BookOdyssey

The fascinating story of how the fossils of dinosaurs, mammoths, and other extinct animals influenced some of the most spectacular creatures of classical mythologyGriffins, Centaurs, Cyclopes, and Giants—these fabulous creatures of classical mythology continue to live in the modern imagination through the vivid accounts that have come down to us from the ancient Greeks and Romans. But what if these beings were more than merely fictions? What if monstrous creatures once roamed the earth in the very places where their legends first arose? This is the arresting and original thesis that Adrienne Mayor explores in The First Fossil Hunters. Through careful research and meticulous documentation, she convincingly shows that many of the giants and monsters of myth did have a basis in fact—in the enormous bones of long-extinct species that were once abundant in the lands of the Greeks and Romans.As Mayor shows, the Greeks and Romans were well aware that a different breed of creatures once inhabited their lands. They frequently encountered the fossilized bones of these primeval beings, and they developed sophisticated concepts to explain the fossil evidence, concepts that were expressed in mythological stories. The legend of the gold-guarding griffin, for example, sprang from tales first told by Scythian gold-miners, who, passing through the Gobi Desert at the foot of the Altai Mountains, encountered the skeletons of Protoceratops and other dinosaurs that littered the ground.Like their modern counterparts, the ancient fossil hunters collected and measured impressive petrified remains and displayed them in temples and museums; they attempted to reconstruct the appearance of these prehistoric creatures and to explain their extinction. Long thought to be fantasy, the remarkably detailed and perceptive Greek and Roman accounts of giant bone finds were actually based on solid paleontological facts. By reading these neglected narratives for the first time in the light of modern scientific discoveries, Adrienne Mayor illuminates a lost world of ancient paleontology. Σελίδες: 400, Διαστάσεις: 13.3x13.3cm

A lively new biography of Tutankhamun—published for the hundredth anniversary of his tomb’s modern discovery   The discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb in 1922 sparked imaginations across the globe. While Howard Carter emptied its treasures, Tut-mania gripped the world—and in many ways, never left. But who was the “boy king,” and what was his life really like?   Garry J. Shaw tells the full story of Tutankhamun’s reign and his modern rediscovery. As pharaoh, Tutankhamun had to manage an empire, navigate influential courtiers, and suffer the pain of losing at least two children—all before his nineteenth birthday. Shaw explores the boy king’s treasures and possessions, from a lock of his grandmother’s hair to a reed cut with his own hands. He looks too at Ankhesenamun, Tutankhamun’s wife, and the power queens held. This is a compelling new biography that weaves together intriguing details about ancient Egyptian culture, its beliefs, and its place in the wider world. Σελίδες: 208, Έτος Έκδοσης: 0113, Διαστάσεις: 14x14cm

THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER AND SUNDAY TIMES, OBSERVER AND BBC HISTORY BOOK OF THE YEARFINALIST FOR THE ORWELL PRIZE FOR POLITICAL WRITING 2022\'Pacey and potentially revolutionary\' Sunday Times \'Iconoclastic and irreverent ... an exhilarating read\' The Guardian For generations, our remote ancestors have been cast as primitive and childlike - either free and equal, or thuggish and warlike. Civilization, we are told, could be achieved only by sacrificing those original freedoms or, alternatively, by taming our baser instincts. David Graeber and David Wengrow show how such theories first emerged in the eighteenth century as a reaction to indigenous critiques of European society, and why they are wrong. In doing so, they overturn our view of human history, including the origins of farming, property, cities, democracy, slavery and civilization itself. Drawing on path-breaking research in archaeology and anthropology, the authors show how history becomes a far more interesting place once we begin to see what\'s really there. If humans did not spend 95 per cent of their evolutionary past in tiny bands of hunter-gatherers, what were they doing all that time? If agriculture, and cities, did not mean a plunge into hierarchy and domination, then what kinds of social and economic organization did they lead to? The answers are often unexpected, and suggest that the course of history may be less set in stone, and more full of playful possibilities than we tend to assume. The Dawn of Everything fundamentally transforms our understanding of the human past and offers a path toward imagining new forms of freedom, new ways of organizing society. This is a monumental book of formidable intellectual range, animated by curiosity, moral vision and faith in the power of direct action.\'This is not a book. This is an intellectual feast\' Nassim Nicholas Taleb\'The most profound and exciting book I\'ve read in thirty years\' Robin D. G. Kelley Σελίδες: 720, Διαστάσεις: 13x13cm

