5 comments about Heaven's Mirror: Quest for the Lost Civilization.

1. This book is an amazing watch and read. His chapter about the Angkor Thom Temple in Cambodia seems to be the key issue inside his theory.
   
   John Martin reported about that the following: "Hancock and his wife travel around the world and try to tie a lot of historical sites together with magic numbers (72 being the most prevalent but any even number being almost as good.) The problem I had was that the linking of the monuments to stars degrades as the book moves along. The link is clear in Egypt, possibly present in Mexico, requires squinting in Cambodia, and then devolves to a lot of "as ifs" and "rough alignments"."
   
   Well now, things certainly have changed as in 2001 a new Temple object was found inside China ate the same horizontal geographical coordinate as Angkor:
   
   http://www.china.org.cn/english/2001/Jun/13970.htm
   "a group of ancient buildings was in an area of 2.4 square km at the bottom of Fuxian Lake in southwest China's Yunnan Province."
   
   De geographical width of this location is 103o E. Which is exactly 72o east of the pyramids of Giza. Hence at exactly the same geographical width as the Angkor Thom Temple in Cambodia. This object was built in the 12th century A.C. To be exact in the year 1150 A.C
   
   Conspiracy theory : Because the Fuxian temples (lets call em this way) are 2200 years old, they are much older as the Angkor Temples. So it could be that the City in the Fuxian Lake indeed is the lost City of Atlantis. The Cambodians built Angkor Thom much later and with these Temples took over the function of the Fuxian Lake temples. It's known that the Angkor temples didn't emit much good vibes. Hangcock writes in his book about this the following : " In the last decades there have been moments where Angkor looked like the heart of darkness - its located in the middle of a dark forest where obscure dark things have happened." Angkor Thom is oriented to the constellation of Draco or 'snake'. So dark forces could have sunk the Fuxia City and caused the rise of a replacing object, Angkor Thom.



2. "Heavens Mirror" is a lush book of alternative ancient history from Graham Hancock, author of "Fingerprints of the Gods", a book I really enjoyed. Though I definitely did find it interesting, it left me with a bad taste in the mouth after I read it, if that makes sense.
   
   Graham Hancock believes that long ago there was a civilization as sophisticated and thoughtful as ours, wiped out by the last ice age (around 10,500 BC), and whose influence can be seen in cultures round the world. He put forward this theory in his book "Fingerprints of the Gods", a well presented, heavily researched book. Graham is still writing about this lost culture, but rather than focusing on it's apparent influence like he did in "Fingerprints", he focuses on their beliefs and rituals. He finds a lot of things in common between certain cultures of the world. There's the idea of a "navel of the world", the idea of an afterlife world in the sky, references to the procession of the equinoxes, temples and structures in the form of certain constellations. Jumping from continent to continent, he tries to piece things together, hopefully coming to a conclusion.
   
   First of all, I must say, this is a well presented book, just like "Fingerprints of the Gods". Hancock's wife, Santha Faiia, provided the photography, and there are some fantastic shots of famous ancient monuments, taken from angles and distances I have never seen before. It's almost as if you are there. They were a treat to look at, and she rightfully gets co-authorship of the book because of it. There are diagrams, which really, REALLY helped with the astronomical and mathematical elements. The content of the book, the studies on ancient beliefs, was also fascinating to read.
   
   That's not to say this is a book without flaws. Graham doesn't seem to know who he is writing to here, newcomers to his books or old regulars. Sometimes he assumes we've read his books, and other times he repeats himself. He repeats himself in a few ways, actually. He'll make the same point a couple of times, which I found a little bit annoying, and it caused my eyes to wander from the page more than once. He seems a little more intense in his writing that he does in "Fingerprints of the Gods" too, and I can't say it's the most inviting feel to have. Plus, there are hardly as many references as his last books.
   
   I felt a little bit uneasy reading this book, and I couldn't quite put a finger on why. It started when I noticed Graham Hancock was using the word "initiate" frequently when talking about the ancient learned people. The last alternative history book I read that used the word "initiate" frequently descended into obsessive nonsense very quickly, and was almost impossible to comprehend (let alone believe or consider). "What was Graham getting at here?" I thought. I got a little more uncomfortable when he started throwing the the words "gnosis" and "gnostic", and started mixing beliefs together.
   
