The first in the book series Studies in the African Past was published
in 2001, consisting of reports produced by the archaeology research
project, 'Human Responses and Contribution to Environmental Change'. The
new research initiative developed out of this project is known as the
'African Archaeology Network'. This is investigating how ancient African
societies exploited resources, developed settlements and established
long-distance trade networks. A pan-African project, it aims to develop
new models to understand how ancient communities adjusted and responded
to political and environmental upheavals; and to demonstrate the
potential for more research in the different areas of African
archaeology.