\'It is a story full of drama, with the Nile, the pyramids and the Valley of the Kings as backdrop. That A World Beneath the Sands is also a subtle and stimulating study of the paradoxes of 19th-century colonialism is a bonus indeed.\' – Tom Holland, GuardianWhat could be more exciting, more exotic or more intrepid than digging in the sands of Egypt in the hope of discovering golden treasures from the age of the pharaohs? Our fascination with ancient Egypt goes back to the ancient Greeks. But the heyday of Egyptology was undoubtedly the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. This golden age of scholarship and adventure is neatly book-ended by two epoch-making events: Champollion\'s decipherment of hieroglyphics in 1822 and the discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb by Howard Carter and Lord Carnarvon a hundred years later.In A World Beneath the Sands, the acclaimed Egyptologist Toby Wilkinson tells the riveting stories of the men and women whose obsession with Egypt\'s ancient civilisation drove them to uncover its secrets. Champollion, Carter and Carnarvon are here, but so too are their lesser-known contemporaries, such as the Prussian scholar Karl Richard Lepsius, the Frenchman Auguste Mariette and the British aristocrat Lucie Duff-Gordon. Their work – and those of others like them – helped to enrich and transform our understanding of the Nile Valley and its people, and left a lasting impression on Egypt, too. Travellers and treasure-hunters, ethnographers and epigraphers, antiquarians and archaeologists: whatever their motives, whatever their methods, all understood that in pursuing Egyptology they were part of a greater endeavour – to reveal a lost world, buried for centuries beneath the sands. Σελίδες: 544, Έτος Έκδοσης: 0208, Διαστάσεις: 13.2x13.2cm

A scientific exploration of the advanced ancient civilization known as Doggerland or Fairland that disappeared 5,000 years ago. New marine archaeological evidence has revealed the remains of a large land mass to the north of Britain that hosted an advanced civilization 1,000 years before the recognized “first” civilizations of ancient Egypt, Mesopotamia, or India. Remembered in Celtic legends as Tu-lay, and referred to by geologists as Doggerland or Fairland, this civilization began at least as early as 4000 BC but was ultimately destroyed by rising sea levels, huge tsunamis, and a terrible viral epidemic released from melting permafrost during a cataclysmic period of global warming. Exploring the latest archaeological findings and recent scientific analysis of Doggerland’s underwater remains, Graham Phillips shows that this ancient culture had sophisticated technology and advanced medical knowledge. He looks at evidence detected with remote sensing and seismic profiling of many artificial structures, complex settlements, gigantic earthworks, epic monoliths, and huge stone circles dated to more than 5,500 years ago, preserved beneath the ground and on the ocean floor. He examines evidence of Doggerland’s high-temperature technology, showing how its people were able to melt solid rock to create vitrified structures far stronger than concrete, a technique that modern science cannot replicate. He looks at the small part of the Fairland land mass that still exists: Fair Isle, a tiny island some 45 miles north of the Orkney Islands of Scotland. Phillips shows how, when Fairland sank beneath the waves around 3100 BC, its last survivors traveled by boat to settle in the British Isles, where they established the megalithic culture that built Stonehenge. Revealing the vast archaeological evidence in support of the existence of Doggerland, as well as its threads of influence in early cultures around the world, Phillips also shows how the fate of this sophisticated ancient culture is a warning from history: the cataclysmic events that happened to the first civilizations could happen again as the world heats up. Σελίδες: 224, Έτος Έκδοσης: 0831, Διαστάσεις: 15.2x15.2cm

A TIMES BOOK OF THE YEAR\'As brilliant a history of the Vikings as one could possibly hope to read\' Tom HollandThe \'Viking Age\' is traditionally held to begin in June 793 when Scandinavian raiders attacked the monastery of Lindisfarne in Northumbria, and to end in September 1066, when King Harald Hardrada of Norway died leading the charge against the English line at the Battle of Stamford Bridge. This book, the most wide-ranging and comprehensive assessment of the current state of our knowledge, takes a refreshingly different view. It shows that the Viking expansion began generations before the Lindisfarne raid, and traces Scandinavian history back centuries further to see how these people came to be who they were.The narrative ranges across the whole of the Viking diaspora, from Vinland on the eastern American seaboard to Constantinople and Uzbekistan, with contacts as far away as China. Based on the latest archaeology, it explores the complex origins of the Viking phenomenon and traces the seismic shifts in Scandinavian society that resulted from an economy geared to maritime war. Some of its most striking discoveries include the central role of slavery in Viking life and trade, and the previously unsuspected pirate communities and family migrations that were part of the Viking \'armies\' - not least in England.Especially, Neil Price takes us inside the Norse mind and spirit-world, and across their borders of identity and gender, to reveal startlingly different Vikings to the barbarian marauders of stereotype. He cuts through centuries of received wisdom to try to see the Vikings as they saw themselves - descendants of the first human couple, the Children of Ash and Elm. Healso reminds us of the simultaneous familiarity and strangeness of the past, of how much we cannot know, alongside the discoveries that change the landscape of our understanding. This is an eye-opening and surprisingly moving book. Σελίδες: 624, Διαστάσεις: 13x13cm

‘Beautifully written, sumptuously illustrated, constantly fascinating‘ The TimesOn 26 November 1922 Howard Carter first peered into the newly opened tomb of an ancient Egyptian boy-king. When asked if he could see anything, he replied: ‘Yes, yes, wonderful things.’In Tutankhamun’s Trumpet, acclaimed Egyptologist Toby Wilkinson takes a unique approach to that tomb and its contents. Instead of concentrating on the oft-told story of the discovery, or speculating on the brief life and politically fractious reign of the boy king, Wilkinson takes the objects buried with him as the source material for a wide-ranging, detailed portrait of ancient Egypt – its geography, history, culture and legacy.One hundred artefacts from the tomb, arranged in ten thematic groups, are allowed to speak again – not only for themselves, but as witnesses of the civilization that created them. Never before have the treasures of Tutankhamun been analysed and presented for what they can tell us about ancient Egyptian culture, its development, its remarkable flourishing, and its lasting impact.Filled with surprising insights, unusual details, vivid descriptions and, above all, remarkable objects, Tutankhamun’s Trumpet will appeal to all lovers of history, archaeology, art and culture, as well as all those fascinated by the Egypt of the pharaohs.‘I’ve read many books on ancient Egypt, but I’ve never felt closer to its people‘ The Sunday Times Σελίδες: 496, Έτος Έκδοσης: 0809, Διαστάσεις: 15.3x15.3cm