   Graham had been making all these links, pointing out these common factors, but not really stopping to explain why. The conclusion, when he finally got to it, came as something as a shock, though I felt it coming. He claims to believe that the ancient people were onto something in their rituals. He quotes gnostic gospels of the Christian era as if they were not only correct, but influenced by this ten thousand year old culture he claims existed. Then, came this sentence, wedged within the final paragraph:
   
   "Modern religions, like modern science, have let us down, offering us no nourishment or guidance. Perhaps our only hope ... [is] when certain ideas come to life again, and we should not deprive our grandchildren of a last chance at the heritage of the highest are farthest-off times"
   
   That says it all about why I felt so uneasy about the book, I think. Rejecting basically everyone in favor of his mish mash of ancient beliefs. It's one thing to say that civilizations have things in common, it's quite another to say that they have the answers for the future, if you know what I mean.
   
   It was a very interesting look at ancient cultures, I do agree, very well presented with some fantastic pictures. That's the reason I give it four stars. Graham Hancock's conclusions, however, are rather worrying. I hope he doesn't get too sucked into these kind of theories.



3. I have this book in my native language. But it does not matter. One time my friend let me borrow it from him, i read it really fast (only at home, cause he won't harm the book at all) For me it was like looking to "factography" about the interesting areas, complexes, chambers, pyramids and so on. Some of the facts were already presented by Discovery and NationalGeography channels (Orion mystery document) I was looking forward this document, but with no luck. So this really suprise me, that there are same volume of facts and even more. If you are new in this type of books (2012, prophecies, ancient civs; ...and so on.) It is good start to take this book. Also there is combo with "Fingerprints of Gods" Style of authors are easy to read, few drawings/figures are also there, so imaging of facts is easier.
   Some other scholars reffer to this book and this book refer to some others. Like it is usuall. But i recommend to read few of them and collect the facts/myths by own selves. John Major Jenkins's books for instance are also good ones to make bigger picture.
   You can use "google earth" and some other software to simulate some viewings mentioned in the book, prety exiting, really.
   So finally i found this book in our book store and bought it. Read it again (with my comments written in the book, some notices and i use it as reffer book) I am not happy that this book has brother (fingerprints of gods) and it is not translated to my language.
   Nevermind i learn little bit more so English books are no longer problematic for me. So thank to Amazon i got the Graham's combo book :))
   I am not going to confirm or be against the facts mentioned in this book. It is up to reader to valuate the facts not me. I already did and i found it generally usefull. But none is perfect so be sure you valuate the facts across the books/documents/your own research.
   I think it is not wasting of money to buy this book.
   -keep it readin'-
   cheers
   -vh-



4. While I will reserve judgment on the factual merits of this book, it engaged me in a way few books do; I took extensive notes while reading it and plan to do additional research into some of the statements made.
   
   Hancock travels the world, exploring the ancient religions and traditions of several disparate cultures, only to find shocking similarities, especially when combined with an astronomical background.
   
   A fascinating, must-read for anyone exploring our distant past, interested in alternate spirituality or just curious about whatever crosses their hands.



5. This book is essentially a poor rehash of Fingerprints of the Gods with better pictures. If you are really interested in Hancock's theory of a common knowledge source for ancient civilizations, you will probably enjoy Fingerprints of the Gods better. However, the pictures and overall presentation of this book is far better. If you found Fingerprints too difficult to get through, but liked the premise, then perhaps this book would be a better choice for you.

No comments about Conflicted Antiquities: Egyptology, Egyptomania, Egyptian Modernity.

1 comments about Hands-On Archaeology: Real-Life Activities for Kids.

1. When I read the description of this book on Amazon I assumed it would be full of stand-alone "rainy-day"-type kids' activities. I was wrong. The book actually contains a complete archaeology curriculum made up of 43 activites (lessons) which can be modified to fit students in grades 4-10. It is designed for teachers who (like me) know little or nothing about archaeology. Each activity is described in detail with objectives, material lists, vocabulary lists, etc. The later activities build on the earlier ones. There are also several worksheets included, but these are not time-killers or games; they are used to document and build on the hands-on portion of each lesson. This is a great book, designed for real learning, and I would highly recommend it for classroom teachers and for groups of home schoolers. However, it does not exactly fit my needs. The group I am working with will have only a limited amount of instructional time, so we will not be able to complete more than four or five lessons and none of these activities stand alone. But I am so impressed by the quality of the material in this book that I am going to try to adapt it and at least give my students a good introduction to the subject. And, although it will take me some time to finish reading the book, I know I will also learn a lot in the process.

2 comments about Reading the Past: Current Approaches to Interpretation in Archaeology.

1. Reading the past is Hodders first book where he explicitly descibes the new post-processual archaeology and give critics about the processual (and other) approach. Truly a paradigm-shift, this book is the first book that covers the basic ideas of post-processualism...



