The Book of Archaeology celebrates the integral discipline from its humble, amateur beginnings through to a professional expertise, its most important global discoveries, what we have learned from them, and how archaeologists preserve and conserve history for future generations.
WELCOME
What is ARCHAEOLOGY? • It’s more than just digging and putting things in museum cases… archaeology tells the full story of humanity
Archaeology THROUGH TIME • From ancient Babylonian kings and stories of dragons, to carbon dating and MRI machines, the history of archaeology is a long and strange story
Heritage HEROES • From trailblazing historians to preservation pioneers, here are just a few of the ladies and gentlemen who have helped shape archaeology into what we know today
15 MORE NAMES YOU NEED TO KNOW! • These archaeologists and archaeology advocates changed how we think about history
The SCIENCE and TECHNOLOGY of Archaeology • Discover how modern archaeology employs a wide range of scientific methods and groundbreaking technology to uncover the past and decipher its mysteries
HOW TO EXCAVATE AN ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITE
The Enduring Appeal of TREASURE HUNTING • Amateur history buffs and treasure hunters gave rise to archaeology, and they are still helping the cause in the form of metal detectorists
Curse of the BOY KING • The story of how a single discovery and one man’s determination led an unknown boy king to become the symbol of Egyptology the world over
INSIDE THE TOMB • Step inside the various rooms and vaults that were found to be contained within the boy king’s tomb
MACHU PICCHU The city in the sky • How one of the world’s most mysterious historical sites came to be, and then fell to ruin
AN INCA HOME • The yanacona of Machu Picchu lived in simple houses that often had just one room
Rediscovering POMPEII • An entire town was wiped off the map almost 2,000 years ago – so how did we find it again?
PRESERVING POMPEII • Looking after a city that’s over 2,000 years old is far from an easy task
POMPEII CASTS • Discover how the victims of the volcanic eruption have been preserved
Grave of the GRIFFIN WARRIOR • The discovery of the treasure-filled grave of a warrior buried in Greece 3,500 years ago continues to astonish archaeologists
SECRETS FROM ANCIENT CHINA • In the 1970s, five men digging a well made a startling discovery that transformed our understanding of China’s history and the brutal events of 2,000 years ago…
Rediscovering TENOCHTITLÁN • Dig up Mexico City’s Aztec past with the archaeologists who have made stunning discoveries over the past few decades
Shining a Light on the DARK AGES • The 1939 excavation at Sutton Hoo revealed the elaborate burial of a once mighty king, changing perceptions that Anglo-Saxon England was void of art and culture
The Mary ROSE • In the murky depths of the Solent, Henry VIII’s beloved ship lay waiting for 437 years
Finding the KING in the CAR PARK • Uncover how the search for Richard III’s body resulted in a groundbreaking discovery
WORLD WONDERS You Need to Discover • Follow this guide to exploring some of the most astonishing, beautiful and awe-inspiring historical sites the world has to offer
Secrets of the BOG PEOPLE • MEET THE MYSTERIOUS IRON AGE MUMMIES BURIED IN NORTHWEST EUROPE’S SWAMPS
WHERE THE BODIES ARE BURIED • Mummies have been found all over northwest Europe, particularly in areas with a high concentration of peat
TREASURES from Around the World • The Earth is regularly offering up artefacts from within its soil but some treasures stand out as particularly spectacular, altering our...