The fully revised 3rd edition of this state-of-the-art guide to dinosaur biology. From the Victorian golden age of dinosaur discovery to the cutting edge of twenty-first century fossil forensics Dinosaurs unravels the mysteries of the most spectacular group of animals our planet has ever seen. Despite facing drastic climatic conditions including violent volcanic activity, searing temperatures and rising and plunging sea levels, the dinosaurs formed an evolutionary dynasty that ruled the Earth for more than 150 million years. Darren Naish and Paul Barrett reveal the latest scientific findings about dinosaur anatomy, behaviour, and evolution. They also demonstrate how dinosaurs survived the great extinction at the end of the Cretaceous Period and continued to evolve and thrive alongside us, existing today as an incredibly diverse array of birds that are the direct descendants of theropods. Dinosaurs is lavishly illustrated with specimens from the Natural History Museum\'s own collections, along with explanatory diagrams and charts and full-colour artistic reconstructions of dinosaur behaviour. Διαστάσεις: 19.2x19.2cm

The cities of Troy and Knossos are the stuff of legend. One, the city of Homer\'s \"Iliad\", of Paris, Hector and Helen; the other home to a king who built a labyrinth in which to hide his monstrous son. This is the story of two of the most heroic, and controversial, figures in archaeology: Heinrich Schliemann, who discovered the remains of Troy, and Arthur Evans who unearthed the great city of King Minos. Ranking alongside Carter\'s discovery of Tutankhamun\'s tomb, the discoveries at Troy and Knossos enabled a new understanding of Prehistoric Greece, the very dawn of civilisation.They also proved that what until then had only been myths and daydreams were actually real. The Cretans did indeed worship the cult of the bull. Achilles and Agamemnon really did live. Replete with drama and adventure, \"The Bull of Minos\" tells of the 3,000-year old civilisations that were brought back to life, of the extraordinary men who toiled in their dusty ruins and of the magic and mystery of life in a world of gods and warriors. Σελίδες: 232, Έτος Έκδοσης: 0830, Διαστάσεις: 12.9x12.9cm

A fantastic voyage through 15,000 years of history that laid the foundations for civilisation as we know it by award-winning science writer Steven Mithen.Twenty thousand years ago Earth was in the midst of an ice age. Then global warming arrived, leading to massive floods, the spread of forests and the retreat of the deserts. By 5,000 BC a radically different human world had appeared. In place of hunters and gatherers there were farmers; in place of transient campsites there were towns. The foundations of our modern world had been laid and nothing that came after - the Industrial Revolution, the atomic age, the internet - have ever matched the significance of those events. AFTER THE ICE tells the story of climate change\'s impact during this momentous period - one that also saw the colonisation of the Americas and mass extinctions of animals throughout the world. Drawing on the latest cutting-edge research in archaeology, cognitive science, palaeontology, geology and the evolutionary sciences, Steven Mithen creates an evocative, original and remarkably complete picture of minds, cultures, lives and landscapes through 15,000 years of history. Σελίδες: 640, Διαστάσεις: 21.7x21.7cm

A groundbreaking new perspective on catastrophes throughout human history, with vital lessons for our future \'This book upended my understanding of the ancient world\' Zoë Schlanger, author of The Light Eaters \'Lizzie Wade is an exceptional journalist and a master storyteller\' Ed Yong, author of An Immense World The history of humanity is one of devastating, once-in-a-thousand-year events: rising seas that make land uninhabitable, decades-long droughts, civilisational collapse, epidemics like the Black Death and the Spanish Flu that reduce a city’s population by fifty percent. And yet, despite enormous destruction and very real tragedy, these catastrophes all share one common denominator: we survived. In APOCALYPSE, Lizzie Wade reframes the story of human history to show how we can learn from these apocalyptic moments, seeing them not just as violent, world-ending events but as moments of progress and transformation. We travel back in deep time to when homo sapiens replaced other human species including the Neanderthals, witness the fall of the kingdom of Old Egypt, the end of the Mayans and the Black Death, as well as lesser-known catastrophes. To weave this unique narrative, Lizzie introduces us to a new generation of archaeologists using cutting-edge technology to tell new stories about our deep past, including flying planes equipped with lasers over Mayan ruins deep in the jungle, scuba diving to the bottom of the ocean, and sequencing the DNA of ancient people to show how we are far more connected to our ancestors than we think. Written in a gripping style that reads like an Indiana Jones mystery, APOCALYPSE offers a refreshingly optimistic take on the crises our own generation and those after us will face – arguing that yes, catastrophes are painful and destructive, but we can and will survive them. Σελίδες: 320, Διαστάσεις: 15.3x15.3cm

