Reviews (4)

important work in the field of archeology
In this book, Gimbutas lays out what will become the field of archaeomythology - breaking the archaelogical taboo of reconstructing ancient culture, and expanding the boundaries of archaeology. The work is controversial and at times over-reaches itself in drawing far-reaching conclusions from existing archaeological evidence. However, this doesn't make the work any less important.

Gimbutas was a pioneer in her field, and challenged the traditional concepts we have of the origins of Western civilization. While her assertions may seem fantastical and absurd to some, they are worth exploring. Scholars in the field of anthropology have already begun to realize that women played a far larger role as hunters in early societies, and Gimbutas's work paved the way for scholars to allow the thought of an expanded role from what we perceive as traditional female gender roles.

Whether you agree with her work or not, this book and others by Gimbutas are worth reading. Her theories are thought-provoking and ground-breaking, and based on years of careful research by a reknowned and respected scholar. As a scholar, I find that my opinions lie somewhere between Gimbutas and traditional ideas of the development of Western civilization - but as a scholar I also find her work incredibly important and worth reading.

misinterpretative madness
When I first read this book, it confirmed a feeling I had then: that archaeologists should be forbidden by law to make any attempt at culture history. It is nonsense, pure and simple; a wild attempt at inventing a "matriarchalist" past for Europe that ignores even its own evidence. To give one instance of its lunacy, it argues that war only entered Gimbutas' imagined "Old European" culture with the evil patriarchalist Indo-Europeans and their steppe-bred war axes... and then goes on to tell us that wooden palisades (that is, FORTIFICATIONS) were a regular feature of "Old European" settlements! What were they meaning to keep out, wolves? Gimbutas' archaeological work is not without value, but when it comes to interpreting it, a moron or a politician could do better. She simply is trapped in the foolish ideology of the "great goddess", a pathetic though unortunately popular reflex of contemporary political obsession. Luckily, I have since found out that some archaeologists (for instance, Filippo Coarelli) DO read and understand anthropology, culture history, comparative sociology, etc. - but as for this sort of stuff, leave it to Wiccans and other ignorami.

Don't expect eye appeal
Neolithic art is, at best, dissapointing. Facial features weren't very important in the Neolithic and the statues shown uniformly have undersized little pinheads. Many have no recognizable facial features at all. With the modern emphasis on the human face, modern viewers will find little connection to these statues.

Partially what determines form is the medium. Ceramic breaks when it falls. Top heavy statues fell to their destruction quickly, and people learned to make bottom heavy statues if they wanted them to last. Hence lots of photos of squat, bottom-heavy statues that sit stable on a shelf. No heads or arms, just enormous kneeling thighs for these paper weights. Many photos show the heads and arms broke off anyway.

Those looking to be swept away by the mythic beauty of powerful goddesses will be disappointed. Those looking for Neolithic Europe as it really was will find it copiously filled with photographs and drawings.

Not so dusty archaeology
Amazing art and sculptures from neolithic Europe. Worthy of Henry Moore. I would love to know where I could get replicas of the sorrowful god / goddess sculptures. Fascinating discoveries about the origins of the ancient greek religion. A must for anyone interested in European mythology ... Read more

Book Description

Archaelogical Chemistry: Materials, Methods, and Meaning provides examples of analytical methods in a variety of archaeological materials.The chapters also discuss the inferences concerning human behavior that can be made based on the patterns observed in the analytical data. Archaeological Chemistry: Materials, Methods, and Meaning discusses analytical techniques that incur no visible destruction of the artifact under examination. Using patterns in the analytical data derived from a wide variety of analytical methods, different components of past human behavior are inferred, including diet, technology of manufacture, source of raw materials, trade routes, and determination of age. ... Read more

Reviews (13)

excellent coverage of Valley of the Kings
This book gives readers a tour through the history and archaeology of the Valley of the Kings. The authors provide much detailed information about the tombs and treasures of Egypt's greatest pharaohs. Including many illustrations in color and black-and-white, the authors discuss the Egyptian belief in the afterlife, tomb robberies and the discovery of tombs. It also looks at the topography of the Valley's sites, their construction and history. A most excellent source of information for everyone.

Once again, Reeves et al hit the mark!
This volume is filled with great information. I could not imagine touring the Valley of the Kings without having read a similar book. Full of facts and anecdotes, this is an indispensable reference for amateur Egpytologists. Many scholarly works have been written on the various tombs in the Valley, but those sorts of journals are not easily accessed by the general public. Reeve's book serves as a great index and introduction. Each location is thoroughly but briefly summarized. The illustrations, both photographic and drawn, are well produced. Many books on Ancient Egpyt are much more beautiful (and expensive!), but the information presented here is hard to beat.

excellent
Excellent book, if you are interest in ancient egypt, read this book, you'll learn a lot of interesting facts about the valley of the kings, the pharaohs, etc..

A True Complete Book on the Valley of the Kings
It is the best book on the Valley of the Kings. In it you can find not just information but a treasure, a treasure showing the magnificent treasures of ancient Egypt.

