The Donkey in Human History

Reviews / Votes

Summarizing a large body of historical records, the author synthesizes archaeological, anthropological, genetic, and ecological data from all over the world. The Donkey in Human History is a remarkable and long overdue scholarly achievement. * William Taylor, Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History, Journal of Anthropological Research * I highly recommend this book; it is bound to become a key reference in the field, stimulating further research but also making us rethink our perception of the animals with which we interact. * Pauline Hanot, European Journal of Archaeology * With his work The Donkey in Human History : An Archaeological Perspective, P. Mitchell offers us a magnificent panorama of the history of the relationship between the donkey and human society since its domestication until the modern day [...] This fascinating and well-documented work shows how donkeys (and mules) were co-constructors of both urban and rural landscapes due to their exceptional qualities. * Emmanuelle Vila, Anthropozoologica * Through the history of the donkey, Mitchell tells us about the multiple facets of the history of world societies. It is a most engaging journey and I am glad to have had the opportunity to read it from cover to coverThe book will be of interest to historians and archaeologists alike and is very strongly recommended. * Umberto Albarella, Medieval Archaeology * Mitchells book is a comprehensive overview of the role of the donkey in human history, based on a carefully crafted compilation of the archaeological evidence and its comparison with literary sources. The topic itself is original given that the donkeys history is often delivered piecemeal, hidden within that of its more popular cousin the horse. By devoting his attention exclusively to this animal, the author achieves his aim of extracting it from its anonymity and filling a significant gap in the field... In his book, the local and the global mingle, showing that the role of the donkey goes beyond its use in daily life and largely contributes to shape societies. In a nutshell, I highly recommend this book; it is bound to become a key reference in the field, stimulating further research but also making us rethink our perception of the animals with which we interact. * Pauline Hanot, Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History, European Journal of Archaeology * Mitchell's ambitiously pitched and well-written study, a major contribution to the archaeology of animals, is the work of a scholar of African archaeology and this shows throughout the book. Covering a vast amount of ground in terms of both geography and chronology, and picking up on key moments in the history of the donkey, Mitchell often directs readers towards the material evidence and guides them through sometimes difficult material with ease and elegance. Anthropological, archaeological, and historical sources provide the foundation for this distinctly interdisciplinary study, and the narrative is very well illustrated with images (the volume contains more than a hundred black-and-white images, and there are around thirty colour plates, alongside a number of tables). * Andrej Petrovic, University of Virginia, Greece and Rome * [a] highly readable book ... This book belongs on every excavator's shelf and should be required reading for any students planning to participate in fieldwork. * Peter Ian Kuniholm, Bryn Mawr Classical Review * I recommend this book highly as an informative, amply documented, and valuable contribution for the use of specialists in the relevant historical and cultural fields, and also as being well worth reading or dipping into for anyone interested in the longue duree of history and for the role(s) of nonhuman animals within that history. * Mark Griffiths, Religious Studies Review * Through the history of the donkey, Mitchell tells us about the multiple facets of the history of world societies. It is a most engaging journey and I am glad to have had the opportunity to read it from cover to cover -- a rare luxury in modern-day academia. The book will be of interest to historians and archaeologists alike and is very strongly recommended. * Umberto Albarella, Medieval Archeology * This book belongs on every excavator's shelf and should be required reading for any students planning to participate in fieldwork. * Peter Ian Kuniholm, University of Arizona , Bryn Mawr Classical Review * Mitchell's ambitiously pitched and well-written study, a major contribution to the archaeology of animals, is the work of a scholar of African archaeology and this shows throughout the book. Covering a vast amount of ground in terms of both geography and chronology, and picking up on key moments in the history of the donkey, Mitchell often directs readers towards the material evidence and guides them through sometimes difficult material with ease and elegance. Anthropological, archaeological, and historical sources provide the foundation for this distinctly interdisciplinary study, and the narrative is very well illustrated with images * Andrej Petrovic, Greece and Rome * this is an excellent account, bringing together different strands of the donkey's long tale to offer a persuasive archaeological rebranding of these four-legged friends and their fundamental place in human history. * Current World Archaeology *