The story of how lost civilizations; buried cities; and ancient scripts were rediscovered for the modern age; as seen through the lives and exploits of the great archaeologists who made these phenomenal findsThe Great Archaeologists takes the reader on a journey from the first attempt to establish just how ancient the "ancient past" really was; through the revelatory discovery of lost civilizations and unknown cultures; right up to today’s search for explanations about the past.We meet Thomsen and Worsaae; Danish researchers and rivals; and Sanz de Sautuola and Abbé Breuil; who astonished the world with their discoveries of cave art. Controversial figures such as Heinrich Schliemann and the Hungarian Aurel Stein; plunderer of ancient manuscripts from Central Asia; are given new assessments. Little-known pioneers such as Max Uhle in Peru and Li Chi in China are set beside the giants in the field―from Koldewey; Dörpfeld; and Woolley in the Near East; to Louis and Mary Leakey; who transformed knowledge of our African ancestry. Other indomitable women include Gertrude Bell; Kathleen Kenyon; and the script-decipherer Tatiana Proskouriakoff.Brian Fagan has assembled a team of some of the world’s greatest living archaeologists to write knowledgeably and entertainingly about their distinguished predecessors in this handsome volume; full of fascinating anecdotes; personal accounts; and unexpected insights. 201 illustrations; 188 in color
#896445 in Books 2012-03-16 2012-03-16Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 8.44 x .84 x 5.82l; .96 #File Name: 048642765X432 pages
Review
128 of 129 people found the following review helpful. A Comprehensive Treasure TroveBy Theodore KeerOriginally published in 1911; and now available in Dover paperback; "Religion of the Ancient Celts;" is a well written and engaging scholarly work.Well worth its price; the work is suitable to the general public; while still valuable to those interested in the Celts from an historic; linguistic; mythological or ethnological standpoint. MacCulloch covers his subject matter clearly and thoroughly (referencing such things as parallels with Greek mythology and Sumerian religion) and writes in a style that will satisfy the expert without mystifying or losing the attention of the amateur.The main text is 390 pp; is fully referenced in footnotes; and is fully indexed. Chapter titles include: Gods of Gaul - The Irish Cycle - Tuatha De Danaan - Gods of the Brythons - Cuchulainn Cycle - Fionn Saga - Gods and Men - Cult of the Dead - Nature Worship - River and Well Worship - Tree and Plant Worship - Animal Worship - Cosmogony - Sacrifice; Prayer Divination - Taboo - Festivals - The Druids - Magic - Etc...Although the book may be "dated"; it is not "outdated". Given the scholarly standards of its time; this may be more of a virtue than a drawback. More recent results in the area are naturally not addressed. But the work is consistent with comparative methods; and considers the consensus without neglecting competing accounts. There is neither neo-Druidic nonsense nor needless pedantry. While the study is generally limited to the culture of the British Isles; as opposed to that of the Continent; this is due to the lack of Continental oral tradition rather than to lack of attention on the author's part.MacCulloch is judicious. Yet he addresses issues such as the pre-Indo-European origins of the Mother-Goddess cult of Brigid; as the legends of the faerie-folk known as the "Side;"* (as in banshee) and as the stories of "Isles to the West" now sunk below the sea.Fans of J.R.R. Tolkien will find this work enthralling and familiar; as it shows some of the sources for his magnificent "Middle-Earth." Avid youngsters; Celtophiles; students of Irish poet W.B. Yeats; followers of Marija Gimbutas (Civilization of the Goddess) and admirers of Robert Graves (The White Goddess) will likewise be pleased.(Consider a search for MacCulloch's 1918 "Celtic Mythology" at Google Books which will return the entire public domain text. It can be browsed or downloaded in lieu of a preview here of his style.)I can recommend this work unreservedly for readers of all persuasions.* ["Side" shows curious parallels to the word "seidhr" - magic learned by the patriarchal Norse Aesir god Odin from the pre-Aryan matriarchal Vanir goddesses; and to "Sedna" - the Eskimo/Aleut "Mistress of Animals" who lives at the bottom of the ocean]0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Five StarsBy Michael SilveusWell written book and enjoy having it in my library3 of 3 people found the following review helpful. Great bookBy TechGeekHelped me understand the ancient Celts and the culture and religion of this ancient culture. I thoroughly enjoyed this book.