Almost completely perfect
The Complete Valley of the Kings is a very well-researched, well-written, well-illustrated, and well-organized book. Everything from the topographic and the geologic maps of the valley through the religious and archeological history of the valley were interesting (and sometimes depressing, considering what some of those early adventurers and so-called scholars did to the place). The information on the dismantling of the Valley at the end of the 20th and beginning of the 21st Dynasty was especially interesting. Of course, the stars of the book were the tombs themselves. The architecture, decoration and history of each tomb is given as fully as possible. My only reservation in regards to this book lies in the authors having made up their minds on the identity of the controversial mummy in KV55 and airily dismissing as unimportant any evidence that contradicts their theory. Such inflexible partiality calls for a cautious approach to any other "definite" conclusions the authors draw. Otherwise, the book is inarguably informative and entertaining, except for the fact that the authors consistently and annoyingly use the Greek forms of the pharaoh's names (such as the Greek Sethos instead of Seti). Other than that, the book really is almost completely perfect. ... Read more

Book Description

In this elegant, provocative book, the brilliant young art-historian Christopher Woodward looks back to the start of the cult in the eighteenth century, when follies were built in English landscape gardens, artists and writers thrilled to Rome's poetry of decay, and in Paris the great chef Careme even served desserts shaped like classical ruins. He takes us from Troy and Pompei; to Sicilian palaces and Nazi fantasies, and whirls us forward to modern times - to the shattered Statue of Liberty in Planet of the Apes, to Florida's Museum of Natural Phenomena, designed as a court-house dumped upside-down by a hurricane and to Chelsea Flower Show's brand-new "Millennium Ruin."

Reviews (5)

A Walk Though Paradise Garden
IN RUINS by Christopher Woodward is one of the most genteel, warmly evocative, yet scholarly extended essays about beauty that has appeared in a while. Only a true artist could 1) come up with the idea of meditating on ruins of past civilizations and 2) recreate historical places not only through his own perceptive eyes but also through the eyes and writings and drawings and paintings of artists for the past two hundred years. Woodward finds beauty in the "neglected" ruins, the old sites where nature has nudged the surfaces with wild flowers, mosses, crawling vines, and ground swells, preferring this respect for times past to the wild flurry of the preservationists who seek to 'restore' these treasures to their 'original glory' but often invite tourism with its adjunctive sales, stands, and souvenirs. He has visited the ruins of Rome, of Sicily, Cuba, England, etc and is distraught when he finds these various havens for poets sequestered with guardrails and other implements of distraction. "..the artist is inevitably at odds with the archeologist. In the latter discipline the scattered fragments of stone are parts of a jigsaw, or clues to a puzzle to which there is only one answer, as in a science laboratory; to the artist, by contrast, any answer which is imaginative is correct." "What [poet] Shelley's experience shows is that the vegetation which grows on ruins appeals to the depths of our consciousness, for it represents the hand of Time, and the contest between the individual and the universe." Of the 'Picturesque Movement' in England, Woodward writes referring to the latter day artist John Piper "I know perfectly well I would rather paint a ruined abbey half-covered with ivy and standing in long grass than I would paint it after if has been taken over by the Office of Works, when they've taken of all the ivy and mown all the grass." Woodward talks about even the transporting of ruins from, say, Libya to England (as per King George IV in 1827 importing the Roman ruins of Leptis Magna to his Gardens at Virginia Water). "A ruin is a dialogue between an incomplete reality and the imagination of the spectator." And finally in his thoughts on war monuments and memorials he writes "Is it ever possible to preserve the 'strange beauty' of war, to capture the moment of 'dust in the air suspended'?"

Each of these eloquently written thoughts and musings is unlike anything else you will find in books on art history, architectural history, or even philosophy. Christopher Woodward has graced our libraries with a little volume that holds dear the intangible, the corporeal transience, the lasting loveliness of man's time on this planet as protected by nature. This is truly a beautiful book that begs for moments of your indulgence, away from the madding crowd.

Please don't walk on the history
What a wonderful, dusty, fern-festooned treasure hunt of a book this tome is! Young Mr. Woodward has a sympathetic vibration in his soul for ruins, and communicates this passion to the reader most convincingly. Ruins of all kinds in Europe and the UK are explored here: Edwardian houses, medieval abbeys, Italian towns and palaces that were victims of recent earthquakes, the great Roman ruins, artificial ruins for the gardens of cultured gentry, and even imaginary ruins, Picturesque-era paintings of landmarks as they might appear after the fall of civilization.

The usual Romantic era luminaries make appearances: Byron, the Shelleys, Keats, inspired by the Italian ruins to reflect on the grandeur that was Rome. Possibly the saddest passage is on the destruction of English country manors, which had been commandeered by the army during WWII, and were beyond the owners' ability to repair at war's end. Woodward says that so many of these were destroyed in the Fifties that the loss to British heritage rivals that of the Dissolution of 1536, when the abbeys were closed by Henry VIII.

This is a ramble, not a tour, so don't expect a clearly laid out thesis. Strikingly, Woodward's strongest expression of nostalgia is not for the famous ruins as they were when they were intact, but for when they were overgrown and seldom-visited. He relates Stendhal's account of a visit to the Colosseum, where the traveler saw an Englishman riding his horse on the floor of the arena. "I wish that could be me," grumps Woodward. From him I learn that there was even a book published in the 1850s, cataloging the plantlife growing on the Colosseum. Some of it was quite exotic, the seeds having been brought there with the wild animals for the circuses. Now the place is well hosed with weedkiller.

