Books
Reviews and recommendations. Our thoughts, opinions, and suggestions for fantastic reads to do with the ancient world and archaeology.
Textiles in Archaeology
John Peter Wild
Although published over 30 years ago now, Wild’s short publication on textiles in archaeology still provides a strong starting point for anyone who is unfamiliar with or has an interest in filthy old rags. Wild covers textile preservation, historic dyes, manufacturing typologies and most thoroughly: traditional craft. The content itself, like most Shire publications, is delivered in a straightforward and easy-to-pick-up manner. While textile preservation and analysis has moved forward since 1988, much of the principles as presented by Wild endure. Textiles in Archaeology compacts a complex sub-discipline into a lean book that thoroughly serves its purpose.
Reviewed by Ryan.
Ancient Boats and Ships
Sean McGrail
How did our ancestors move across the water? From lakes, to seas, to oceans, this book covers some of the types of ancient watercraft used in the past. McGrail condenses a lot of information into an easy to understand format, while shedding light on ancient boats and ships from across both time and space. Well illustrated and explained, McGrail combines elements of archaeological theory and method by providing fascinating real-life examples from around the globe. Water transport can give insights into a myriad of aspects of past societies; from social life and belief, to connectivity and trade. Although a short book, it serves as an excellent introduction to the early nautical aspect of maritime archaeology.
Reviewed by Site Editor.
Our Human Story
Louise Humphrey & Chris Stringer
Our understanding of our human past and evolution continues to change constantly. You may have heard of names such as Homo Erectus and the Neanderthals but how do they relate to our own species, Homo Sapiens? What, if any, links are there between now extinct hominin species that once shared the earth in the distant past? Our Human Story is your introductory guidebook to our human relatives and the evolution of our species. Humphrey and Stringer take time to explain the challenges and pitfalls of our understanding of evolution but also how it has improved. The authors take a necessary sophsticated approach between presenting the facts and also admitting when this or that piece of data may be unreliable or needs further evidence to support a certain claim. Discover amazing sites that are millions of years old and see what traces our ancestors left behind.
Reviewed by Site Editor.
Forgotten Peoples of the Ancient World
Philip Matyszak
It is hard to image that any great civilisation can slip forgotten beneath the sands of time but it is so often so and Forgotten Peoples of the Ancient World is case and point of this phenomenon. Matyszak’s book shines a light on past civilisations that once flourished and prospered but now have been forgotten to a modern audience. Vibrant illustrations bring to life the ruined settlements, carved stelae, and chiseled statues of these forgotten peoples and makes one think why and how great achievements of past societies come to be unknown. Matyszak’s book covers cultures from Africa to Asia to Europe in a well written and engaging style and breathes new life into its vanished cultures.
Reviewed by Site Editor
A Little History of Archaeology
Brian Fagan
So what is Archaeology anyway? And does all this old stuff from the ground actually matter? This book answers the fundamental questions and takes the reader on a riveting ride through the history of archaeology, from the field’s earliest theories and blunders to the cutting edge of modern research. A Little History of Archaeology covers the major developments, theories, and researchers to give the reader a comprehensive understanding of this field of research. Fagan writes clearly and takes time to explain why each discovery is important for our larger understanding of the past but also for us as humans. This book can serve as a good introduction for beginners in the field, or anyone interested in finding out more about our human past.
Reviewed by Site Editor.
1177 B.C. : The Year Civilization Collapsed
Eric H. Cline
Enter the world of the Eastern Mediterranean during the Late Bronze Age and learn about its complex history, the different civilisations that inhabit the land, and its ultimate collapse in the 12th Century B.C. Cline expertly guides the reader around this world, from the prosperous Egyptian New Kingdom, to the Levant, to the Hittite Kingdom in Anatolia (Turkey) and even beyond, to Mycenae on mainland Greece . Learn how these civilisations (and others) were connected and interacted with each other through trade, marriage, and war which formed the interconnected geo-political world of the Late Bronze Age. But how can such prosperous societies come to an end? In 1177 B.C, Cline presents and details the different possibilities from famine to foreign invasion and draws upon both literary and archaeological evidence to help illuminate this collapse.
Reviewed by Site Editor.
Soul Hunters
Rane Willerslev
Take a step into the frozen forests of Siberia to understand the lives of the small hunting community of the Yukaghir. Willerslev’s book is an ethnographic study of his time spent living with the tribe of indigenous hunters, providing both fascinating insight and in-depth understanding of their way of life and beliefs. Ethnography is a key method in the field of Anthropology; a prolonged, active engagement with a culture/group, taken in order to see life through their eyes. Soul Hunters is an excellent example as Willerslev challenges not only his own, but also the readers preconceptions about life and personhood.
Reviewed by Site Editor.
Stealing History
Roger Atwood
Why do people loot? What is the real damage of illegal excavation, not only on the environment but also on the cultural heritage of the local people and the world? Atwood delivers an exceptional account of the looting in Peru and its effects on the Peruvian people and the world at large. The use of interviews and Atwood’s meticulous research documents the movement of antiques from ancient tombs through the hands of looters to the glass cases of museums or the homes of private collectors. Stealing History is truly a captivating read and a real eye-opener to the world of antiquities smuggling, from its techniques to its politics.
Reviewed by Site Editor.
Three Stones Make A Wall
Eric H. Cline
This book is a great way to learn about the development of archaeology over the past centuries. From basic and rudimentary excavation to the latest technology and analysis, Cline expertly explains the history of archaeology itself and guides the reader through this fascinating journey. Easy to understand and engaging in its explanation of different techniques, Cline successfully reaches the aim of telling ‘the story of archaeology’.
Reviewed by Site Editor.
What is History?
E. H. Carr.
What appears to be a somewhat obvious question turns out to have quite an elusive answer. Carr brilliantly debates and explains different answers to the question “What is History?” and explores the philosophy behind historical thought, the role of the historian, and what historical facts are. Although some may find this a challenging read due to Carr’s lexicon, the book itself is relatively short and it is worth the time taken to persevere through.
Reviewed by Site Editor.
The Shipwreck Hunter
David L. Mearns
David Mearns has discovered some of the world's most fascinating and elusive shipwrecks. From the mighty battlecruiser HMS Hood to the crumbling wooden skeletons of Vasco da Gama's 16th century fleet, Mearns has searched for and found dozens of sunken vessels in every ocean of the world.
The Shipwreck Hunter is an account of Mearns' most intriguing and fascinating finds. It details both the meticulous research and the mid-ocean stamina and courage required to find a wreck miles beneath the sea, as well as the moving human stories that lie behind each of these oceanic tragedies.
Recommended by Dig Monkeys readers.
The History of The Ancient World
Susan Wise Bauer
This is the first volume in a bold new series that tells the stories of all peoples, connecting historical events from Europe to the Middle East to the far coast of China, while still giving weight to the characteristics of each country. Susan Wise Bauer provides both sweeping scope and vivid attention to the individual lives that give flesh to abstract assertions about human history. Dozens of maps provide a clear geography of great events, while timelines give the reader an ongoing sense of the passage of years and cultural interconnection.
Recommended by Dig Monkeys readers.