Lengthy, signed articles, alphabetically arranged, with a bibliography at the end of each entry. Because of the topical nature of the entries, use of the index at the end of the fourth volume is a necessity. Prepared under the auspices of the Human Relations Area Files, each of these volumes covers a specific region of the world and gives a comprehensive description of all the cultures within that region. The final volume contains a series of indexes. This is a good beginning guide to library sources specific to anthropology.
Chapters are topically divided, and entries carry brief annotations.
Appendices detail the Library of Congress Classification System for anthropology and George Peter Murdock's outlines of cultural materials and world cultures. A good site for learning about ancient human origins. Includes a case study in reconstructing a fossil, a gallery of hominids, and articles for class assignment. A list of fossils important for either their scientific or their historic interest.