The Mystery of the Hanging Garden of Babylon is an exciting story of detection involving legends, expert decipherment of ancient texts, and a vivid description of a little-known civilization. Recognized in ancient times as one of the Seven Wonders of the World, the legendary Hanging Garden of Babylon and its location have long been steeped in mystery and puzzling myths. In this remarkable volume Stephanie Dalley, a world expert on ancient Babylonian language, exposes new evidence and clarifies all the known material about this enigmatic World Wonder. Placing the Garden within a tradition of royal patronage, Dalley describes how the decipherment of an original text and its link to sculpture in the British Museum has enabled her to pin down where and by which king the Garden was laid out, and to describe in detail what it looked like. Through this dramatic and fascinating reconstruction of the Garden, Dalley also follows its influence on later garden design. Unscrambling layer by layer the many stories that have built up around the Garden, including the parts played by Semiramis and Nebuchadnezzar, Dalley shows why this Garden deserves its place alongside the Pyramids and the Colossus of Rhodes as one of the most astonishing technical achievements of the ancient world. Σελίδες: 304, Διαστάσεις: 13.5x13.5cm

After listening to his mother-in-law talking about her experiences in the Second World War, David Bolton set out to record the wartime memories of British women before it was too late. Many of those he interviewed were child evacuees, some were single mothers, two were ambulance drivers and another was the girlfriend of an American GI killed on D-Day. Other women remembered their experiences working as a young doctor in a POW camp, in a munitions factory filling shells or as a codebreaker at Bletchley Park.War Stories archives the memories of over fifty women in their own words, supplemented by memoirs and diary entries. All tell their very personal war stories with honesty, humour, an amazing memory for detail and a boldness sometimes bordering on the confessional – perhaps because this was their last chance to describe what it was really like to be female in those extraordinary times. Σελίδες: 240, Διαστάσεις: 15.6x15.6cm

This is ancient Greece - but not as we know it. Few people today appreciate that Greek civilization was spread across the Middle East, and that there were Greek cities in the foothills of the Himalayas. This book tells the story of the Greeks outside Greece, such as Sappho, the poet from Lesbos; Archimedes, a native of Syracuse; and Herodotus, who was born in Asia Minor as a subject of the Persian Empire. From the earliest times of prehistoric Greek colonies around the Black Sea, through settlements in Spain and Italy, to the conquests of Alexander and the glories of the Hellenistic era, Philip Matyszak illuminates the Greek soldiers, statesmen, scientists and philosophers who, though they seldom - if ever - set foot on the Greek mainland, nevertheless laid the foundations of what we call \'Greek culture\' today. Instead of following the well-worn path of describing Athenian democracy and Spartan militarism, this book offers a fresh look at what it meant to be Greek by telling the story of the Greeks abroad, from India to Spain. Σελίδες: 208, Διαστάσεις: 13.8x13.8cm

This is the fully-illustrated edition of LONDON IN FRAGMENTS.  A new paperback edition is also available, published under the title A MUDLARK\'S TREASURES: London in Fragments\'A beautiful book.\' Daily Mail\'Exhilaratingly curious.\' Evening Standard\'Gripping.\' Spectator\'Brilliant.\' Penelope Lively\'Indefatigably researched.\' Country Life\'Beautifully illustrated.\' Monocle Mudlarking, the act of searching the Thames foreshore for items of value, has a long tradition in England\'s capital. In the late 18th and 19th centuries, mudlarks were small boys grubbing a living from scrap. Today’s mudlarks unearth relics of the past from the banks of the Thames which tell stories of Londoners throughout history. From Roman tiles to elegant Georgian pottery, presented here are modern-day mudlark Ted Sandling\'s most evocative finds, gorgeously photographed. Together they create a mosaic of everyday London life through the centuries, touching on the journeys, pleasures, vices, industries, adornments and comforts of a world city. This unique and stunning book celebrates the beauty of small things, and makes sense of the intangible connection that found objects give us to the individuals who lost them. Σελίδες: 256, Έτος Έκδοσης: 0322, Διαστάσεις: 14.8x14.8cm

Now available in paperback, Egyptomania takes us on a historical journey to unearth the Egypt of the imagination, a land of strange gods, mysterious magic, secret knowledge, monumental pyramids, enigmatic sphinxes and immense wealth. Egypt has always exerted a powerful attraction on the Western mind, and an array of figures have been drawn to the idea of Egypt. Even the practical-minded Napoleon dreamed of Egyptian glory and helped open the antique land to explorers.Ronald H. Fritze goes beyond art and architecture to reveal Egyptomania\'s impact on religion, philosophy, historical study, literature, travel, science and popular culture. All those who remain captivated by the ongoing phenomenon of Egyptomania will revel in the mysteries uncovered in this book. Σελίδες: 448, Διαστάσεις: 15.6x15.6cm

At the height of its power around 660 BC, the Assyrian empire, centred in northern Iraq, wielded dominance from Egypt to Iran. This vast region was ruled by a series of kings who showcased their power by constructing magnificent palaces adorned with superlative sculptures depicting royal rituals, battles and hunts. Established by military might, the empire thrived under administrators who relocated tens of thousands of people to serve the state, and scholars who interpreted divine will. This book relates the history of Assyria through the lens of its royal family and the officials who commissioned its superb buildings, art and literature, and laid the foundations for the later empires of Babylon and Persia. Σελίδες: 208, Διαστάσεις: 13.8x13.8cm

