Lost Civilizations

Fülszöveg

Lost Civilizations is a remarkable guide to the evolution of the human race, as seen through an examination of the monuments and artifacts that our ancestors left behind. Whether you are well-versed in the study of anthropology or innocent of ancient history's pageant, Lost Civilizations will captivate you with its vivid descriptions of vanished cultures. Fully illustrated with stunning, fuU-color photographs of the ruins and
artifacts that are the archaeologist's guideposts, this book is a ticket to the ancient past.

ISBN 1-85422-517-0
9781854225177
LOST
cmnzATiONS
Since the dawn of time, humankind has been fascinated with the endless mystery of life. The birth of civihzation-including the construction of the first buildings, the manufacture of early artifacts, and the many and varied applications of an evolving technological know-ledge-happened in large part because of this fascination. In trying to explain their surroundings and attempting to rationalize the fantastic,... Tovább

Fülszöveg

Lost Civilizations is a remarkable guide to the evolution of the human race, as seen through an examination of the monuments and artifacts that our ancestors left behind. Whether you are well-versed in the study of anthropology or innocent of ancient history's pageant, Lost Civilizations will captivate you with its vivid descriptions of vanished cultures. Fully illustrated with stunning, fuU-color photographs of the ruins and
artifacts that are the archaeologist's guideposts, this book is a ticket to the ancient past.

ISBN 1-85422-517-0
9781854225177
LOST
cmnzATiONS
Since the dawn of time, humankind has been fascinated with the endless mystery of life. The birth of civihzation-including the construction of the first buildings, the manufacture of early artifacts, and the many and varied applications of an evolving technological know-ledge-happened in large part because of this fascination. In trying to explain their surroundings and attempting to rationalize the fantastic, human beings created a wealth of monuments that give the modern archaeologist clues as to what hfe has been like over the millennia. Lost Civilizations probes the archaeological and anthropological evidence uncovered by researchers and paints a compelling portrait of the growth of civUization.
The book starts with a discussion of the very real evidence that points to the existence of a vanished land called Atlantis. The book then travels to the Near East, where, as many researchers believe, humankind's first civilization developed, in the Tigris-Euphrates Valley in Mesopotamia. Also included in this chapter are descriptions of the communities in the outlying regions, particularly the Egyptian. Next, the book focuses on the Mediterranean civilizations, from the Pboenicians-who have been thought responsible for ruins found as far away from their home as North America-to the Trojans and the Greeks.
From there. Lost Civilizations turns to the Far East in an examination of Asian civilizations, including those of China, which has survived as a unified state for more than two thousand years; the Indus River Valley, the site of modern-day India; and Persia, whose well-trained armies conquered an enormous empire. Africa is the next land of mystery to be explored; the civilizations of Zimbabwe and Ethiopia, among others, are held up to the light of modern scrutiny, deepening suspicions that the continent might have seen not only the birth of the human race, but the emergence of some of the earliest advanced societies.
Lost Civilizations then takes the reader to the Americas, where incredibly advanced civilizations that demonstrated an intimate knowledge of the workings of science proliferated before being wiped out almost
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overnight by Europeans maddened by a lust for gold and empire. Next is an examination of some of the most mysterious civilizations in the entire world, those of Indochina and the remote Pacific. Finally, the book takes a look at the ancient civihzations that populated England long before the dawn of modern society.
Lost Civilizations is a remarkable guide to the evolution of the human race, as seen through an examination of the monuments and artifacts that our ancestors left behind. Whether you are well-versed in the study of anthropology or innocent of ancient history's !1'' pageant. Lost Civilizations will captivate you with its vivid descriptions of vanished cultures. Fully illustrated with stunning, full-color photographs of the ruins and artifacts that are the archaeologist's guideposts, this book is a ticket to the ancient past.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
BiU Harris has written extensively on the landmarks of the world, from the lighthouses and barns of North America to the architecture of Barcelona. His books range from biographies of the presidents of the United States to histories of Israel and New York City. He has also written books on many other cities and historic sites. He was on the staff of The New York Times for more than two decades, and now spends his time writing at home in Rye, New York.
Jacket design: Patrick McCarthy Front jacket photo: ©Wolfgang Kaehler Back jacket photographs (clockwise from top): ©Wolfgang Kaehler; ©Erich Lessing/Art Resource; Michael J. Howell/Envision Vissza