Author: Thomas G. Palaima
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 48
Book Description
Unlocking the Secrets of Ancient Writing
Author: Thomas G. Palaima
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 48
Book Description
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 48
Book Description
Written in Bones
Author:
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781845664947
Category : Archaeology
Languages : en
Pages : 224
Book Description
Fully Revised and Updated! Written in Bones brings together a team of international experts to show how the study of human remains can reveal compelling pictures of the lives, cultures and beliefs of ancient peoples from around the world.
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781845664947
Category : Archaeology
Languages : en
Pages : 224
Book Description
Fully Revised and Updated! Written in Bones brings together a team of international experts to show how the study of human remains can reveal compelling pictures of the lives, cultures and beliefs of ancient peoples from around the world.
The Seventy Great Mysteries of the Ancient World
Author: Brian M. Fagan
Publisher:
ISBN: 9780500510506
Category : Civilization, Ancient
Languages : en
Pages : 312
Book Description
Describes various issues in mythology and prehistoric and ancient history, from the Garden of Eden to the effects of meteor impacts, including tombs, writing systems, and the fall of civilizations, and suggests explanations.
Publisher:
ISBN: 9780500510506
Category : Civilization, Ancient
Languages : en
Pages : 312
Book Description
Describes various issues in mythology and prehistoric and ancient history, from the Garden of Eden to the effects of meteor impacts, including tombs, writing systems, and the fall of civilizations, and suggests explanations.
The Order of Days
Author: David Stuart
Publisher: Crown
ISBN: 0385527276
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 370
Book Description
The world's foremost expert on Maya culture looks at 2012 hysteria and explains the truth about what the Maya meant and what we want to believe. Apocalypse 2012: An Investigation into Civilizations End. The World Cataclysm in 2012. 2012: The return of Quetzalcoatl. According to many of these alarmingly titled books, the ancient Maya not only had a keen insight into the mystical workings of our planet and the cosmos, but they were also able to predict that the world will end in the year 2012. David Stuart, the foremost scholar of the Maya and recipient of numerous awards for his work, takes a hard look at the frenzy over 2012 and offers a fascination (and accurate) trip through Mayan culture and belief. Stuart shows how the idea that the "end of the Mayan calendar," which supposedly heralds the end of our own existence, says far more about our culture than about the ancient Maya. The Order of Days explores how the real intellectual achievement of ancient Maya timekeeping and worldview is far more impressive and remarkable than any of the popular, and often outrageous, claims about this advanced civilization. As someone who has studied the Maya for nearly all of his life and who specializes in reading their ancient texts, Stuart sees the 2012 hubbub as the most recent in a long chain of related ideas about Mesoamericans, the Maya in particular, that depicts them as somehow oddball, not "of this world," or as having some strong mystical link to other realms. Because the year 2012 has no prominent role in anything the ancient Maya ever actually wrote, Stuart takes a wider look at the Maya concepts of time and their underlying philosophy as we can best understand them. The ancient Maya, Stuart contends, were worthy of study and admiration not because they were strange but because they were altogether human, and they developed a compelling vision of time unlike any other civilization before or since.
Publisher: Crown
ISBN: 0385527276
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 370
Book Description
The world's foremost expert on Maya culture looks at 2012 hysteria and explains the truth about what the Maya meant and what we want to believe. Apocalypse 2012: An Investigation into Civilizations End. The World Cataclysm in 2012. 2012: The return of Quetzalcoatl. According to many of these alarmingly titled books, the ancient Maya not only had a keen insight into the mystical workings of our planet and the cosmos, but they were also able to predict that the world will end in the year 2012. David Stuart, the foremost scholar of the Maya and recipient of numerous awards for his work, takes a hard look at the frenzy over 2012 and offers a fascination (and accurate) trip through Mayan culture and belief. Stuart shows how the idea that the "end of the Mayan calendar," which supposedly heralds the end of our own existence, says far more about our culture than about the ancient Maya. The Order of Days explores how the real intellectual achievement of ancient Maya timekeeping and worldview is far more impressive and remarkable than any of the popular, and often outrageous, claims about this advanced civilization. As someone who has studied the Maya for nearly all of his life and who specializes in reading their ancient texts, Stuart sees the 2012 hubbub as the most recent in a long chain of related ideas about Mesoamericans, the Maya in particular, that depicts them as somehow oddball, not "of this world," or as having some strong mystical link to other realms. Because the year 2012 has no prominent role in anything the ancient Maya ever actually wrote, Stuart takes a wider look at the Maya concepts of time and their underlying philosophy as we can best understand them. The ancient Maya, Stuart contends, were worthy of study and admiration not because they were strange but because they were altogether human, and they developed a compelling vision of time unlike any other civilization before or since.