An accessible introduction to the Bronze Age culture in Asia Minor.Famed for their skill in battle, the Hittites flourished in central Anatolia from the seventeenth to the thirteenth century BC. They were much more than a military power, however - their religion held particular reverence for the sun and storms that provided fertility to their land, and their eclectic art produced some of the most unique rock-cut relief carvings of the Bronze Age.The Hittites is a fine introduction to the culture and art of this vibrant civilization. The book narrates the colourful succession of Hittite kings and their queens, complete with assassinations, intrigues and an evil stepmother banished for witchcraft. It also looks at the Hittite language, the first known example of the Indo-European language from which English descends, and considers the Hittites\' legacy today.\'Based on substantial research and written in a clear, elegant style, Damien Stone\'s book presents for the general reader a concise coverage of all aspects of Hittite history and civilization, from the beginning of the Bronze Age Hittite era down to the Neo-Hittite kingdoms which followed the Hittite empire\'s collapse.\' - Trevor Bryce, Honorary Professor in Classics, the University of Queensland, and author of The Kingdom of the Hittites\'An engaging adventure through the land of Hatti that explores not only the complexity of Hittite society, but the rich legacy of textual and material remains that have survived antiquity. Skilfully written, The Hittites is brimming with historical anecdotes and characters - a joy to read.\' - Candace Richards, Assistant Curator Nicholson Collection, Chau Chak Wing Museum, The University of Sydney\'For hundreds of years the Hittite kings, from their citadel in highland Turkey, played a dominant role in the international politics of the Eastern Mediterranean. In this highly readable account, rich in detail and wide in scope, Damien Stone explores the fascinating world of the Hittites, empire-builders and innovators, by weaving a tapestry that draws equally from material and textual remains. Stone offers a clear outline of complex issues and debates and provides insight into the social and economic structures of the civilization. We not only marvel at the innovations of the Hittite military, but meet literate female ritual specialists, learn about the world\'s first trade embargo and wonder at the forging of relations between human and divine.\' - Margaret C. Miller, Emerita Professor of Classical Archaeology, The University of Sydney Σελίδες: 192, Διαστάσεις: 13.8x13.8cm

From their mythical origins to astonishing feats of engineering, an expertly informed reassessment of one of the great empires of the Americas: the Inca. In their heyday, the Inca ruled over the largest land empire in the Americas, reaching the pinnacle of South American civilization. Known as the \"Romans of the Americas,\" these fabulous engineers converted the vertiginous, challenging landscapes of the Andes into a fertile region able to feed millions, alongside building royal estates such as Machu Picchu and a 40,000-kilometer-long road network crisscrossed by elegant braided-rope suspension bridges. Beautifully illustrated, this book examines the mythical origins and history of the Inca, including their economy, society, technology, and beliefs. Kevin Lane reconsiders previous theories while proposing new interpretations concerning the timeline of Inca expansion, their political organization, and the role of women in their society while showcasing how their legacy endures today. Σελίδες: 208, Διαστάσεις: 13.8x13.8cm

This book reveals how the ancient Maya - and their buildings, ideas, objects and identities - have been perceived, portrayed and exploited over 500 years in the Americas, Europe and beyond. Engaging in interdisciplinary analysis, the book summarizes ancient Maya art and history from the Preclassic period to the Spanish invasion, as well as the history of engagement with the ancient Maya, from Spanish invaders in the sixteenth century, to later explorers and archaeologists, taking in scientific literature, visual arts, architecture, world\'s fairs and Indigenous activism. It also looks at the decipherment of Maya inscriptions, Maya museum exhibitions and artists\' responses, and contemporary Maya people\'s engagements with their ancestral past. Featuring the latest research, this book will interest scholars as well as general readers who wish to know more about this ancient, fascinating culture. Σελίδες: 240, Διαστάσεις: 13.8x13.8cm

The final chapter in the definitive, three-volume history of the world\'s first known stateArchaeologist John Romer has spent a lifetime chronicling the history of Ancient Egypt, and here he tells the epic story of an era dominated by titans of the popular imagination: the radical iconoclast Akhenaten, the boy-king Tutankhamun and the all-conquering Ramesses II. But \'heroes\' do not forge history by themselves. This was also a time of international trade, cultural exchange and sophisticated art, even in the face of violent change.Alongside his visionary new history of this, the most famous period in the long history of Ancient Egypt, Romer turns a critical eye on Egyptology itself. Paying close attention to the evidence, he corrects prevailing narratives which cast the New Kingdom as an imperial state power in the European mould. Instead, he reveals - through broken artefacts in ruined workshops, or preserved letters between a tomb-builder and his son - a culture more beautiful and beguiling than we could have imagined.Romer carefully reconstructs the real story of the New Kingdom as evidenced in the archaeological record, and the result - the final volume of a life long project - secures his status as Ancient Egypt\'s finest chronicler. Σελίδες: 704, Διαστάσεις: 13x13cm

