In this modern era of global environmental crisis, Sing Chew provides a convincing analysis of a 5,000-year history of recurring human and environmental crises_a Dark Ages significant in defining the relationship between nature and culture. The author's message about the coming Dark Ages, as human communities continue to reorganize to meet the contingencies of ecological scarcity and climate changes, is a must-read for those concerned with human interactions and environmental changes, including environmental anthropologists and historians, world historians, geographers, archaeologists, and environmental scientists.

Chapter 1 Preface Part 2 I.The Dark Ages over World History Chapter 3 1 System Crisis Part 4 II.The Crisis of the Bronze Age Chapter 5 2 Nature and Culture Chapter 6 3 Ecological Crisis and System Transformation Part 7 III.The Crisis of Antiquity Chapter 8 4 Intensification of Natural and Social Systems Relations Chapter 9 5 A Period of Darkness Part 10 IV. System Transformation Chapter 11 6 From the Past to the Future: Whither System Transformation? Chapter 13 Appendix 1: Arboreal Pollen Influxes Chapter 14 Appendix 2: Plantago Pollen Influxes Chapter 15 Appendix 3: Arboreal and NonArboreal Pollen Influxes Percentages