The First Ghosts
Author: Irving Finkel
Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton
ISBN: 1529303273
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 358
Book Description
'It's enthralling stuff, mixing the scholarly with the accessible and placing storytelling right at the heart of the human experience.' - History Revealed 'A fascinating journey' - Yorkshire Post 'Marvellous...Finkel is an expert in Mesopotamian cultures at the British Museum, and is one of the most clever, and nicest, of people it has ever been my pleasure to encounter...A fascinating journey' - The Scotsman There are few things more in common across cultures than the belief in ghosts. Ghosts inhabit something of the very essence of what it is to be human. Whether we personally 'believe' or not, we are all aware of ghosts and the rich mythologies and rituals surrounding them. They have inspired, fascinated and frightened us for centuries - yet most of us are only familiar with the vengeful apparitions of Shakespeare, or the ghastly spectres haunting the pages of 19th century gothic literature. But their origins are much, much older... The First Ghosts: Most Ancient of Legacies takes us back to the very beginning. A world-renowned authority on cuneiform, the form of writing on clay tablets which dates back to 3400BC, Irving Finkel has embarked upon an ancient ghost hunt, scouring these tablets to unlock the secrets of the Sumerians, Babylonians and Assyrians to breathe new life into the first ghost stories ever written. In The First Ghosts, he uncovers an extraordinarily rich seam of ancient spirit wisdom which has remained hidden for nearly 4000 years, covering practical details of how to live with ghosts, how to get rid of them and bring them back, and how to avoid becoming one, as well as exploring more philosophical questions: what are ghosts, why does the idea of them remain so powerful despite the lack of concrete evidence, and what do they tell us about being human?
Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton
ISBN: 1529303273
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 358
Book Description
'It's enthralling stuff, mixing the scholarly with the accessible and placing storytelling right at the heart of the human experience.' - History Revealed 'A fascinating journey' - Yorkshire Post 'Marvellous...Finkel is an expert in Mesopotamian cultures at the British Museum, and is one of the most clever, and nicest, of people it has ever been my pleasure to encounter...A fascinating journey' - The Scotsman There are few things more in common across cultures than the belief in ghosts. Ghosts inhabit something of the very essence of what it is to be human. Whether we personally 'believe' or not, we are all aware of ghosts and the rich mythologies and rituals surrounding them. They have inspired, fascinated and frightened us for centuries - yet most of us are only familiar with the vengeful apparitions of Shakespeare, or the ghastly spectres haunting the pages of 19th century gothic literature. But their origins are much, much older... The First Ghosts: Most Ancient of Legacies takes us back to the very beginning. A world-renowned authority on cuneiform, the form of writing on clay tablets which dates back to 3400BC, Irving Finkel has embarked upon an ancient ghost hunt, scouring these tablets to unlock the secrets of the Sumerians, Babylonians and Assyrians to breathe new life into the first ghost stories ever written. In The First Ghosts, he uncovers an extraordinarily rich seam of ancient spirit wisdom which has remained hidden for nearly 4000 years, covering practical details of how to live with ghosts, how to get rid of them and bring them back, and how to avoid becoming one, as well as exploring more philosophical questions: what are ghosts, why does the idea of them remain so powerful despite the lack of concrete evidence, and what do they tell us about being human?