\'A bold, ambitious and truly wonderful history of the world\' Peter Wohlleben, author of The Hidden Life of Trees\'A fascinating story and a crucial revision of the momentous importance of tropical forests to human history\' Lewis Dartnell, author of Origins_________________________ Jungle tells the remarkable story of the world\'s tropical forests, from the arrival of the first plants millions of years ago to the role of tropical forests in the evolution of the world\'s atmosphere, the dinosaurs, the first mammals and even our own species and ancestors. Highlighting provocative new evidence garnered from cutting-edge research, Dr Roberts shows, for example, that our view of humans as \'savannah specialists\' is wildly wrong, and that the \'Anthropocene\' began not with the Industrial Revolution, but potentially as early as 6,000 years ago in the tropics. We see that the relationship between humankind and \'jungles\' is deep-rooted, that we are all connected to their destruction, and that we must all act to save them. Urgent, clear-sighted and original, Jungle challenges the way we think about the world - and ourselves. _________________________ \'Welcome to the \"Jungle\" - a breathtaking book\' Mark Maslin, author of How to Save Our Planet\'Timely, readable and highly relevant\' Steve Brusatte, author of The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs\'Its revelations and stories will stir, rearrange and populate your mind for years to come\' Paul Hawken, editor of Drawdown\'Brilliant ... it delivers a timely warning about our abuse of the environment\' David Abulafia, author of The Great Sea\'Finally, a book on rainforests that does justice to their majesty and importance\' Simon Lewis, co-author of The Human Planet Σελίδες: 448, Διαστάσεις: 12.9x12.9cm

The Third Edition of this classic account of the inside story of one of the major intellectual breakthroughs of our time - the last great decipherment of an ancient script – revised and brought right up to date with the latest developments. 113 illustrations bring to life the people and texts that have enabled us to read the Maya script. The original edition, which sold over 40,000 copies in English, was hailed as ‘a masterpiece that transcends the boundaries between academic and popular writing’. ‘Coe’s thrilling account of the cracking of Mayan is like a detective story … great stuff’ - The Observer ‘Told with great vigour by Professor Michael Coe, who was himself involved; he offers an insider’s story with strong views of the personalities, competence and abilities of some colleagues’ - History Today ‘An entertaining, enlightening and even humorous history of the great searchers after the meaning that lies in the Maya inscriptions’ - Anthony Burgess Σελίδες: 304, Έτος Έκδοσης: 0101, Διαστάσεις: 15.5x15.5cm

\"A cornucopia of our weirdest and most wonderful archaeological sites and artefacts. They make you feel proud to be a citizen of these gloriously intriguing isles.\" Sir Tony RobinsonAn Ice Age cannibal’s skull cup, a hoard of Anglo-Saxon gold, a seventeenth century witch bottle… anthropologist Mary-Ann Ochota unearths more than 70 of Britain\'s most intriguing ancient places and artefacts and explores the mysteries behind them. Britain is full of ancient wonders: not grand like the Egyptian pyramids, but small, strange places and objects that hint at a deep and enduring relationship with the mystic. Secret Britain offers an expertly guided tour of Britain’s most fascinating mysteries: archaeological sites and artefacts that take us deep into the lives of the many different peoples who have inhabited the island over the millennia. Illustrated with beautiful photographs, the wonders include buried treasure, stone circles and geoglyphs, outdoor places of worship, caves filled with medieval carvings, and enigmatic tools to divine the future. Explore famous sites such as Stonehenge and Glastonbury, but also discover: The Lindow Man bog body, showing neatly trimmed hair and manicured fingernails despite having been killed 2,000 years ago The Uffington White Horse, a horse-shaped geoglyph maintained by an unbroken chain of people for 3,000 years A roman baby’s bronze cockerel, an underworld companion for a two-year-old who died sometime between AD 100–200 St Leonard’s Ossuary, home to 1,200 skulls and a vast stack of human bones made up of around 2,000 people who died from the 1200s to the 1500s The Wenhaston Doom painting, an extraordinary medieval depiction of the Last Judgement painted on a chancel arch Explore Britain’s secret history and discover why these places still resonate today. Σελίδες: 240, Έτος Έκδοσης: 0314, Διαστάσεις: 17.1x17.1cm

The British Museum’s collection is one of the world’s finest and broadest, ranging from prehistoric times to the present in ancient and modern cultures around the globe. This new and updated edition includes many recent acquisitions and new discoveries, such as Picasso’s stunning Vollard Suite and the intriguing Vale of York Viking hoard, and showcases a selection of more than 250 of the most beautiful and important objects drawn from across the Museum. Each object is presented with its own fascinating story and is strikingly illustrated in full colour. From the Warren Cup to Dürer’s Rhinoceros, the Lewis Chessmen to the Aztec turquoise serpent and the Gayer-Anderson Cat, the iconic objects of the British Museum are here presented in an exciting and accessible new way, highlighting the superb craftsmanship and ingenuity of those who created each of these splendid pieces. Grouped into sections based on cross-cultural themes, such as rulers, mythical beasts, dress and the human form, the resulting juxtapositions offer intriguing new insights into these widely varied masterpieces. Introduced by Neil MacGregor, former Director of the British Museum, this is a stunning overview of artistic and cultural achievement around the world. Σελίδες: 304, Έτος Έκδοσης: 1020, Διαστάσεις: 21.5x21.5cm