Ruins of such antiquity are not found in my area of the world, apart from Indian mounds. But wherever you live, a book like this will cause you to gaze at your surroundings with a keener eye for the past.

The Beautiful Ruin
To be honest, I am surprised that a book like this was even able to find a publisher. An extended essay on the quirky subject of ruins is not something that I think would stand out as a potential bestseller in an editor's eyes. Fortunately, someone took the chance and we have access to this interesting little book.

In it, Woodward takes us through the subject of ruins. Not only ruins we can still see today but also ruins that have disappeared over time. Not only physical ruins but also ruins that can be seen in and have influenced art and literature both classic and modern. Not only an objective account of the formation and impact of the ruin but also his visceral impressions and those of other observers both famous and not.

One wouldn't think there was enough about ruins to fill 250 pages but this book proves that misconception false. In fact, there is a lot here that I wasn't aware of or didn't give much thought to before. For example, I tend to think of ruins in the classical sense (such as Roman or Greek ruins) but Woodward also discusses the effect dealing with the ruins of recent wars (in particular, WWII) has had on people. He also discusses the trend in vogue a few hundred years ago towards the wealthy actually building ruins as objects d'arte on their estates. I never realized that some of the ruins one can see while traveling through England and France were in reality artificially created.

Anyone who has ever marveled at the Colosseum or Parthenon, anyone who has ever meditated inside the crumbling walls of an old abbey, anyone who has ever wondered about that abandoned house down the street, anyone who has read Shelly's The Last Man or been shocked by the final frames of Planet of the Apes, will find something of value in Woodward's pages.

A Spectacular Little Book
Here is the best description of the fascination of ruins that I have ever read. It is full of surprises and wonderful illustrations. There is nothing little about the spirit of this book - Woodward writes beautifully and has a perfect grasp of the sublime aesthetics of fine ruins. The reader is swept through a wide range of time, and of time periods, from antiquity to the present day. All throughout are marvelous, pithy descriptions - a super book !!

A Classic for the Ages
The erudite Woodward has written an enormously entertaining and illuminating book whose rich, flowing prose is a pleasure to read. History is blended with the starkness of the modern world and transmitted to the reader redolent with imagery. Woodward's broad, firm grasp of history and effective weaving of desperate elements produces a satisfying read for those intrigued by the forgotten corners of the world and the mystery of the past. "In Ruins" is destined to become a classic. The residue of a romantic, misty past lingers long after the last page is turned. ... Read more

Book Description

Few sources reveal the life of the ancient Romans as vividly as do the houses preserved by the eruption of Vesuvius. Wealthy Romans lavished resources on shaping their surroundings to impress their crowds of visitors. The fashions they set were taken up and imitated by ordinary citizens. In this illustrated book, Andrew Wallace-Hadrill explores the rich potential of the houses of Pompeii and Herculaneum to offer new insights into Roman social life. Exposing misconceptions derived from contemporary culture, he shows the close interconnection of spheres we take as discrete: public and private, family and outsiders, work and leisure.

Combining archaeological evidence with Roman texts and comparative material from other cultures, Wallace-Hadrill raises a range of new questions. How did the organization of space and the use of decoration help to structure social encounters between owner and visitor, man and woman, master and slave? What sort of "households" did the inhabitants of the Roman house form? How did the world of work relate to that of entertainment and leisure? How widely did the luxuries of the rich spread among the houses of craftsmen and shopkeepers? Through analysis of the remains of over two hundred houses, Wallace-Hadrill reveals the remarkably dynamic social environment of early imperial Italy, and the vital part that houses came to play in defining what it meant "to live as a Roman." ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Yawn
This is a dreary, pedantic and repetitious bore. The author repeats his theme in every chapter about 10 times. The pictures are not that interesting and not very good quality.

A fine piece of scholarship, but also an intriguing read
Wallace-Hadrill's book begins with specific facts and shows how these lead to interesting questions. For example... because bed widths varied, and tended to be quite narrow, we can't be sure whether people slept alone or in pairs; in fact, we can't even be very certain how many people lived in a given household because we don't know about sleeping arrangements in detail (some slaves may have slept in or near the master's quarters, and not in separate slave quarters, for example). He points out that Roman houses had formal and informal areas, rather than the men's and women's quarters typical in earlier Greek homes, or the segregation by age that one might see in 19th century England, for example. These "dry" facts actually suggest quite a lot about how people interacted, and how the spaces in homes were used.

Of course, this isn't a novel... several recently published novels provide vivid descriptions of "what people did in those houses", complete with fictional characters (often based on people who actually lived in Pompeii). But Wallace-Hadrill's book is an extremely interesting read even though it is a work of scholarship, rather than something intended as entertainment. People who would like to have backgound information for a visit to Pompeii will find that this book helps them understand what they see when they visit. I found the floor plans, and the descriptions of use of space, really interesting: an upper class Roman house combined public and private space in ways that are quite different from modern American suburbs, but in some ways, rather like some modern Italian cities!