Cuneiform
Author: Irving L. Finkel
Publisher: British museum Press
ISBN: 9780714111889
Category : Cuneiform inscriptions
Languages : en
Pages : 0
Book Description
Cuneiform script on tablets of clay is, as far as we know, the oldest form of writing in the world. The choice of clay as writing medium in ancient Mesopotamia meant that records of all kinds could survive down to modern times, preserving fascinating documents from ancient civilization, written by a variety of people and societies. From reading these tablets we can understand not only the history and economics of the time but also the beliefs, ideas and superstitions. This new book will bring the world in which the cuneiform was written to life for the non-expert reader, revealing how ancient inscriptions can lead to a new way of thinking about the past. It will explain how this pre-alphabetic writing really worked and how it was possible to use cuneiform signs to record so many different languages so long ago. Richly illustrated with a wealth of fresh examples ranging from elementary school exercises to revealing private letters or beautifully calligraphic literature for the royal library, we will meet people that arent so very different from ourselves. We will read the work of many scribes from mundane record keepers to state fortune tellers, using tricks from puns to cryptography. For the first time cuneiform tablets and their messages are not remote and inaccessible, but wonderfully human documents that resonate today.
Publisher: British museum Press
ISBN: 9780714111889
Category : Cuneiform inscriptions
Languages : en
Pages : 0
Book Description
Cuneiform script on tablets of clay is, as far as we know, the oldest form of writing in the world. The choice of clay as writing medium in ancient Mesopotamia meant that records of all kinds could survive down to modern times, preserving fascinating documents from ancient civilization, written by a variety of people and societies. From reading these tablets we can understand not only the history and economics of the time but also the beliefs, ideas and superstitions. This new book will bring the world in which the cuneiform was written to life for the non-expert reader, revealing how ancient inscriptions can lead to a new way of thinking about the past. It will explain how this pre-alphabetic writing really worked and how it was possible to use cuneiform signs to record so many different languages so long ago. Richly illustrated with a wealth of fresh examples ranging from elementary school exercises to revealing private letters or beautifully calligraphic literature for the royal library, we will meet people that arent so very different from ourselves. We will read the work of many scribes from mundane record keepers to state fortune tellers, using tricks from puns to cryptography. For the first time cuneiform tablets and their messages are not remote and inaccessible, but wonderfully human documents that resonate today.
Unlocking the Secrets of the Ancients
Author: Barrett Williams
Publisher: Barrett Williams
ISBN:
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 92
Book Description
Unlocking the Secrets of the Ancients Ever wondered how the towering Pyramids of Giza were built or what cosmic messages underlie the Nazca Lines? "Unlocking the Secrets of the Ancients" offers a captivating adventure into the heart of some of the worldâs most enigmatic and awe-inspiring ancient structures. Start your journey by unveiling the mysterious significance behind the construction techniques and symbolic meanings of architectural marvels across continents. Discover how the Great Wall of China served as more than a defense mechanism and step beyond its rugged stones to unravel its cultural intricacies. Plunge into the spiritual alignments of Stonehenge, demystifying its celestial symbology. Explore Machu Picchu's harmony with its mountainous landscape and unearth the divine grandeur of the Temples of Angkor, where architecture meets the cosmos. Delve into the democratic and divine essence of the Acropolis of Athens, and decode the desert messages of the Nazca Lines. Chart the cosmic calendars etched in the Mayan temples and discover the hidden city's rock-cut wonders of Petra. The monumental Moai statues of Easter Island beckon with their silent stories, while Göbekli Tepe challenges our understanding of early civilizations. Step into divine realms with the Ziggurats of Mesopotamia and the sacred ceremonies of the Temples of Karnak. Experience the thrilling backdrop of the Colosseum and the sacred pilgrimage site of Borobudur. Witness the intersection of cultures in Hagia Sophia's transformative architecture and stand in awe before the Gothic splendor of Notre-Dame de Paris. Finally, immerse yourself in the artistic and cultural gem of the Alhambra in Spain. "Unlocking the Secrets of the Ancients" is your gateway to decoding the mysteries, technical prowess, and deep symbolism embedded in the worldâs most remarkable ancient structures. Step into a bygone era where every stone has a story and every structure holds a secret waiting to be uncovered. Your journey through history begins now.