This authoritative volume has been revised throughout and expanded, with stunning new images and accounts of the major discoveries of recent years. Recent findings have been added to expand our understanding of the Olmecs outside of their heartland, and new research on the legacy of the Maya offers a wider and more cohesive narrative of Mexico’s history. New co-author Javier Urcid has added greater coverage of Oaxaca and of Monté Alban, one of the earliest cities in Mesoamerica and the center of the Zapotec civilization, and a fully revised Epilogue discusses the survival of indigenous populations in Mexico from the Conquest up to the present. This longstanding classic now features full-colour photos of the vibrant art and architecture of ancient Mesoamerica throughout. Σελίδες: 272, Έτος Έκδοσης: 1201, Διαστάσεις: 15.9x15.9cm

As the leading figure in New Archaeology, David Rohl has been at the forefront of the movement to discover the archaeological evidence for events described in the Old Testament which we have come to think of as myths. His previous books, Test of Time and Legend presented the arguments and counter-arguments. In From Eden to Exile this discursive approach is replaced by historical storytelling, which follows the sequence of events from the rise of Neolithic civilisation in a region now part of Iran which inspired the story of the Garden of Eden, through Noah, Abraham and the sojourn in Egypt, to the fall of Jericho, the dual kingdoms of the Promised Land and lastly, the exile in Babylon, where the stories of the Old Testament were collated into something very like their present form. A fascinating history book that will appeal to anyone with an interest in ancient history, religion and archaeology. Σελίδες: 528, Διαστάσεις: 11x11cm

For over a decade Nefertiti, wife of the heretic king Akhenaten, was the most influential woman in the Bronze Age world; a beautiful queen blessed by the sun-god, adored by her family and worshipped by her people. Her image and her name were celebrated throughout Egypt and her future seemed golden. Suddenly Nefertiti disappeared from the royal family, vanishing so completely that it was as if she had never been. No record survives to detail her death, no monument serves to mourn her passing and to this day her end remains an enigma - her body has never been found. Joyce Tyldesley here provides a detailed discussion of the life and times of Nefertiti, Egypt\'s sun queen, set against the background of the ephemeral Amarna court. Σελίδες: 272, Διαστάσεις: 12.9x12.9cm

Pompeii is the best known and probably the most important archaeological site in the world. This book, now available in paperback, is the most up-to-date, authoritative and comprehensive account for the general reader of its rise, splendour and fall. The drama of Pompeii’s end has been handed down by Roman writers, its paintings and mosaics have astonished visitors since their discovery, and its houses and public buildings still present a vivid picture of life, disaster and death in a Roman town. Σελίδες: 256, Έτος Έκδοσης: 0220, Διαστάσεις: 19x19cm

Σελίδες: 256, Διαστάσεις: 22.5x22.5cm

In a series of 54 stunning full-colour maps covering 3,000 years and spanning the whole of Europe, this book, newly available in paperback, comprehensively charts the dramatic history of the Celts from their origins in the Bronze Age to their present-day diaspora. Taking into account the latest research and academic controversies over the historical identity of the Celts, the Atlas deals separately with the Continental Celts (Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Anatolia), the Atlantic Celts (Britain and Ireland) and the modern Celts and the current state of Celtic culture. Σελίδες: 144, Έτος Έκδοσης: 1201, Διαστάσεις: 21.5x21.5cm

• Shows how the archetypal symbols of the Pohnpaid petroglyphs have exact counterparts in other ancient cultures throughout the world • Provides evidence that Pohnpaid is closely related to--yet predates--neighboring Nan Madol • Includes hundreds of Pohnpaid petroglyphs and stone circle photos, many never before seen While residing on the small Pacific island of Pohnpei in the 1990s, Carole Nervig discovered that a recent brush fire had exposed hundreds of previously unknown petroglyphs carved on gigantic boulders. This portion of the megalithic site called Pohnpaid was unknown even to Pohnpei’s state historic preservation officer. The petroglyphs were unlike others from Oceania, so Nervig began investigating and comparing them with petroglyphs and symbols from around the world.In this fully illustrated exploration, Nervig documents her discoveries on Pohnpei, revealing how the archetypal symbols of the Pohnpaid petroglyphs have exact counterparts in other ancient cultures and universal motifs throughout the world, including the Australian Aborigines, the Inca in Peru, the Vedic civilization of India, early Norse runes, and Japanese symbols. She provides evidence that Pohnpaid is closely related to--yet predates--neighboring Nan Madol and shows how Pohnpaid was an outpost of the sunken Kahnihmueiso, a city of the now-vanished civilization of Mu, or Lemuria.Discussing the archaeoastronomical function of the Pohnpaid stones, the author examines how many of the glyphs symbolize celestial phenomena and clearly reveal how their creators were sky watchers with a sophisticated understanding of astronomy, geophysics, geomancy, and engineering. She shows how the scientific concepts depicted in the petroglyphs reveal how the citizens of Mu had a much deeper understanding of the living Earth than we do, which gave them the ability to manipulate natural forces both physically and energetically. Combining archaeological evidence with traditional oral accounts, Nervig reveals Pohnpaid not only as a part of a geodetic network of ancient sacred sites and portals but also as a remnant of the now submerged but once enlightened Motherland of Mu. Σελίδες: 368, Έτος Έκδοσης: 0915, Διαστάσεις: 15.2x15.2cm

