Modern art and archaeology aren't the most likely pairing of subjects, but in Figuring It Out (New York: Thames & Hudson, 2003; $50), Colin Renfrew makes a convincing case that the two are complementary disciplines. Copiously illustrated, the book defies easy categorization as it juxtaposes everything from the Laetoli footsteps to Neolithic figurines with a bewildering array of modern art, including a submarine made of tires.
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The latest book on the earliest North Americans, journalist Tom Koppel's Lost World: Rewriting Prehistory, How New Science Is Tracing America's Ice Age Mariners (New York: Atria Books, 2003; $26), stands out with its sharp reporting on the coastal migration theory of Paleoindian origins.
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Though intended for younger readers, Brian Fagan's compendium of biographical sketches, Archaeologists: Explorers of the Human Past (New York: Oxford University Press, 2003; $40), should prove a valuable reference for readers of all ages.
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