A Discovery of Ancient Social Stucture.
This book makes me think. What was it like to live in ancient Pompeii? What did people actually do with those dramatic and imposing, architectural masterpieces called houses?
Wallace-Hadrill attempts to find some answers to these questions from the physical evidence coupled with literary reference and historical facts.

Trained as a biochemist, I enjoy Mr. Wallace-Hadrill's attention to detail, propensity to stick to the facts and willingness to say so when his investigations lead into blind alleys. There are many things about life in ancient Pompeii, which there is no way to know at this time. But there are others, which can be discovered, and they paint a picture of a rich and vibrant society very different from our own, and yet as closely related as a grandfather to a grandson.

This book is not a fast read. It is not a novel. It is not emotional in the common sense of the word. But it is wonderful.

B-O-R-I-N-G
This book was published by Princeton University Press and is apparently someone's thesis. It is strictly a scholarly effort and not for the casual reader. For instance, the author writes the following in the "houses and urban texture" chapter: "The strong correlation between house size and occurrence of atria and peristyles comes out clearly in their distribution across the size quartiles (Fig. 4.16). The little shops...typify the first and much of the second quartile, and most of the three-to-five room houses, do not have space for either an impluviate atrium or collonaded garden..." If you are seeking a cure for insomnia, purchase this book. Otherwise I recommend Pompeii (by Peter Connelly), and if you're interested in Athens and Rome, The Ancient City also by Connelly. Both excellent efforts to be enjoyed by all ages. ... Read more

Book Description

Among the most evocative items to be discovered by archaeologists are the scraps of silk and wool and other fabrics that signal so eloquently their owner's status and concerns. Such clothing and textile finds have figured prominently in excavations of medieval sites in London in the past two decades; they have included knitting, tapestries, silk hair-nets and elaborately patterned oriental, Islamic and Italian fabrics, which reveal for the first time the wide range of cloths available to medieval Londoners; there are beautifully made buttons, and buttonholes and edgings which display superb craftsmanship and a high level of needlework skills; the way that clothes were cut and sewn can be studied in detail. This highly readable account will be of wide general interest; dress historians and archaeologists will also find a wealth of new insights into the fashions, clothing and textile industries of medieval England and Europe.First published in 1992 Contents include: The Excavations, Techniques used in Textile Production, Wool Textiles, Goathair Textiles, Linen Textiles, Silk Textiles, Mixed Cloths, Narrow Wares, Sewing Techniques and Tailoring, Dyes.THE AUTHORS Past and present staff of the Museum of London. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

The Authenticists Bible
Yes, this is it. This series of books (4 so far) is the bible as far as historical recreation is concerned. Yes, it is wonderfully detailed. Yes, it has great examples of how to make/cut/do a lot of clothing related details.. but to quote another historical author "Sometimes the Museum of London folks are just flying kites".

Take, for example, the pattern and redrawing of the fitted 14th century dress. The pattern given in MOL:T&C is from one of the Greenland tunics. In fact, according to Robin Netherton, it's a redrawing of tunic that the is attributed as a man's tunic that isn't particularly fitted. There just isn't enough evidence to say that a tunic from Greenland is a good indication of fashion in mainland Europe.

That said, this is a fantastic resource. It should be in every recreationists library. But reader beware not everything in it is exactly 100% accurate.

Textiles & Clothing - Excellent resource!
Textiles & Clothing is an Excellent resource for all who are interested in historic research of Textiles and Clothing. The book shows detailed pictures of artifacts excavated from London as well as reconstructive drawings showing weave and knitting structures. This is book 4 of the series. Others in series - Knives & Scabbards; Dress Accessories; Shoes & Pattens. All are great reference books. ... Read more

Book Description

The Professional Standard for America’s Oldest Collectible

Indian arrowheads may well be the earliest evidence of man’s ability to create, style, and manufacture objects of symmetry and beauty. As Robert Overstreet, bestselling author and trained typologist, reminds us, “they represent a unique art form crafted by the world’s earliest artist. Unique because, like snowflakes, each specimen is an original and no two are exactly alike.”

The Official Overstreet Indian Arrowheads Identification and Price Guide has been the reference for collectors everywhere. Filled with life-size photographs, collecting points has never been easier: simply hold up your find to the photos and discover its date and value! Organized by the United States’ nine geographic regions, this guide offers the most comprehensive and current information available to any collector, making you the expert.

* More than 8,000 actual-size photographs, plus a dazzling color section
* Thousands of new illustrations covering many new point types that have never been seen before from all over the United States, including Alaska
* The experts’ guide on how to buy authentic relics
* Up-to-date regional market reports
* Tips on grading

Special features include:

Breaking information about the Olive Branch site in Illinois from Dr. Michael Gramly, complete with details of the people who lived there and how their points evolved from the beginning of their occupation till the end.

Man’s first stone tools from the Old World—an illustrated price guide in full color from Homo habilis to Homo sapiens!