2. Another jargon loaded archaeological theory classic. It reviews major trends of post-processual archaeology, but it sent me and most of my friends in the archaeology course straigh to sleep. If you want a good book on theory, that wont have the same effect, get Matthew Johnsons archaeological theory. ITs in plain english for a change.

5 comments about The Incas and Their Ancestors: The Archaeology of Peru (Revised Edition).

1. It is a shame that THE INCAS has to be stressed to sell a book that is so good on their ancestors. In North Peru, for example, the Moche left a wealth of advanced (& colorful) information & technology skills of which Peru does not take advantage, especially in terms of tourism. See unitru.edu.pe/arq for the cultures of North Peru. We await the revised edition. Michael White & Clara Bravo, Trujillo Peru Tour Guides.



2. I use this book a great deal as a resource for research on ancient Peru. Although this book is not "made pretty" with lots of color photographs and has a textbook feel, it does contain a wealth of information and scholarship. It is a must read for anyone wanting to learn about the ancient cultures of Peru in depth.



3. Before visiting Peru, I bought a few books on the history and archaelogy of the land, to prepare me for what I would see. After studying this book, my understanding of pre-Inca and Inca civilizations is still extremely lacunary. This book does not place the archaeological finds in a meaningful historical context. In lieu of history we are given an abstract of Inca legends - interesting but not enough. Surely more is known or can be extracted from the archeaological records! The relations between the various civilizations is skipped over. On the positive side is an attempt to explain some features of the andean civilizations in terms of the echology of the land.



4. If you are interested in understanding Incan civilization: its origins and antecedents, the economy that sustained it, and its interrelationship with the unique Andean environment, then this book is for you. I read it as background for a trip to Peru and it made the sites I saw much more interesting to be able to put them in a context. The first four chapters are a Historical Introduction followed by a fascinating analysis of how the complex Andean (Cordilleran) environment impacted native peoples, then chapters on Inca society and the Inca state. Subsequent chapters on earlier societies are less interesting and have more of a survey feel. This is not "popular history" - dumbed down and anecdotal; and some readers appear to have found it a difficult book. It has the feel of an upper level college history text (for me that is praise). I found it jargon free and easy to read.



5. The book is written in elaborate English - not easy to read but very elegant. Although it is supposed to be an introduction it should be read at least two times to fertilize one's mind. Author present his vision of Peruvian prehistory in a "reversed" order. He begins with Incas (1/5 of the whole book) to continue with plethora of their ancestors. As a result a reader gets a nice patchwork of archaeological-based definitions and life-giving interpretations. Some out-of-date details are perhaps only in my edition (2001).

5 comments about Cuneiform (Reading the Past, Vol 3).

1. CUNEIFORM by C. B. F. Walker. 64 pp. Volume 3 in the 'Reading the Past' series. University of California Press / British Museum, 1987. ISBN 0-520-06115-2 (pbk.)

   The present book offers a brief illustrated survey of the cuneiform writing system which flourished in the Ancient Near East between 3000 BC and 75 AD. It covers the development of the script from its earliest pictographic signs, and explains the process which led to cuneiform being used for writing, not only Sumerian and Akkadian, but also many other Near Eastern languages.

   After a brief Preface, seven chapters follow : 1. Origin and Development; 2. Tablets and Monuments; 3. Scribes and Libraries; 4. The Geographical Spread; 5. Decipherment; 6. Sample Texts; 7. Fakes.

   The sample texts show us how the cuneiform script is analyzed into words and syllables, and also how to read the names of the most famous kings as found in various inscriptions. Extracts are given from Sumerian texts which describe how scribes were trained, and the many different kinds of inscription they wrote are illustrated.

   Also explained is the exciting story of the decipherment of cuneiform, and, since original inscriptions can be very expensive and are often faked, a few guidelines for identifying fakes are included for the benefit of collectors.

   The book is rounded out with a useful summary of the main international collections, 'Where to see Cuneiform Inscriptions,' a short list of books for 'Further Reading' which includes such familiar names as Kramer, Oppenheim, and Chiera, and a handy Index.

   The book is a large 8vo in size (9.5 by 7 inches), bound in a sturdy decorative wrapper, stitched, and well-printed (though in a rather tiny font) on strong paper. It contains a useful map, and is profusely illustrated with line drawings and with black-and-white photographs of many ancient cuneiform-bearing artefacts such as sculptures, clay tablets, seal impressions, stelae, and so on.

