Ancient Gold: The Wealth of the Thracians [Hardcover]

Ivan Marazov (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

This beautiful catalog of an important exhibit currently touring the United States gives a rare window into the little-known history of ancient Thrace. Unlike its better-documented ancient counterparts, Greece and Rome, Thrace is not now a household word. It was a small, fragmented but influential country in what is now southern Bulgaria. Thrace had a heritage of war, music, and poetry; traditionally, it was the birthplace of both Orpheus and Aries. Because the Thracians had no alphabet of their own, what literary accounts are available were written by their neighbors, a chancy means of analysis at best. A better way to consider Thracian life is through its eloquent art. Hundreds of photographs gleam here with astonishingly beautiful objects, but this is not just another pretty face?there is substance as well. Scholarship is strong, with essays by noted Bulgarian scholars. Highly recommended for both art and ancient history collections.?Mary Morgan Smith, Northland P.L., Pittsburgh
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 256 pages
• Publisher: Harry N. Abrams (March 1, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0810919923
• ISBN-13: 978-0810919921
• Product Dimensions: 11.3 x 9.9 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.7 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,149,584 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Gorgeously photographed, one-of-a-kind book!, September 3, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Ancient Gold: The Wealth of the Thracians (Hardcover)

This is the first book that captures the unique culture of Thrace through extensive photographs of ancient treasures from museums throughout Bulgaria. I am happy to see that all photographs are accompanied with captions providing a wealth of information about the objects as well as info in which museums they can be seen. The preface details the history, culture, and religion of Thrace, and it's filled with fascinating facts. It gives you deeper understanding of the political and cultural complexity of the ancient world and the relationships among Thracians, Greeks, Phoenicians, Romans, etc. There is a timetable at the end that conviniently displays the various periods in the development of Thrace parallel to famous world events.

Needless to say, the book is a must for everybody interested in ancient history. It also makes a great coffee table book, unique and fascinating like Thrace itself.