Publisher: Barrett Williams
ISBN:
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 92
Book Description
Unlocking the Secrets of the Ancients Ever wondered how the towering Pyramids of Giza were built or what cosmic messages underlie the Nazca Lines? "Unlocking the Secrets of the Ancients" offers a captivating adventure into the heart of some of the worldâs most enigmatic and awe-inspiring ancient structures. Start your journey by unveiling the mysterious significance behind the construction techniques and symbolic meanings of architectural marvels across continents. Discover how the Great Wall of China served as more than a defense mechanism and step beyond its rugged stones to unravel its cultural intricacies. Plunge into the spiritual alignments of Stonehenge, demystifying its celestial symbology. Explore Machu Picchu's harmony with its mountainous landscape and unearth the divine grandeur of the Temples of Angkor, where architecture meets the cosmos. Delve into the democratic and divine essence of the Acropolis of Athens, and decode the desert messages of the Nazca Lines. Chart the cosmic calendars etched in the Mayan temples and discover the hidden city's rock-cut wonders of Petra. The monumental Moai statues of Easter Island beckon with their silent stories, while Göbekli Tepe challenges our understanding of early civilizations. Step into divine realms with the Ziggurats of Mesopotamia and the sacred ceremonies of the Temples of Karnak. Experience the thrilling backdrop of the Colosseum and the sacred pilgrimage site of Borobudur. Witness the intersection of cultures in Hagia Sophia's transformative architecture and stand in awe before the Gothic splendor of Notre-Dame de Paris. Finally, immerse yourself in the artistic and cultural gem of the Alhambra in Spain. "Unlocking the Secrets of the Ancients" is your gateway to decoding the mysteries, technical prowess, and deep symbolism embedded in the worldâs most remarkable ancient structures. Step into a bygone era where every stone has a story and every structure holds a secret waiting to be uncovered. Your journey through history begins now.
Unlocking the Secrets of Ancient Writing
Author: Thomas G. Palaima
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 33
Book Description
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 33
Book Description
The Oxford Handbook of the Bronze Age Aegean
Author: Eric H. Cline
Publisher: Oxford University Press
ISBN: 019024075X
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 968
Book Description
The Greek Bronze Age, roughly 3000 to 1000 BCE, witnessed the flourishing of the Minoan and Mycenean civilizations, the earliest expansion of trade in the Aegean and wider Mediterranean Sea, the development of artistic techniques in a variety of media, and the evolution of early Greek religious practices and mythology. The period also witnessed a violent conflict in Asia Minor between warring peoples in the region, a conflict commonly believed to be the historical basis for Homer's Trojan War. The Oxford Handbook of the Bronze Age Aegean provides a detailed survey of these fascinating aspects of the period, and many others, in sixty-six newly commissioned articles. Divided into four sections, the handbook begins with Background and Definitions, which contains articles establishing the discipline in its historical, geographical, and chronological settings and in its relation to other disciplines. The second section, Chronology and Geography, contains articles examining the Bronze Age Aegean by chronological period (Early Bronze Age, Middle Bronze Age, Late Bronze Age). Each of the periods are further subdivided geographically, so that individual articles are concerned with Mainland Greece during the Early Bronze Age, Crete during the Early Bronze Age, the Cycladic Islands during the Early Bronze Age, and the same for the Middle Bronze Age, followed by the Late Bronze Age. The third section, Thematic and Specific Topics, includes articles examining thematic topics that cannot be done justice in a strictly chronological/geographical treatment, including religion, state and society, trade, warfare, pottery, writing, and burial customs, as well as specific events, such as the eruption of Santorini and the Trojan War. The fourth section, Specific Sites and Areas, contains articles examining the most important regions and sites in the Bronze Age Aegean, including Mycenae, Tiryns, Pylos, Knossos, Kommos, Rhodes, the northern Aegean, and the Uluburun shipwreck, as well as adjacent areas such as the Levant, Egypt, and the western Mediterranean. Containing new work by an international team of experts, The Oxford Handbook of the Bronze Age Aegean represents the most comprehensive, authoritative, and up-to-date single-volume survey of the field. It will be indispensable for scholars and advanced students alike.