   All in all, C. B. F. Walker's book is a handy guide, and sturdy enough to be taken along on a trip to a museum or collection to be used as a reference. But given the enormous importance of cuneiform as the vehicle of the most ancient and amazing body of literature that has come down to us, and of the basic civilizational patterns which the modern world has inherited from Mesopotamia and which still govern us, it seems amazing that this should be the only book devoted to a general survey of the subject in English (though there are chapters in others).

   Although the style in which this book is written might have been a bit livelier, the illustrations are very nice to have, and anyone who is at all interested in cuneiform will find much to enjoy in it. A few other recommended texts follow.

   For a sumptiously illustrated text on quarto sized pages which gives many large beautiful reproductions of cuneiform, readers are referred to:

   A MANUAL OF SUMERIAN GRAMMAR AND TEXTS. Second Revised and Expanded Edition. By John L. Hayes. 471pp. Malibu : Undena Publications, 2000. Aids and Research Tools in Ancient Near Eastern Studies No.5. ISBN0-89003-508-1 (pbk.)

   A reproduction of an incredibly beautiful 1861 copper engraving of a Royal Inscription which was one of the earliest pieces of cuneiform to be published after its decipherment will be found as Figure 1 on page 62 of Assyriologist Jean Bottero's :

   MESOPOTAMIA : Writing, Reasoning, and the Gods. By Jean Bottero. Translated by Zainab Bahrani and Marc Van De Mieroop. 311 pp. Chicago and London : The University of Chicago Press, 1992. ISBN 0-226-06727-0 (pbk.)

   This engraving is definitely something you shouldn't miss. I don't think we'll ever see the likes of it again. It's almost worth the price of the book. And the rest of Bottero's book is marvelous too!




2. C.B.F. Walker's book on Egyptian Hieroglyphs (part of the 'Reading the Past' series put out by the British Museum in cooperation with the University of California Press) is an excellent primer to the subject of this ancient language. Like the other texts in this series, the book itself is only 64 pages long, which makes the task of learning an ancient writing system like Cuneiform is daunting. Do not be deceived by the low number of pages - there is a wealth of material here.

   The first bit of information clarifies a misunderstanding commonly held even among scholars - Cuneiform is not a language, in-and-of itself. Cuneiform is a script, a writing tool used by at least 15 different ancient languages (much in the way the alphabet from which you are reading this review is shared among dozens of languages, with minor variations). Walker talks about the origins and development of Cuneiform script out of pictogram writing, placing it historically alongside Egyptian Hieroglyphics, the other major ancient writing system of the Near and Middle East.

   Walker talks about the history of discovery, up until very recent times, of the different ancient languages which used Cuneiform script. Dating back as far as 3300 BC, writing pre-dates all known major Empires. The idea that the Sumerians invented writing, long held, has had to be revised. Nonetheless, the Sumerians did develop writing, using the Cuneiform script, to a high degree, and this was passed on to the Akkadians and then further afield. Walker makes interesting digressions into the materials and direction of writing as he proceeds with his history of the script.

   Chapters two, three and four develop the world of the script in further detail. Chapter two looks at tablets and monuments, the media upon which the overwhelming majority of the cuneiform script has survived for us. Chapter three looks at the issues of scribal training, scribal identities (some scribes signed their names, titles, or other identifying markers on their work), and libraries of the ancient world, which were often official storehouses of documents, or private libraries of wealthy individuals. Chapter four shows the widespread geographical coverage of cuneiform, and the different languages over time and place that adopted the writing, such as Eblaite, Elamite, Hittite, Hurrian, Urartian, Ugartic, Luvian and Old Persian.

   The next final two chapters look at issues of decipherment (Old Persian being among the earliest languages to be deciphered from cuneiform) and gives some sample texts for the reader. This includes explanation of the niceties of professional archaeologists and Assyriologists, such as writing Sumerian texts in lower-case Roman script and Akkadian in italics, etc. This is not a text which teaches one to read or construct cuneiform, but recognition of patterns in basic inscriptions is presented here.

   The final two-page chapter deals with fakes and forgeries, and to some this may be the most interesting chapter. Looking at the history of forgeries of cuneiform (they go back on the antiquities market as far as 1820, the forgeries now becoming valuable collector's items in-and-of-themselves) to the production methods used to scam modern tourists, Walker shows methods for identifying the most obvious of forgeries in the simplest of methods.

   Walker includes a useful bibliography, and gets full marks for including an index for even so brief a book as this. He also gives a good list of places to go to see cuneiform script in museums around the world. Far from a complete list, it is still worthwhile. While this book is but the introduction to the subject, it is a great text for those who have interest in Cuneiform, ancient languages, or linguistics, but do not have the time or inclination otherwise to pursue a full course on the topic.