BUY IT • USE IT • BECOME AN EXPERT
... Read more

Reviews (3)

Pothunters beware
This book and the whole collection of Overstreet guides are a unsubstantiated ruse! DO NOT BUY THIS BOOK. The author seeks to mislead and misdirect the general public by putting a monetary price on human history. is the value of an artifact monetary? Can riches be made from stealing the history of the public? This book would like you to think so.

One large discrimination of this book is the fact that the prices within are set by a bunch of country yahoos sitting around a swap meet, spitting tabacky into priceless ming vases. The fact that there is little mention of the money it may cost you if you collect artifacts on public land and the fact that looting significant archaeological sites for arrowheads can land your butt in jail, is barely mentioned.

Do yourself a favor, take a class in archaeology from your local junior college, pick up the Bruce Bradley video called Flintknapping or Andrefsky's lithic book from Cambridge and start making your own arrowheads. Then go to your local swap meet and sale them to dumbasses that buy this book!

Remember price is only what you can get some country bumpkin to give you for an arrowhead, and looting sites on public or private land will only land you in jail, or even worse get you filled with lead from an angry landowner.

Solid, encyclopaedic, good reference manual
Purchased to study projectile points. I was not disapointed with the packed information and photos on this subject. Used as well, as a price guide for collectors, I none the less use it as a reference manual. It lists point artifacts from each part of the country broken down in groups of states. It then shows most of what is common for that area as far as shapes, sizes, etc. It is a good guide for the beginner to learn both projectile shapes and nomenclature. I carry it as a supplement to other books on archaeology and prehistoric American Native studies.............

Wealth of Information
This series of guides is a valuable tool when identifying most of the stone projectile points made by Native Americans all over the United States. I first accquired the 3rd. edition and have since worn it out. Not only does the book identify the points, the color pictures are fantastic, and the many types of flint, chert and other lithic materials are covered. This book contains a wealth of information. ... Read more

Book Description

The study of European archaeology dates back to the 19thcentury, but the number of archaeologists, projects, and publicationshas increased greatly during the last three decades. With the collapseof the Soviet Union and the restructuring of several countries,archaeology in Europe has more opportunity for interaction andresearch than previously was possible.This comprehensive volume covers the Prehistoric period in Europe,from the earliest appearance of humans to the rise of the Roman Empireand includes the Paleolithic, Mesolithic Bronze and Iron Ages.Throughout these periods, the major developments and explored usingthe archaeological data including:technology;trade; settlement; warfare; ritual.Using methodologies and theories that were previously unknown inEurope decades ago, new discoveries and arguments are included in theresearch as well as reevaluations of previous discoveries. This workalso includes a present geographical summary and how it impacts thecurrent archaeological discoveries and research being conducted.European Prehistory: A Survey includes many comprehensive mapsand site photos. It will be a vital resource to prehistoricarchaeologists, anthropologists and historians in and outside ofEurope. ... Read more

Book Description

Classical archaeology promotes the view that a state's evolution reflects general, universal forces. Norman Yoffee challenges the model in this book by presenting more complex and multi-linear models for the evolution of civilizations. Yoffee questions the definition of the prehistoric state, particularly that which heralds "the chiefdom" as the forerunner of the ancient state and explores case studies on the role of women in ancient societies. ... Read more

Book Description

Deep in the heart of the largely unexplored jungles of the Yucatan lies a storehouse of records telling the history of all humanity and revealing the origin and meaning of life. According to the "Sleeping Prophet" Edgar Cayce, nearly 13,000 years ago these records were buried at three separate locations in the world. The Hall of Records at Giza in Egypt has eluded discovery and a second hall is covered by the Atlantic Ocean near Bimini. The third Hall, located in the general area of the Yucatan, may now be nearing discovery. The site ‹ Piedras Negras, Guatemala ‹ is concealing ancient buried records.

In this compelling book, John Van Auken, author of numerous Cayce-related books, and Dr. Lora Little present Cayce's story of how and why a Hall of Records was established in the Yucatan. Backed by solid archaeological evidence and astronomical correlations, the authors show how the Mayan creation story involves the constellation Orion and why Piedras Negras is the likely site of the Hall of Records. In addition, the authors reveal that Cayce has told us what is recorded in the Hall of Records through his many Akasha "readings." Finally, an explanation of the current cycle of the Maya calendar points to the end of our age in 2012 and the beginning of a strange, new era. Illustrated with 162 pictures, maps, and line drawings, fully indexed. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

I know the author and he is brilliant on this subject!
I have been to workshops with John Van Auken and he has
a tremendous capacity and knowledge of ancient wisdom...that
seems to supercede what one can learn from distilling normal
history books, on site investigations, and even reading the
Edgar Cayce material...its as if he "lived there, lived then,
and has a remarkable capacity to remember it all and reveal it
clearly and effectively"....
This book is another splendid example of John's crystal
clear and profoundly deep capacity to share his knowledge
in a manner that both layman and passionate scholar can grasp.

