Rebecca Wragg Sykes’ archeological pursuits started at a young age, and her love of archaeology and human history is infectious. Kindred is the manifestation of Sykes’ hard work, an accessible history of Neanderthals, but also a study of archaeology itself; a study of a study if you will.
From the first dig sites to the most recent digital-mapping, Sykes posits that technological development and application has immeasurably changed the methodology and practice of archaeology over the past 150 years. As our perspective broadens, knowledge is gained, thus differences and preconceptions fade away.
In Kindred, Sykes illustrates how breakthroughs like carbon-dating and DNA analysis (just to name a few) have allowed archaeologists to create a more complete picture of Neanderthal existence. Creating a whole from a sum of parts is not a new concept, it’s more that Archaeology itself is a fractured science, full of nuance and taking place over a long span of time. Thus, for Sykes, there is immense importance on the ability to connect these pieces, these nuances, and technology has proven pivotal to creating these connections.
Kindred is a human, scientific history that investigates who we are, where we come from, and where we might be going.
Review by Joel
$28.00 Hardcover
Kindred is in stock at the bookstore, you can order it online or call us at (505) 988-4226.