3. Cuneiform is a type of writing that has been used for at least 15 languages, including Sumerian and Akkadian. Apparently, cuneiform could even be used to relay secret messages in English to your friends. According to Ancient Iraq, by Georges Roux, and Ancient Mesopotamia, by A. Leo Oppenheim, there are more than 100,000 Sumerian and Akkadian tablets written in cuneiform with, for example, 15,000 tables found at Tell Mardik and 25,000 found at Ashurbanipal. However, the book being reviewed (Walker) will does not provide the reader with any sort of start towards the goal of phonetically reading these tablets. Walker's book does reveal a few of the ancient cuneiform letters (pages 12-14), but does not reveal all of these letters, and does not instruct the reader how to string the letters together to form words, aside from an example given on page 56. The author does do a better job with a later form of cuneiform ("old Persian"), and here 36 cuneiform characters are shown. But again, there is little or no attempt at instructing the reader how to read any cuneiform text. An elegant job is done in illustrating various tablets, cyclinders, monuments, envelopes, and prisms, bearing cuneiform script. The photos are large, on glossy paper, of high quality, and generous in number, despite the concise nature of Walker's paperback book. If anything is missing from the pictures, it is a photo of the 1760 BC (71 cm tall) code of Hammurabi, that is, the one with the engraving of Hammurabi and Shamash, god of the sun and of justice. Walker's writing is first rate and comprehensible to the layperson. The author's credentials are appropriate and first rate (employee of the British Museum), and the publisher is Univ. of California Press (Go Bears!). The book provides us with a number of fun facts, for example, the clay envelopes used for inserting clay tablets, e.g., for security purposes, and the fact that Enheduanna, daughter of Sargon, the first king of Mesopotamia, is the first known author in the history of the world. However, the book really needs a second edition, with a full chapter devoted to teaching the reader some of the basic elements on how to phonetically read ancient cuneiform text and/or old Persian cuneiform, along with more examples of pre-translated examples, and exercises for the reader. In its present edition, the book should really be called "Archeology of Cuneiform" or "Concise History of Cuneiform."



4. C.B.F. Walker 'dubsar' (you just have to read the book to understand) has authored a well laid-out work. Reflecting the idea of writing in a limited space on clay tablets, he made his words count with a limited number of pages. If you are only slightly interested in this subject, you will enjoy this book. The main body of reading totals 60 pages (he must have choose this number out of respect for the Babylonian's sexagesimal numeral system). This book can easily be read in a few sittings. As if Walker's words weren't comprehensible enough, he adds clear pictures and drawings. He utilizes simple cuneiform inscriptions as examples.
   
   The chapters are:
   
   Origin and Development. Topics include: the history and explaination of pictographs and syllabic writing, direction of the script (as it changed over time), cuneiform in relation to Akkadian and Sumerian languages, historical divisions, the use of various forms of cuneiform throughout history with a timeline, and different forms of numerals (including a few fractions).
   
   Tablets and Monuments. Topics include: tablet shapes and sizes, writing stylus, envelope useage, stamp and cylinder seals, monuments and commemorative inscriptions (clay nails, bricks, prisms).
   
   Scribes and Libraries. Topics include: scribal training and tradition, colophons, and libraries.
   
   The Geographical Spread. Topics include: a description of the use of cuneiform in Eblaite, Elamite, Hittite (Nesian), Hurrian, Urartian, Ugaritic, and Old Persian. (Sumerian and Akkadian are discussed throughout)
   
   Decipherment. Topics include: history of decipherment and original examples used to decipher.
   
   Sample Texts. Included are guided examples of translated inscriptions.
   
   Fakes. Two interesting pages describing qualities of real and fake tablets.
   
   This is an excellent book to read before enjoying a museum visit.
   The price of this book is very affordable because of the size, yet the information presented is well worth the price.



5. I'm surprised to see the almost unanimous praise for this book. I found it to be only average (at best). You will not come away from this book with any real understanding of how the various languages using cuneiform can be read or written. Tantalizing glimpses are provided, but nowhere near enough explanation accompanies them. Often the prose is needlessly difficult to parse--not due to the complexity of the topic so much as the poor wording. The page attempting to explain the shift in writing direction that occurred sometime during the early evolution of the script does a VERY poor job of explaining even how the direction works now, let alone how it came to be. A single diagram illustrating the before and after would have done wonders, but none are given. There are also incorrect page numbers given in the body of the text (for instance, "see page 22 for a more in-depth explanation," when pg. 22 is on a completely different topic).
   