In ancient Colombia, people did not use gold as currency or desire it for its economic value. Gold was revered instead for its symbolic association and transformative properties. This sacred metal was used to create some of the most visually dramatic and technically sophisticated works of art found anywhere in the Americas before European contact. Drawing on the spectacular collections of the Museum del Oro in Bogota and the British Museum, this beautiful book features over 100 masterpieces fashioned exquisitely in gold and its alloy tumbaga, including small votive figures, decorative nose rings and earrings, vessels, pectorals and masks. These are presented alongside an array of other highly valued objects – textiles, ceramic figurines, shells, colourful stone beads – which also played a significant part in daily and ritual contexts. Focusing on the artistic production of six of the many chiefdoms that populated pre-Hispanic Colombia, the author explores the fascinating truth behind the myth and ritual of El Dorado (the gilded one), the use of gold objects by spiritual leaders in their dangerous mystical ‘soul journey’; the role played by gold in the public expression of identity and rank by chiefs and community spiritual leaders; and the importance of gold in accompanying the deceased on the final journey to the afterlife. Beyond El Dorado: power and gold in ancient Colombia was published to complement a major exhibition at the British Museum from October 2013 to March 2014. Σελίδες: 192, Έτος Έκδοσης: 1201, Διαστάσεις: 24.5x24.5cm

The absence of a specialized bilingual dictionary (or glossary) of terminology which would facilitate the work of both scholars and students of archaeology (and, to a lesser degree, history) has long been noted. Several dictionaries or compact encyclopaedias of archaeological terms have been published in both Greek and English since the 19th century (some of the latter have been translated in Greek as well). All of them however have been written in one of those languages, explaining (quite often with useful images) each term but not providing its equivalent in the other language. It is hoped that the present work will cover this lacuna in international bibliography. An adequate knowledge of English is essential to anyone professionally involved with classical archaeology and/or Greek prehistory, since English has become undoubtedly the lingua franca of our time. The dominance of the German and French “schools” in this field has given its place to Anglophone (principally British and American) studies since the Second World War and English-language bibliography is indispensable to any researcher of any topic relating to the archaeology of Greek lands. The present dictionary is intended to be a tool both for students and scholars or professional archaeologists studying, reading and publishing in both Greek and English. Σελίδες: 188, Διαστάσεις: 15.5x15.5cm

This second edition of Alison E. Cooley\'s accessible introduction to Pompeii takes into account the major new theories and discoveries that have emerged since the first edition was published 20 years ago. Italy\'s third most popular tourist destination, Pompeii attracts millions of visitors each year, and images of the town are familiar all around the world. However, even today our picture of the site is being impacted by new archaeological discoveries. This book focuses particularly on the date of the eruption, the natural environment of Pompeii, the recovery of skeletal remains and plaster casts, and Pompeii in the popular imagination. In addition, three new chapters look at the popularization of Pompeii, archaeological reconstruction of the Roman town, and how we know what we know about the people who lived there. The technological advances of the 20th and 21st centuries have transformed our understanding of the urban environment of Pompeii, raising new questions even as they dig ever deeper into the surviving material evidence. This volume offers a succinct and insightful exploration of the impact of these scientific and archaeological innovations, as well as that of contemporary politics, upon interpretations of Pompeii over the last 250 years, including the ways in which advances in volcanology have transformed our picture of its last moments. Σελίδες: 208, Έτος Έκδοσης: 1130, Διαστάσεις: 15.6x15.6cm

\'A definitive classic field guide [...] Its scope is as magnificent as our countryside itself.\' BBC Countryfile Magazine\'This book is perfect for anyone who’s travelled through the countryside, scratched their head, and thought, ‘what on earth is that thing?\'\'\'Tony RobinsonHave you ever driven past a lumpy, bumpy field and wondered what made the lumps and bumps? Or walked between two lines of grand trees and wondered when and why they were planted? Entertaining and factually rigorous, Hidden Histories has the answers and will help you decipher the story of Britain\'s landscape through the features you can see around you.In this spotter’s guide, Mary-Ann Ochota arms amateur explorers with the crucial information needed to understand the landscape and spot the human activities that have shaped our green and pleasant land.Photographs and diagrams point out specific details and typical examples to help the curious spotter understand what they’re looking at, or looking for.Specially commissioned illustrations bring to life the processes that shaped the landscape (from medieval ploughing to Roman road building).Stand-alone capsules explore interesting aspects of history (like the Highland Clearances or the coming of Christianity).Feature boxes provide definitions of jargon or handy references as required (like a glossary of what different field names mean).Each chapter culminates in a checklist of key details to look for, other things it might be, and gives details of where to find some of the best examples in Britain. From lumps and bumps to stones, lines and villages, Hidden Histories is the must-have spotter’s guide to the British landscape. Σελίδες: 288, Έτος Έκδοσης: 0405, Διαστάσεις: 17.4x17.4cm