Soil as the basis of civilization, is the most important resource of the solid earth that we use. It is the source of most of our food and fiber, much of our building materials, and the repository of most of our wastes. Over the last 10,000 years we have learned to manipulate it for our purposes to such a degree that our ecological footprint has notably modified about two thirds of the soils of the Earth. At the beginning of the 21^st century, with the issue of the sustainability of human society, it has never been more important for there to be a global understanding of the soil...

This book contains case histories intended to show how societies and landscapes interact. The range of interest stretches from the small groups of the earliest Neolithic, through Bronze and Iron Age civilizations, to modern nation states. The coexistence is, of its very nature reciprocal, resulting in changes in both society and landscape. In some instances the adaptations may be judged successful in terms of human needs, but failure is common and even the successful cases are ephemeral when judged in the light of history.

Comparisons and contrasts between the various cases can be...

This book contains case histories intended to show how societies and landscapes interact. The range of interest stretches from the small groups of the earliest Neolithic, through Bronze and Iron Age civilizations, to modern nation states. The coexistence is, of its very nature reciprocal, resulting in changes in both society and landscape. In some instances the adaptations may be judged successful in terms of human needs, but failure is common and even the successful cases are ephemeral when judged in the light of history.

Comparisons and contrasts between the various cases can be...