   All that being said, the book is not at all terrible, and (hopefully) will serve as a highly limited introduction to this fascinating script.

2 comments about The Nubian Pharaohs: Black Kings on the Nile.

1. This is an outstanding book worth adding to the collection of anyone interested in ancient Kerma. I highly recommend this book for those who are keeping up with the excavation work that archaeologist Charles Bonnet is doing in Kerma (Sudan). This book is a masterpiece. The photos are excellent and the cultural history of this ancient civilization is well written. Bonnet continues to enrich our understanding of one of the first Kingdoms of Nubia.



2. the aswan dam has overflowed a greater part of Nubia, once the richest land of the pharaonic egypt. Beeing a happy retired involved in ancient egyptian epigraphic and civilisation studies, it was my natural step to be, any day, interested in Nubian kings ruling Kemet. This book is quite satisfying for anybody aiming to find a billiant text and exquisite coloured pictures, able to illustrate any personnal work to come. Fully satisfied.

5 comments about Unearthing Atlantis:: An Archaeological Odyssey to the Fabled Lost Civilization.

1. "Unearthing Atlantis: An Archaelogical Odyssey to the Fabled Lost Civilization" by Charles Pellegrino is an enchanting, well researched, well rounded book about the Greek island of Santorini and the volcanic explosion which probably destroyed Minoan civilization. This is one of the best books I have read in a long time; it was very difficult for me to put down, as Pellegrino expertly combines history, archaelogy, art, literature and science to write a comprehensive story of the lost civilization of Santorini/ Atlantis. As a matter of fact, I found myself studying , not just reading, this book, and am currently rereading it a second time. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in Greek history, Atlantis, or a good mystery.



2. First and foremost: Yes, it did exist.
   
   The significance of an ancient Atlantis existing in our past and flourishing to a point that the Minoan civilization is a millennium ahead of it's time is unprecedented. With emphasis on the exaggerations and mythological components added to Plato's story, it becomes necessary to provide factual information to contradict the erroneous speculations. And essentially, that is how this book comes into play.
   
   In all reality, Atlantis was a rather small volcanic isle within the Mediterranean Sea, Northwest of the larger Island Crete where the Minoan empire had also settled. Due to several fortunate details, including being surrounded by ocean, hot springs, a volcano and so forth they advanced beyond belief and beyond the very grasp of the most enthusiastic human imagination. All the characteristics that would aid the Minoans in mastering the ocean with its own Navy, utilizing aqueducts with warm and cool flowing water, showers and flush toilets, also lead to the most tragic demise known to both the ancient and modern worlds. And at this point, the author expresses the reader's wonder about such people, capable of such things, wonder about the possibilities of landing on the moon before even the birth of Christ, or colonies near Alpha Centauri which would seem possible if only nature had spared us that one disaster. Perhaps the Minoans could have accomplished these tasks that now only appear to exist at the nucleus of science fiction. That is, had they lived to truly influence the "modern" world in that sense.
   
   Dr. Pellegrino introduces fact and differentiates it from the fiction surrounding Atlantis. His conclusions are also quite logical, for example Plato's embellishment of the story described to Solon in Egypt, by placing Atlantis in the far, vast and unknown Atlantic Ocean as an Africa-sized continent nearly 9000 years old. The errors that could contribute to ridiculous numbers such as 9000 years and possibilities as to several facts and myths regarding Atlantis are presented as well, including the likely mistake between Linear A and B zero, and the idea of Noah living to see the age of 950 as a thought of the time. The author provides reasoning that may have affected the nature of the story, such as why the island sank, its hanging gardens and technological achievements, while weaving in the archaeological finds that back his ideas. What is by far the greatest aspect of the book aside from the author's understanding of how dramatic such a story was, is his comments about the true beauty of the island and its people, the art frescoes within every home, the rich vegetation and the fleet of ships docked in a natural port. The contrast of what was to what exists now is just so...
   
   This is not to mention Thera's (Atlantis') influence on not only the downfall of the Minoan civilization but its impact on biblical stories, surrounding areas like Egypt and Turkey, and the wonder behind such power the earth can release within a fraction of a second. Pellegrino's ability to tie science in with history to interpret a story as grand as that of the Minoans is extraordinary. The details of the excavation and research are also enthralling.
   
