Customer Reviews

The Oracles of the Ancient World: A Comprehensive Guide (Duckworth Archaeology)

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Curnow delivers a great reference tool for any researchers of the ancient world. It is complete with B/W pictures graphically describing the anicent oracles of Eastern and Western Europe including the famous Delphi Oracle. Curnow goes the extra mile when he gives every oracle its longitudinal and latitudinal degree position which pinpoints its exact geographical location. There is also a great set of maps showing by country the oracle's location. Anyone who is a fan of the ancient world will surely love this book!

My apologies, I wasn't able to access and correct the star-rating in my previous review. Should never have been one. Hopefully this will compensate.

This is a book for anyone who is interested in the oracles of the ancient world. Dr Trevor Curnow provides a general introduction into the world of oracles, why people used them and how these oracles functioned. A helpful list of prominent technical terms and words that require classical expertise can be found at the end of the book. The main part of this book could be referred to as an encyclopaedia of oracles. Most if not all ancient sites pass the review and are classified by the name of their geographical site. The entries are relatively short, like encyclopaedia articles, but the book encorporates the latest scholarly research in archaeology and classical studies.