Knowledge Lost, Knowledge Found
What is a myth? Perhaps it's a story that isn't true on the outside, but is true on the inside. The tension between what our heart's intuition tells us and what we can actually experience on the outside is a source of great creativity and development, both personal and for the human race. Cayce's story of the history and destiny of humanity is a lesson here. Not only does his story include our spiritual creation and its purpose, but also the external history of life on planet earth, including predictions about major changes ahead. Is this story a myth? For many of those who contemplate it, his story is stimulating and spiritually fulfilling, which is what a good myth should do, whereas traditional religion has lost its ability to inspire. But Cayce presents his story as being literally true. Did things really happen the way he tells it?One of the fascinating aspects of his story concerns the existence of "Halls of Records," where this history is recorded. He said that one such Hall of Records was in Yucatan, Mexico. Furthermore, he said that at this site, there was also evidence of another key element in Cayce's story--the (in)famous "Firestone Crystal" of Atlantis, which was their source of power, but which had been misused and helped bring down that civilization.I vividly remember discovering the Edgar Cayce material and having my imagination sparked as never before by the story of the Firestone and its connection with Mayan imagery. Soon I was making pilgrimages to Yucatan to search for the Hall of Records. Whereas the external search was expensive and proved beyond my skill range, an inner search was also in progress and was more rewarding. I developed a symbolic meaning for the Firestone crystal; namely, that there is a dormant power of consciousness that can be awakened in spiritual community. Through group dream work (such as Atlantic University's Sundance: The Community Dream Journal) and interpersonal intuition of the heart, I was able to verify the tremendous creative power and wisdom that may be unleashed through cooperation when individuality is given equal footing with the unitive effort. As I became more involved with researching the inner meaning of the Firestone, my fascination with Yucatan and prehistory faded.But today I am inspired to turnabout, to look again with interest toward the outer side of the story. What motivates this revival comes through the publication of a significant book, The lost hall of records: Edgar Cayce's forgotten record in the ancient Yucatan (Eagle Wing Books). The author's, John Van Auken, a past executive director at A.R.E., and Lora Little, Ed.D., a psychologist, have spent years correlating information in the Edgar Cayce material with archaeological findings. In their meticulously researched book they have integrated a panoramic view of Cayce's spiritual story with scientific findings that take the story out of realm of pure myth and into the realm of history. Archaeological research, including advances in the interpretation of Mayan heiroglyphs and what they reveal about the Mayans' astonishing astronomical observations, has made it possible as never before to suggest that Cayce's story just might be true on the outside. Moreover, Van Auken and Little's research has made a significant breakthrough that makes their book as newsworthy as it is inspiring.A key point in Cayce's remote viewing of the Mayan archaeological findings concerned some artifacts, emblems of the Firestone, that were stored in the University of Pennsylvania museum. Previous investigations had failed to locate these artifacts in the museum's collection. The authors make a strong case, however, that the artifacts in question were those found in the site known as Piedras Negras, a Mayan ruins in Guatamala. Not in the state of Yucatan, Mexico, but part of the Mayan civilization in the general area of the Yucatan pennisula, nevertheless Piedras Negras could easily be described by Cayce's psychic perception as "Yucatan." Making this slight shift in focal point has unleased a provocative set of new findings. Athough there isn't space here to detail all the nitty gritty that the authors combine to paint a credible hypothesis about the external validation of Cayce's story, suffice it to say that they've excited me again to the possibility that there just might be a Hall of Records in that tropical jungle, as well as a model of the Firestone crystal.I am reminded of Cayce's statement that the records would be found and could be read only when the consciousness of the seeker matched the contents of those records. The lesson for me is that while an inner search is important, not to be forgotten is that it is equally important to look to the outer reality as well. Maybe it is time for me to make a return trip to the Mayan ruins to see what I shall see.

More Grist For The Path
If you are interested in broadening your horizons from more traditional ideas and take a look at what they did not teach you in school in your history classes then this book is a great read. If you already have some background as I did it will fill in some of the blanks for you. It certainly is well documented and detailed. This book definitely challenges my Catholic School view of how things began...probably not the way the Protestants taught it either. Having "knocked around" the "psychic" literature (Cayce, Seth, and a few others) I already was quite familiar with Edgar Cayce. This book deepens my understanding of the man and his work. Over the last 10 years my massage therapist has been telling me about all things Mayan and what is said to be coming in 2012 and beyond. I thought he was a bit "out there" if you know what I mean. Now I have some understanding of what he has been talking about at a more "rational" level. I particularly liked the sections of the book on the Akashic records and the Cayce "reading" of those records. I also appreciated the parts of the Bible that were discussed and what the Bible's authors were trying to say in story form. I would recommend this book for those who are interested in furthering their knowledge in the area of spirituality, psychic phenomena, archeology, and anthropology. It will leave you with plenty of food for thought. ... Read more

Book Description

This volume provides a descriptive overview of the cultural complexity on the northwest coast that stretches from northern California to Alaska. Topics covered range from the earliest settlements to the subsequent cultural diversities in native American populations. Maps, charts, and illustrations further enhance the book's interest and appeal.

