The First 20,000 Years
The 30th-anniversary edition of a historical account, called “brilliantly original” by Katha Pollitt (The Washington Post Book World), that reframed our understanding of women’s lives in early societies
Twenty thousand years ago, women were making and wearing clothing created from spun fibres. In Women’s Work, archaeologist-linguist Elizabeth Wayland Barber “weaves the strands of mythology and literature, ethnology and documented history into a rich tapestry” (John Noble Wilford, The New York Times Book Review), illuminating the vital role women held in preindustrial societies. With a distinctive and innovative approach to ancient remains, Barber examines ancient textiles from Stone Age string skirts and ancient Egyptian sleeved tunics to intricate Neolithic Swiss linens and colourfully patterned Minoan dresses, offering us captivating glimpses into the daily lives of women through the cloth they made and wore.