Mysteries of the Ancient World by National Geographic

Mysteries of the Ancient World ISBN-13: 9780870442544 Hardback: 233 pages Publisher: National Geographic Society Released: May 1, 1979

Source: Bought at a Friends of the Library book sale.

My Book Description:
The book covers cave paintings, neolithic Jericho, Çatal Hüyük, the Egyptian pyramids, the oldest known Indian cities, the various megaliths in Europe, the Minoans, the Mycenaens, the Etruscans, and the Easter Islander stone heads.


My Review:
Mysteries of the Ancient World looks at some ancient, mysterious civilizations. The author(s) write about visiting site, what they see, and what the people working on the site think about what the various structures were used for (which involves a lot of speculation). The basic attitude was that these ancient builders were intelligent, capable people. They simply didn't leave behind explanations of some of their more mysterious works.

The book covered cave paintings, neolithic Jericho, Çatal Hüyük, the Egyptian pyramids, the oldest known Indian cities, the various megaliths in Europe, the Minoans, the Mycenaens, the Etruscans, and the Easter Islander stone heads. About half of the book is full-color pictures of the sites and artifacts found there. I really enjoyed the pictures, and the text was interesting (though it's more a survey of ideas than a close look at the structures).


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.