Key Features
* Chapters include exhaustive research on such topics as:
* The evolution of individual cultures
* History of various archaeological research findings
* Studies of the initial colonization of the northwest coast ... Read more

Reviews (2)

The Prehistory of the Northwest Coast
This book was not helpful to me at all.Matson and Coupland left out many of the major archaeology sites from the Pacific Northwest.They wrote in a technical style which if you had little to no background information thisbook would not help you to understand.They also wrote insignifigantbackground information about the site(s) being discussed. Over all thisbook should be used for information on the archaeology of southernVancouver B.C. For better information on Pacific Northwest Archaeology youshould check out the book "Peoples of the Northwest Coast: Theirarchaeology and Prehistory" by Ames and Maschner

The Prehistory of the Pacific NorthWest
This book was not helpful to me at all.Matson and Coupland left out many of the major archaeology sites in the Pacific Northwest.They wrote in a very technical style so if you had little to no background information itwas very hard to understand.They also tended to write backgroundinformation about things that were insignifigant to the site(s)beingdiscussed. The reading didn't seem to flow well.Over all I think the bookshould have mainly be used for information on archaeology sites in theSouth region of Vancouver B.C. ... Read more

Book Description

John Kantner traces the evolution of Pueblo society in the American Southwest from the emergence of the Chaco and Mimbres in the AD 1000s through the early decades of contact with the Spanish in the sixteenth century. Based on a diverse range of archaeological data, historical accounts, oral history and ethnographic records, this introduction for students of the Pueblo Southwest is vital reading for any archaeologist concerned with the origins of early civilizations. ... Read more

Book Description

Just after 500 B.C., one of the earliest states in the New World developed in the Valley of Oaxaca, in present-day Mexico. The newly created political institution brought in its wake a profound transformation of society and technology. This book investigates the rich archaeological record of the valley in an attempt to throw light on the causes and consequences of these changes. ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (4)

There are guides, and then there are guides
I bought this book while preparing for a trip to Syria, as the Lonely Planet had mentioned it in high esteem. While it is a great source of info, and does have some suggested itineraries, it is more of an index than a guide.

Not that this is any kind of fault, but I would have liked to know this while planning my book purchases. Until the Blue Guides add Syria to their line, this is a usable substitute. That is to say plan on using another guide (e.g. Lonely Planet, Rough Guide, Footprints, etc) for info on getting around and where to eat and sleep. The latter applies to the Blue Guides series as well, and is not meant as a criticism.

One thing offsetting this book's usefulness, was it's poor print quality. We found the text blurry enough to cause headaches even for those who don't wear glasses, and the photos in the color section are only a bit better. On the chance I'd simply gotten a bad copy, I'd later checked a copy in a local bookstore, and it was similar. Not the kind of thing for reading while bouncing around on a bus on your way to a site, but has some through background on Syria's rich archaeological treasures.

The only other real fault this book has is the complete lack of Arabic script. Having your destination in the local script at which to point is always a plus when trying to get around anywhere, even if you can't read a syllable yourself. If you don't think that this is important, ask yourself "How many times have I had language difficulties with cab Drivers (et al) in my own country?"

If you are traveling light, and looking for only one book to take as both travel guide and through history background, I would recommend Footprints' Syria Guide. If you like your history in briefer doses, look to the Lonely Planet or Rough Guides.

Best guide to Syria
I have used Ross Burns' "Monuments of Syria" guide while visiting Syria and found it excellent. It gives detailed information and expert maps - making the whole discovery of the sites as easy as possible. I would recommend it to anyone visiting Syria.

Highly informative
This is a well written and meticulously researched guide. The author is obviously very knowledgeable and has done his homework thoroughly. You can't go wrong!

Al Rosafa only
For many years I led many tours in many countries, amongst them, Syria. Years later, at a party here in Swaziland, I was talking to this guy who mentioned that he had been in Syria, too; in fact, he was writing a guide book on the subject. One of the many magic, even if almost unknown, places in Syria is the early Christian pilgramage city of Al Rosafa. Ross was kind enough to fax me an excerpt from his book, covering that walled desert city. Quite simply, I haven't read anything as good before or since, and don't expect to. If the rest turns out to be as good - serious or armchair travellers alike - get this book: it will be an Alladin's cave! ... Read more

Book Description

Mounds and earthworks are the most conspicuous elements of prehistoric Native American culture to be found on the landscape of eastern North America. Indian Mounds of the Middle Ohio Valley identifies and describes 70 extant, publicly accessible sites in Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, and West Virginia, where mounds were constructed by Woodland people beginning some 3000 years ago. This book also reviews the culture, history, and geography of the Woodland and Late Prehistoric mound building groups and the fate of their structures during the Historic period. Sources of additional information about the Ohio Valley mound building groups are provided, as is access information for the mound and earthwork sites.

The revised edition of the popular guide book incorporates new information and ideas about the mound building groups that have appeared since the first edition was published in 1986, and describes almost twice as many sites as were in the earlier edition. ... Read more

Book Description

In a very influential paper published in 1994, John Baines and Norman Yoffee produced the first analysis to examine the impact of wealth and high culture on the development of states. The contributors to this book apply that model to a range of ancient states around the world, providing evidence on the production and uses of "high culture," literature and monumental architecture. There are chapters on Mesoamerica, the Andes, the Indus Valley, China, and Greece, while others expand on the original Egypt-Mesopotamia comparison. ... Read more

