The Seventy Great Mysteries of the Ancient World: Unlocking the Secrets of Past Civilizations [Hardcover]

Brian M. Fagan (Editor)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0500510504 | ISBN-13: 978-0500510506 | Publication Date: October 2001

The human past is full of unsolved mysteries: Was Atlantis fact or fiction? Who were the Tarim Mummies? Will the world end in 2012, as predicted by the Maya? Were the ancient Egyptians Black Africans? How did language evolve? The Seventy Great Mysteries of the Ancient World takes us on a journey through some of the most intriguing questions about ourselves, from myths and legends, through our origins and evolution to the mysterious collapse of once-powerful civilizations. All are described and explained in the light of the most up-to-date archaeological research by leading international experts.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Brian M. Fagan is Professor of Anthropology at the University of Santa Barbara, California. Among his previous books are Ancient North America; The Great Journey, and Kingdoms of Gold, Kingdoms of Jade, all published by Thames & Hudson.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 304 pages
• Publisher: Thames & Hudson (October 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0500510504
• ISBN-13: 978-0500510506
• Product Dimensions: 10.5 x 8.2 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #385,874 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

26 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating look at the mysteries of humanity's past., August 30, 2004

By 

M. E. Volmar - See all my reviews

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This review is from: The Seventy Great Mysteries of the Ancient World: Unlocking the Secrets of Past Civilizations (Hardcover)

This well organized, informative and concise volume offers a clearly written collection of essays on seventy of man's most famous historical enigmas and archaeological mysteries, from humanity's origin to the disappearance of mighty empires.
Each controversy is carefully detailed in a short entry of two to five pages long that explains all that is presently known about each topic drawing on the latest discoveries made through modern science and archaeological research. Each puzzling subject is presented in the manner of a question, followed by basic information that includes dates, facts, stories, scientific research, current level of knowledge, and theories to possible solutions. Moreover, for quick check-ups, each enigma is accurately placed in one of the six categories into which the book is divided: Myths & Legends; Mysteries of the Stone Age; Ancient Civilizations; Tombs & Lost Treasures; Ancient & Undeciphered Scripts; and The Fall of Civilizations.
This reference is handsomely presented in a sturdy binding, printed in top-quality paper, and beautifully illustrated with over 400 spectacular photos, explanatory diagrams and detailed historical drawings.
Featured among the showcased selection are King Arthur and the Holy Grail, Stonehenge, the Riddle of the Sphinx, the Dead Sea Scrolls, the Etruscan Alphabet, the Trojan War, and the Collapse of the Maya. The rest of the subjects included are equal examples of real controversies, unsolved mysteries and baffling enigmas of humanity's past. No paranormal or supernatural phenomena are presented or considered as possible theories to the solution of any controversy.
As a bonus, the book includes a preface that explains the criteria used to pick the selected topics, and an introduction that gives us an overview of how science and research shed light into finding satisfactory answers to these historical questions. Also included are a comprehensive bibliography and list of illustrations, especially useful for further research, and a thorough index for specific consultations.
This is a fact-filled compendium that readers of all ages will undoubtedly refer to again and again.
--Reviewed by M. E. Volmar

26 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating, no-nonsense, March 2, 2002

By 

Kurt A. Johnson (North-Central Illinois, USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Seventy Great Mysteries of the Ancient World: Unlocking the Secrets of Past Civilizations (Hardcover)

This somewhat hefty book is a collection of seventy articles, written by 28 respected archaeologists and historians. These articles cover a range of topics, such as "The Riddle of the Sphinx," "The Tomb of Christ," "The Indus Script," and "The Fall of Rome." Most are about 5 or so pages, and come complete with color pictures and maps.

I found this to be quite an enchanting book. The topics are all fascinating, and the subject matters are handled in a no-nonsense, scientific manner. Indeed, the authors of this book have little time for non-conventional theories, and reject the works of Thor Heyerdahl, Marija Gimbutas, Afro-centrists, and many others. As such, if you are a partisan of such theorists, you are certain to find this book quite irritating.

Overall, though, I did enjoy this book. It covers so many topics in an interesting way, providing a good deal of basic information. I highly recommend it.

22 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A good starting point, May 19, 2002

By 

Christian Wheeler "Husband/Father/Gamer/Proud... (St. Louis) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Seventy Great Mysteries of the Ancient World: Unlocking the Secrets of Past Civilizations (Hardcover)

More of an encyclopedia of short entries concerning unsolved historical/archaeological mysteries than anything else, this book nonetheless provides enough general information to initiate those new to these ongoing debates. It also works well for people like me, who have read endlessly about some of these topics but sometimes need to look up a generality or a name associated with a particular subject. Most of the entries are concise and informative enough to provoke further reading, and the writing style is engaging and maintains interest. It covers most of the basic subjects (the development of language and writing, the Pyramids and the Sphinx, Atlantis) and a few more "obscure" ones: The Land of Punt, Mithraism, Tiwanaku (from my experience, these seem to come up short in other, similar books). (From here, one might look to "Ancient Mysteries" by James and Thorpe, which offers fewer topics but is incredibly well-researched and detailed). Good work.