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  • Book
  • © 2014

Human Footprints: Fossilised Locomotion?

  • The only current book on the academic study of human footprints (tracks)

  • A unique fusion of geology, archaeology, anthropology and forensic sciences of interest to a wide audience of researchers and students

  • Provides the first review of methods for the study of human footprints

  • Contains a rich resource of unpublished data, examples and illustrations

  • Human footprints provide a unique connection with the past and provide some of the most emotive evidence of our ancestors

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Table of contents (8 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages i-xii
  2. Fossilised Locomotion

    • Matthew R. Bennett, Sarita A. Morse
    Pages 1-12
  3. Methods of Data Capture and Analysis

    • Matthew R. Bennett, Sarita A. Morse
    Pages 13-46
  4. World Review of Human Track Sites

    • Matthew R. Bennett, Sarita A. Morse
    Pages 47-79
  5. Geoconservation of Human Tracks

    • Matthew R. Bennett, Sarita A. Morse
    Pages 81-100
  6. The Role of Substrate in Track Formation and Topology

    • Matthew R. Bennett, Sarita A. Morse
    Pages 101-136
  7. Inferences from Human Tracks

    • Matthew R. Bennett, Sarita A. Morse
    Pages 137-171
  8. Forensics Applications

    • Matthew R. Bennett, Sarita A. Morse
    Pages 173-190
  9. Future Directions

    • Matthew R. Bennett, Sarita A. Morse
    Pages 191-194
  10. Back Matter

    Pages 195-216

About this book

Human footprints provide some of the most emotive and tangible evidence of our ancestors. They provide evidence of stature, presence, behaviour and in the case of early hominin footprints, evidence with respect to the evolution of human gait and foot anatomy. While human footprint sites are rare in the geological record the number of sites around the World has increased in recent years, along with the analytical tools available for their study. The aim of this book is to provide a definitive review of these recent developments with specific reference to the increased availability of three-dimensional digital elevation models of human tracks at many key sites. The book is divided into eight chapters. Following an introduction the second chapter reviews modern field methods in human ichnology focusing on the development of new analytical tools.  The third chapter then reviews the major footprint sites around the World including details on several unpublished examples. Chapters then follow on the role of geology in the formation and preservation of tracks, on the inferences that can be made from human tracks and the final chapter explores the application of this work to forensic science.

Audience:
This volume will be of interest to researchers and students across a wide range of disciplines – sedimentology, archaeology, forensics and palaeoanthropology.

Authors and Affiliations

  • Faculty of Science and Technology, Talbot Campus, Bournemouth University, Poole, United Kingdom

    Matthew R. Bennett

  • Department of Musculoskeletal Biology, University of Liverpool Institute of Aging and Chronic Disease, Liverpool, United Kingdom

    Sarita A. Morse

Bibliographic Information

Buy it now

Buying options

eBook USD 89.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Hardcover Book USD 139.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Other ways to access