Book Description

The origins and development of civilization are vitalcomponents to the understanding of the cultural processes that createhuman societies. Comparing and contrasting the evolutionary sequencesfrom different civilizations is one approach to discovering theirunique development. One area for comparison is in the Central Andeswhere several societies remained in isolation without a writtenlanguage. As a direct result, the only resource to understand thesesocieties is their material artifacts.In this second volume, the focus is on the art and landscape remainsand what they uncover about societies of the Central Andes region. Theancient art and landscape, revealing the range and richness of thesocieties of the area significantly shaped the development of Andeanarchaeology. This work includes discussions on:pottery and textiles;iconography and symbols;ideology; geoglyphs and rock art. This volume will be of interest to Andean archaeologists, cultural andhistorical anthropologists, material archaeologists and Latin Americanhistorians. ... Read more

Book Description

C.W. Ceram visualized archeology as a wonderful combination of high adventure, romance, history and scholarship, and this book, a chronicle of man's search for his past, reads like a dramatic narrative. We travel with Heinrich Schliemann as, defying the ridicule of the learned world, he actually unearths the remains of the ancient city of Troy. We share the excitement of Lord Carnarvon and Howard Carter as they first glimpse the riches of Tutankhamen's tomb, of George Smith when he found the ancient clay tablets that contained the records of the Biblical Flood. We rediscover the ruined splendors of the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, one of the wonders of the ancient wold; of Chichen Itza, the abandoned pyramids of the Maya: and the legendary Labyrinth of tile Minotaur in Crete. Here is much of the history of civilization and the stories of the men who rediscovered it. ... Read more

Reviews (15)

Der Roman der Archaeologie
This is one of the best books I ever read. Reading it with 14 for the first time I didn't know very much about archeology. Through this book I got so interested in Archeology that I read many more books about ancient Crete, Egytpt, Greece, Sumer, and the Mexican civilizations. Although anyone who really is looking for exact facts can easily find them, it is not just a simple heap of facts. Its purpose was never to be a sober school book, but Ceram himself wrote that it is intended to be a "novel of archeology that shows the suspence in reality, but lets imagination sparkle". Masterfully written this book pays it's respect not only to the masterfinds but also to the masterminds of archeology. This book will open anyone's mind to appreciate this fascinating science.

An extremely readable popularization of archaeology
I highly enjoyed this book. I have gone through three paperbacks of it and finally broke down and bought my hard copy. I've reread this great book numerous times, and I swear it gets better with every rereading. NOTE: A great companion to this volume is Ceram's "The First American," which covers the story of NORTH AMERICAN archeaology and is every bit as exciting to read as is "God's, Graves, and Scholars." (For instance, did you know that North America also has mummies!)

You'll find a treasure in this book
Gods, Graves and Scholars didn't begin as a pleasure read, as it was required reading for an undergraduate archaeology class. The 482 pages seemed daunting, even for a small paperback. But, beginning with page three and continuing through to the end, I found this book a real page-turner. Ceram successfully and craftfully takes the reader through archaeology's history, captivates the reader with personal anecdotes, and is unpretentious with language and content. Place it on your reading list or in your home library if you haven't already--this is a keeper.

True to it's subtitle
Although I'm not an archeologist (or even a history student), this book does give the reader a great amount of information regarding ancient civilizations and how we came to know all we know nowadays about them.

It's written in plain english, and it seems the author was aiming for us archeology illetrates. Plus, true to it's subtitle, it's written in a way the reader feels it's almost a novel about archeology; and the investigators responsible for us knowing what we now know about ancient people are justly enough portrayed as heroes.

This book is a little bit old, and I've heard for some friends who know a little bit more about archeology than me that some of it's statements are outdated. However, it's a precious introduction to a science we use to forget it even exists (or worse still, we use to compare it with Indy Jones) if it wasn't for books like this one.

And it's a great and enjoyable read indeed!

Still a good basic overview
Despite the vast accumulation of information in the decades since this was first published, particularly in the Americas, this remains an excellent starting point. It gives a concise but inclusive account of most of the ancient cultures known today.

p 402:

''Now, several of these pyramids located at different sites from Tula to Monte Alban have been discussed, yet one of the most important has yet to be mentioned. This is the Pyramid of Cuicuilco, which stands on a mound 22.4 feet high, situated at the southern limits of Mexico City. The Pyramid of Cuicuilco rises up out of a weird landscape of darkly stony aspect. At one time the volcanoes Ajusco and Xitli (perhaps only the latter) erupted. The god within the pyramid was apparently remiss in diverting the glowing flood of lava that flowed about the pyramid, for half the structure was drowned in bubbling muck. The archaeologists investigating this phenomenon called on colleagues from another faculty, the geologists, for help. How old is the lava, they inquired. The geologists, not realizing that their answer was knocking a world picture awry, answered: "Eight thousand years." ...Yet late research is more inclined to consider it false.'' ... Read more

Book Description

Crusader Archaeology draws together recently excavated material culture in Israel, Cyprus, Syria and Jordan to examine what life was like for the Crusaders in their territory and how they were influenced by their newfound neighbors. Chapters discuss urban and rural settlements, surveying agriculture, industry, military, church, public and private architecture, arts and crafts, leisure pursuits, death and burial, and building techniques. This lavishly illustrated volume creates a vivid portrait of the period. ... Read more