Vanished Civilizations

Eons before the of Greece, and women glory men round the globe erected towering structures, created magnificent art, devised ingenious inventions and lived civilized lives. Mining the latest archaeological evidence, "Vanished Civilizations" brings long forgotten communities and their amazing accomplishments again to life -- with vivid immediacy and richly intimate insights. More than 370 full-color illustrations, including detailed maps, specially commissioned reconstructions and photographs of artifacts, reveal the wonders of 40 rediscovered cities. Capturing the thrill of scholar-detectives on the hunt and the intricate work of excavations, the journey opens windows on intriguing, complex societies dating back to 10,000 B.C. Organized chronologically, exciting stops include: -- Catal Huyuk, the world's oldest city, discovered beneath Turkey only 20 years ago -- Mycenae, where the legendary Trojan War was actually fought -- Babylon, where the prophet Daniel interpreted the writing on the wall -- Olympia, original site of the world-famous games recently played in Salt Lake City -- Pataliputra, jewel of the Ganges, defended by war elephants and "Amazonian" guards -- The Henueberg, with a fortress built of sun-dried bricks deep in the dark German forest Sidebars trace the development of commerce, the written word, warfare and technology over thousands of years.

The author has chosen the ancient cities of Pompeii, Troy, Angkor, Knossos, Babylon and Chichén Itzá, tells what they were like in ancient times, and recounts the stories of the discoverers and scientists of modern times who unearthed them.

Provides information on the history, culture, and archaeology of forty cities and other locations of the ancient world.

Recounts the eruption of Mount Vesuvius, which buried the city of Pompeii under volcanic ash, describes what daily life was like in the city, and discusses the excavation of the archaeological site

First published in 1954, a time when few books on African history were written from an African perspective. An intimate history of Africa and its ancient civilizations, the book opposed the stereotyped and often racist histories of Africa. Today, a half century after its initial publication, African Glory still provides a vivid and dynamic connection to the African past.

In this inviting picture book, Jean-Paul Barbier, world-renowned historian and founder of the Barbier-Mueller Museum, recounts the moving and glorious history of, among others, the people who built Babylon, the Benin Kingdom, the Pyramids of Egypt and the statues of Easter Island. Mankind, at every crossroads in its development, at every latitude and in every continent, has been continually confronted with challenges. Here, Barbier looks at the way these challenges were met, recounting a past in which the grandiose, the mysterious and the human are intertwined. For the first time, a single volume presents all of these "vanished civilizations" in a synthesis which plunges us deep into the worlds of the past. Through beautiful and lavish photographs, this book invites you to discover such mysteries as the world of the Etruscans, the art of the Celts, the Olmec and the dawn of Mexican art, the grandeur and decadence of the Maya, and the mystical North American Indians.