Eyewitness: Archeology

Discover the world of archeology -- how to piece together civilizations of the past.

Here is a spectacular and informative new guide to the fascinating world of archaeology. Superb, full-color photographs of bronzes, buildings, paintings, and pottery offer a unique "eyewitness" view of the world's great civilizations. See a loaf of bread preserved for 2000 years, the first human skeleton ever discovered, a corroded cannon from a shipwreck, an Iron Age roundhouse, and a reconstructed helmet made of gold, silver and bronze. Learn about carbon dating, how to tell the difference between a fake and the real thing, why tombs were plundered, how erosion destroys buildings and the secrets behind standing stones. Discover where the world's first iron bridge was built, the importance of shell middens, how a dig is organized, a "ghost ship's" impression in the sand and how rescue evacuations are carried out, and much, much more!

The Eyewitness series is the best thing to happen to reference books since the encyclopedia was invented, and this volume on archeology is no exception. Lushly illustrated with the crispest, most detailed full-color photographs imaginable, this book makes archeology look fun and interesting. Twenty-six two-page spreads cover everything from the basics ("Why Excavate?") to the mysterious ("Mounds and Monuments") to the gruesomely cool ("Human Remains"). Topics are global, from Pompeii to the American Southwest. Although ostensibly geared to 9- to 12-year-olds, reading this book is like visiting a museum of archeology, and adults will get as much out of it as kids. --Therese Littleton