Beautifully illustrated in color with many rare and unique photographs, prints, and drawings, "The Cambridge Illustrated History of Prehistoric Art" presents the first balanced and truly worldwide survey of prehistoric art. A fascinating study of an often neglected area, the book is a powerful combination of illustration and analysis. 164 color plates. Copyright © Libri GmbH. All rights reserved.

We humans have always possessed a deep curiosity about our origins and past. Indeed, as far back as 600 B.C. a Babylonian king excavated a temple floor laid 3,200 years before his time. Archaeology, to paraphrase Colin Renfrew, is a history of self-discovery, and for that reason it holds attraction for all peoples and all cultures. The Cambridge Illustrated History of Archaeology exploits our fascination with our past. It tells the story of those explorations that have helped shape our knowledge of history--from early digging in Greece and the Near East through the unearthing of sites in Europe to the archaeological finds of the Americas, Africa, and Australasia. It chronicles the development of archaeology from the crude fumblings of early antiquaries to the sophisticated digs of the present day. The team of experts under the guidance of Paul Bahn attempts to strike a balance between spectacular discoveries, such as the tomb of Tutankhamen, and the equally important progress of ideas. At the same time, they describe the often colorful roles of leading characters and set them against the social background of their times. It is hoped that many present and future general readers and amateur archaeologists will uncover much of interest in this book. Paul Bahn is the author of many books about archaeology, including The Bluffer's Guide to Archaeology (1989) and Archaeology: Theories, Methods and Practice (with Colin Renfrew, 1991).

A look at the over eight thousand year history and civilization of China.

Traces the development of archaeology up to the sophisticated explorations of the present day and surveys each major discovery and excavation

Publisher description

This volume, originally published in 1989, is intended as a practical guide to archaeological illustration, from drawing finds in the field to technical studio drawing for publication. It is also an invaluable reference tool for the interpretation of illustrations and their status as archaeological evidence. The book's ten chapters start from first principles and guide the illustrator through the historical development of archaeological illustration and basic skills. Each chapter then deals with a different illustrative technique - drawing in the field during survey work and excavation, drawing artefacts, buildings and reconstructions, producing artwork for publication and the early uses of computer graphics. Information about appropriate equipment, as well as a guide to manufacturers, is also supplied. An obvious and important feature of Archaeological Illustration is the 120 line drawings and half-tones which show the right - and the wrong - way of producing drawings. This volume will therefore be of interest to amateur and professional archaeologists alike.

This is an up-to-date account of the different kinds of information that can be obtained through the archaeological study of pottery.

An engaging study which looks at archaeological, documentary and environmental evidence to explore the factors determining class identity.

This book offers a critical synthesis of the archaeology of South Asia from the Neolithic period (c.6500 BCE), when domestication began, to the spread of Buddhism accompanying the Mauryan Emperor Asoka's reign (third century BCE). The authors examine the growth and character of the Indus civilisation, with its town planning, sophisticated drainage systems, vast cities and international trade. They also consider the strong cultural links between the Indus civilisation and the second, later period of South Asian urbanism which began in the first millennium BCE and developed through the early first millennium CE. In addition to examining the evidence for emerging urban complexity, this book gives equal weight to interactions between rural and urban communities across South Asia and considers the critical roles played by rural areas in social and economic development. The authors explore how narratives of continuity and transformation have been formulated in analyses of South Asia's Prehistoric and Early Historic archaeological record.