Publisher: Oxford University Press
ISBN: 019024075X
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 968
Book Description
The Greek Bronze Age, roughly 3000 to 1000 BCE, witnessed the flourishing of the Minoan and Mycenean civilizations, the earliest expansion of trade in the Aegean and wider Mediterranean Sea, the development of artistic techniques in a variety of media, and the evolution of early Greek religious practices and mythology. The period also witnessed a violent conflict in Asia Minor between warring peoples in the region, a conflict commonly believed to be the historical basis for Homer's Trojan War. The Oxford Handbook of the Bronze Age Aegean provides a detailed survey of these fascinating aspects of the period, and many others, in sixty-six newly commissioned articles. Divided into four sections, the handbook begins with Background and Definitions, which contains articles establishing the discipline in its historical, geographical, and chronological settings and in its relation to other disciplines. The second section, Chronology and Geography, contains articles examining the Bronze Age Aegean by chronological period (Early Bronze Age, Middle Bronze Age, Late Bronze Age). Each of the periods are further subdivided geographically, so that individual articles are concerned with Mainland Greece during the Early Bronze Age, Crete during the Early Bronze Age, the Cycladic Islands during the Early Bronze Age, and the same for the Middle Bronze Age, followed by the Late Bronze Age. The third section, Thematic and Specific Topics, includes articles examining thematic topics that cannot be done justice in a strictly chronological/geographical treatment, including religion, state and society, trade, warfare, pottery, writing, and burial customs, as well as specific events, such as the eruption of Santorini and the Trojan War. The fourth section, Specific Sites and Areas, contains articles examining the most important regions and sites in the Bronze Age Aegean, including Mycenae, Tiryns, Pylos, Knossos, Kommos, Rhodes, the northern Aegean, and the Uluburun shipwreck, as well as adjacent areas such as the Levant, Egypt, and the western Mediterranean. Containing new work by an international team of experts, The Oxford Handbook of the Bronze Age Aegean represents the most comprehensive, authoritative, and up-to-date single-volume survey of the field. It will be indispensable for scholars and advanced students alike.
Hieroglyphs Without Mystery
Author: Karl-Theodor Zauzich
Publisher: University of Texas Press
ISBN: 9780292798045
Category : Language Arts & Disciplines
Languages : en
Pages : 144
Book Description
Marveling over the tomb treasures of Ramses II and Tutankhamen that have toured U.S. and European museums in recent years, visitors inevitably wonder what the mysterious hieroglyphs that cover their surfaces mean. Indeed, everyone who is fascinated by ancient Egypt sooner or later wishes for a Rosetta stone to unlock the secrets of hieroglyphic writing. Hieroglyphs without Mystery provides the needed key. Written for ordinary people with no special language skills, the book quickly demonstrates that hieroglyphic writing can be read, once a few simple principles are understood. Zauzich explains the basic rules of the writing system and the grammar and then applies them to thirteen actual inscriptions taken from objects in European and Egyptian museums. By following his explanations and learning the most commonly used glyphs, readers can begin to decode hieroglyphs themselves and increase their enjoyment of both museum objects and ancient Egyptian sites. Even for the armchair traveler, learning about hieroglyphs opens a sealed door into ancient Egyptian culture. In examining these inscriptions, readers will gain a better understanding of Egyptian art, politics, and religion, as well as language.
Publisher: University of Texas Press
ISBN: 9780292798045
Category : Language Arts & Disciplines
Languages : en
Pages : 144
Book Description
Marveling over the tomb treasures of Ramses II and Tutankhamen that have toured U.S. and European museums in recent years, visitors inevitably wonder what the mysterious hieroglyphs that cover their surfaces mean. Indeed, everyone who is fascinated by ancient Egypt sooner or later wishes for a Rosetta stone to unlock the secrets of hieroglyphic writing. Hieroglyphs without Mystery provides the needed key. Written for ordinary people with no special language skills, the book quickly demonstrates that hieroglyphic writing can be read, once a few simple principles are understood. Zauzich explains the basic rules of the writing system and the grammar and then applies them to thirteen actual inscriptions taken from objects in European and Egyptian museums. By following his explanations and learning the most commonly used glyphs, readers can begin to decode hieroglyphs themselves and increase their enjoyment of both museum objects and ancient Egyptian sites. Even for the armchair traveler, learning about hieroglyphs opens a sealed door into ancient Egyptian culture. In examining these inscriptions, readers will gain a better understanding of Egyptian art, politics, and religion, as well as language.