   However, there are a few flaws in the book that do harm it's otherwise enthusiastic and informative content. For one, at least three sentences were repeated. At one point in the book, the author explains how humans experience difficulty in understanding events more than 2000 years old. This is a valid point. However in an attempt to place the history of our world into perspective, the author took it too far. One seems lost in chronological time, and Thera is then a distant subject mentioned only a few times while this is taking place. The chapter did contain very interesting information, including one of my favorite factoids about bacteria and Uranium - 235; however it didn't pertain as much to Thera and threw the reader off task. A slight alteration to the ending would also have made a difference.
   
   Yet the author is eloquent and interesting. He'll engulf you in a world you'll never want to leave. The beauty that is the fresco of Madonna Lilies is to Thera what the Grand Staircase was to Titanic. The greatest civilization was devoured by the hand that fed them, yet it isn't as dismal as one tends to think. The one event that wiped out the Minoans is the one event that will ensure the Minoans will last forever.
   
   You'll have much to ponder about!



3. Atlantis as both a concept and an historical reality appeal to the romantic and the practical in all of us.
   
   Dr. Pellegrino's beautiful writing raises once again the idea that the volcano "Thera" on the island of Santorini wiped out the Minoan civilization and sent Minoans (our name - not theirs) as refugees to countries around the Mediterranean rim. Those who arrived in Caanan were called "Philistines" and may be ancestral to today's Palestinian people.
   
   At the same time, according to this book, the Egyptian pharoah refused to release Moses (there's an Egyptian name, eg Tut-mose and so on) and his people from their "servitude" in Egypt. Darkness by day, rivers of blood and the famous escape scene (which may represent the Theran tsunami) result in a second group of fleeing refugees arriving in Caanan claiming they were promised or given the land.
   
   Four thousand years later, whether one believes in Plato's Atlantis or not, the story of the Volcano of Thera is a fascinating one. Get yourself a copy of the King James' Bible as Dr. Pellegrino presents Biblical citations often in his work and it is very helpful to be able to read along and mark all the juicy bits for later.
   
   Fire and brimstone, the voice of angels, the clap of the celestial trumpets, lighted pillars of flame, the gnashing of teeth and wailing of the wounded - all make sense when viewed through a volcanic perspective. Reading about Krakatoa, Vesuvius and Thera all in a group both in Dr. Pellegrino's work and that of Simon Winchester gives a very interesting view into the role of volcanos and other geological processes on human history.
   
   Certainly in our own age, we have seen the awesome power of tsunami waves, as the December 26, 2004 wave took away a quarter of a million people. Waves produced by Thera were nearly 30 stories high and washed inland for miles and miles - producing a channeled scablands in Turkey almost as far as Mount Ararat.
   
   Dr. Pellegrino never pointed this out, but if "Noah's flood" were a river flood - the ark would have been washed out to sea. It rained for 40 days and 40 nights and the ark ended up on a mountain, raising the interesting possiblity that this event, too is associated with volcanic darkness and accompanying tsunamis.
   
   Get this book. Even if you believe Plato's Atlantis was anywhere or nowhere at all - you'll learn a lot and be dragged along by the beautiful and evocative writing every inch of the way. I'll never think of Vesuvius the same way again - and I'm a trained Geologist.
   
   I only wish I'd read Dr. Pellegrino's books when I was teaching. I think my students would have been much more excited by volcanos - because I sure would have been!



4. In UNEARTHING ATLANTIS (1991), Pellegrino, a professional paleontologist, offers his own theories about the legend of Atlantis in an approach designed to appeal to general readers as opposed to academic audiences. He concludes that the Atlantis of Plato and the ancient Egyptian texts that were his sources refers to the Minoan culture of the ancient Mediterranean, a civilization that was disrupted (though not destroyed) following a succession of volcanic events on the island of Thera that occurred about 1628 BC. Pellegrino shines in his attempts to prove this theory, as he places the destruction of Thera within the context of contemporary historical events (such as the Biblical Exodus and the rise and fall of the Minoan culture), modern knowledge of volcanology, modern science's ability to date events from the distant past, and modern underwater archaeology. In addition, he also details efforts by modern archaeologists to rediscover ancient Thera.
   
   Pellegrino's study is interesting and genuinely informative, though there are some major issues that readers need to bear in mind. His narrative is presented out of chronological order (in fact, the text jumps around a lot), while his prose tends to ramble at times (often repeating himself, as other reviewers note) and includes long sections that tend to distract one from his argument (for example, a fifty-page odyssey into prehistoric times that ends at the Big Bang). Also, Pellegrino appears to have been deeply affected by his study of Thera and the Monoan civilization, and he tends to criticize most other periods of human history--the Middle Ages receives particularly harsh criticism.



