemont-sur-Ancre, France, 260 BC ; Celtic religion ; Some reflections -- Past and present : lessons from prehistoric Europe. Europe before Rome ; Significance ; Relevance ; Preservation ; Appreciation.