Lost Civilizations: Rediscovering Ancient Sites Through New Technologies [Hardcover]

Austen Atkinson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 2003

A wealth of never-before-published scientific and satellite information that attempts to solve the tangled mysteries of our lost civilizations! The enduring legends of Plato's lost city of Atlantis and the sunken origins of humanity in Churchward's Mu civilization continue to obsess archaeologists, authors, and anyone else seeking answers to questions about the true nature of our ancestors, their civilizations, their achievements, and their culture. And thanks to amazing new technology, archaeologists and historians are closer to finding these answers than ever before. Ruins considered too sacred to touch by local inhabitants, or excavations eventually abandoned due to lack of equipment and financing, can now be studied with the help of satellite and land-based remote sensing. What's more, this state-of-the-art technology reveals more information about our ancient forefathers than ever before. Through the use of never-before-published radar and resistance maps from NASA, the Russian Space Agency, National Geographic, the European Space Agency, and other organizations, Lost Civilizations investigates 20 of the most intriguing lost cities in detail. Packed with cutting-edge scientific information, this reference displays the decorative splendor of magnificent sites like Angkor Wat in Cambodia and legendary cities like Machu Picchu, as well as exciting new discoveries like the City of the Mahram Bilqis in Yemen and the Ubar in Arabia. Each lost civilization is illustrated with modern maps and breathtaking color photography of the remains, and complemented by fascinating computer-generated reconstructions presenting the cities in their original splendor. Also included are reproductions of the amazing artifacts and artwork achaeologists have managed to unearth. The perfect book for lovers of ancient history, art, and culture, Lost Civilizations offers a mesmerizing, first-ever look at the mysterious life and people of our ancient world.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Austen Atkinson has had a life-long obsession with lost civilizations. He is a regular science writer for The London Sunday Times and the author of Impact Earth: Asteroids, Comets, and Meteors: The Growing Threat. Atkinson lives in Hampshire County, UK.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 192 pages
• Publisher: Watson-Guptill Publications; First Edition edition (January 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0823028739
• ISBN-13: 978-0823028733
• Product Dimensions: 11.1 x 9.5 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.9 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,301,985 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Bringing the past to life, April 3, 2004

By 

Pieter "Toypom" (Johannesburg) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Lost Civilizations: Rediscovering Ancient Sites Through New Technologies (Hardcover)

Atkinson investigates the history of 20 civilizations around the globe that survive only as ruins or rumours, examining various facets of these cultures like their religion, environment, architecture, etc. New techniques like satellite remote sensing mages are combined with architectural disciplines to reveal the secrets of the past.

Part One The Americas deals with The Anasazi, Chichen Itza, Machu Picchu and Tiwanaku. Part Two The Mediterranean deals with Atlantis (Thera/Santorini in the author's view), Halicarnassus, Helike, Knossos, Pompei and Troy. Part Three The Middle East deal with Babylon, Mahram Bilqis, Nimrud Persepolis, Ubar in Arabia and Ur in Mesopotamia. Part Four Asia investigates Angkor Wat, Anuradhapura and Mohenjo Daro.

The text includes quotes from leading scientists and archaeologists on the cultures concerned. The book includes a full colour map of the 20 cultures plus photographs and beautiful reproductions of works of art. There are also impressive computer generated images, like the Tower of Babel and the Hanging Gardens of Babylon. The book concludes with a glossary, a further reading list and index.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Illustrated throughout with full color photography, January 6, 2003

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Lost Civilizations: Rediscovering Ancient Sites Through New Technologies (Hardcover)

Illustrated throughout with full color photography, Lost Civilizations: Rediscovering Ancient Sites Through New Technology by author and journalist Austen Atkinson takes the reader upon an exciting and informative journey into the past, piecing together the great civilizations of antiquity from all that modern-day science can tell us from the artifacts they have left behind. Covering the antiquarian civilizations of the Americas, Mediterranean, Middle East, and Asia, Lost Civilizations offers a grand and highly recommended tour of the world as well as the ages.