5. This book was a joke!
   
   First, the theory that the Minoan civilization was Plato's Atlantis is hardly original. It was published by J.V. Luce more than 20 years before Pellegrino's book.
   
   Dr. Pellegrino's book is filled with rumor, theory and conjecture with no substantive information.
   
   But the worst of it is that Dr. Pellegrino entertains us with a number of theories with no backing. He has Moses 300 years earlier than everyone else has him and provides little explanation for that. He has Thutmose III 150 years earlier than everyone else has him. He gives us a whole chapter called (cleverly) 'Dating Hatshepsut' that proposes to explain these discrepancies, but gives us just a few paragraphs of the problems of pottery dating, then goes into a long discourse of fantastic speculation. Where is the hard data? This is a scientist writing?
   
   Perhaps a scientist who is accustomed to dealing in tens of millions of years cannot be bothered with mere centuries.
   
   Does he bother to cite a reference that Hatshepsut's sarcophagus went down in the Titanic? It seems at times he is reciting little more than urban legends. His flights of fancy into what would have been if Thera had not exploded are absurd. Certainly the Minoans were advanced, but to think that we would have colonies on distant solar systems today if the volcano had not exploded is ridiculous. They were not that far advanced.
   
   That whole chapter taking us to the big bang was pointless and added nothing to his theme. It was obviously filler material to make up for lack of research.
   
   I am intrigued by the idea that the explosion of Thera could explain the 10 plagues described in Exodus. But he gives us such little real hard evidence of this link, that I am not prepared to accept it.
   
   Anyone that has an interest in a serious analysis of the excavation at Santorini should read J.V. Luce's 'Lost Atlantis'. The Pellegrino book is mass market trash.
   
   Some editions of this book have a foreward by Arthur C. Clarke. It appeared to me that it was simply a regurgitation of the book's first chapter. Well, maybe it is appropriate. In my view, Pellegrino's book might just belong on the science fiction shelf...

1 comments about The Archaeology of Early Egypt: Social Transformations in North-East Africa, c. 10,000 to 2,650 BC (Cambridge World Archaeology).

1. Normalmente la atención de los lectores se concentra en la historia de Egipto en época faraónica. En las monografías más usuales se limitan a unas pocas páginas que ofrecen un resumen. Sin embargo, la prehistoria de Egipto es tan interesante, si no más, que los periodos que siguieron. Esta obra tiene la gran virtud de estar escrita por un especialista, que ha sintetizado con gran acierto, todo lo que sabemos sobre esta época. También ha incluido los últimos descubrimientos arqueológicos. Es ante todo un libro de divulgación, muy recomendable para todos aquellos que quieran iniciarse en el tema. Se deben mencionar también las magnificas ilustraciones, aunque se echa de menos que algunas de ellas no sean en color, asi como mapas más precisos.

2 comments about The Atlas of Atlantis and Other Lost Civilizations: Discover the History and Wisdom of Atlantis, Lemuria, Mu and Other Ancient Civilizations.

1. If you study the probabbilty of ancient lost high civilizations, this is a must have book for you. While there it contains no data that you probably havent already read, the book is in a very readable format. The book is very well suited to introducing the subject matter to those who have had no education on the issues. This is a very neat little book, and a good value.



2. The book discusses popular theories on the existence of other continents and vivilizations. Plato described Atlantis in the Dialogue of Critias. Atlantis consisted of the following features:
   
   o Temple of Poseidon with a ceiling of inlaid ivory
   o magnificent palaces surrounding the temple of Poseidon
   with hot and cold baths
   o the laws of Atlantis laid down by Poseidon and governed
   by 10 kings
   o Bull cults roaming the temple
   o the 5-6 year interval for sacred bull hunts
   
   The Aqueducts carried water to the outer concentric circles of the city. The mineral oriohalum was contained on the Poseidon pillar. Edgar Cayce believed that the continent of Atlantis existed somewhere between the Mediterranean and Central America.
   
   Lemuria was the lost continent in the Indian Ocean. Africa, Madagascar, India and Malaysia were linked by a giant supercontinent. Native Lemurians were said to have 4 arms and eyes in the backs of their heads. Atlanteans and Lemurians had no logical thought but they did have an extensive power of memory and
   telepathy.
   
   The Land of Mu was said to exist near Easter Island. The terra firma consisted of a chunk of land masse measuring 3000x 5000 miles with 64 million inhabitants.
   
   This volume is a fantastic rendition of continents believed to have existed many centuries ago. Some futurists believe that these lands may rise againin the not too distant future.