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

Rating:
Summary: Fascinating Read
Review: I have always enjoyed books about mysterious events of the past, unknown civilizations, strange happenings, etc. This book is full of such items. The Seventy Great Mysteries of the Ancient World looks at some of these mysteries through the eyes of modern archaeology and other sciences to try to resolve at least some of the questions surrounding them. Each item is subjected to a scientific analysis of the knowledge that we have obtained to date. Generally, the situation ends up being exactly what it has been in the past... an unresolved mystery.
Lavishly illustrated, it is written in a conversational style that is easy to read and understand. Logically divided into appropriate sections it starts with Myths and Legends, moves to Mysteries of the Stone Age, then to Ancient Civilizations, Tombs and Lost Treasures, Ancient and Undeciphered Scripts and the Fall of Civilizations. The only thing that I did not like about the book was the short treatment of each item. With seventy chapters (one for each of the mysteries) and roughly 300 pages that is only an average of four pages per mystery. However, at the back of the book is an extensive listing of references to consult for further information on each of the items. For those who like a complete synopsis of each mystery and the current level of knowledge this is excellent. A fascinating book, it covered not only the mysteries that I was aware of but also many that I had never heard of before. If there is one book that I would suggest to gain a basic knowledge of the greatest mysteries of the Ancient World then this one would be it.

Rating:
Summary: Tries to cram too much into too small a space . . .
Review: I'm a sucker for books about "historical mysteries," whether it's the Princes in the Tower or pre-Columbian exploration in the New World. Here, Fagan tries to cover all the bases in the pre-medieval world and he's only partially successful. Some topics, like the origin of Stonehenge and the methods used in constructing it, are obvious choices; others, like the identification of the burial in Tomb 55 in the Valley of the Kings, are not (except to Egyptologists). Some seem pretty far afield from "ancient." The "truth" behind King Arthur is solidly medieval, for instance. The biggest problem, though, is the attempt to cram so much into only 300 pages; most of the chapters run four pages or less (and much of that is maps and illustrations), and some cover only a single page. While much of this volume was already pretty familiar (to me), some topics were new ground and quite fascinating, including the probable date for first settlement of Australia (much earlier than I would have thought) and the latest thought about the bog-bodies of Scandinavia and northern Germany. Because the chapters were written by a gaggle of specialists, the style and depth of content are somewhat uneven; some are clear and concise and summarize the latest discoveries and interpretations rather nicely, but some simply shrug their shoulders or waffle. This is especially true of politically sensitive issues, like the question of the "blackness" of the ancient Egyptians or the eventual fate of the remains of Kennewick Man. (In both cases the authors seem disappointingly afraid to take a stand on the side of science). All in all, it's an interesting afternoon's browse, but, given the high price, you should borrow this one from the library.

Rating:
Summary: Superficial sweeping ...
Review: It is a good coffee table book. If you really want to learn, then this book is not for you...it is merely a diving board to propel you to more serious, detailed writings. It is a brief reference, which if used for this purpose, is not bad at all.

Rating:
Summary: A good starting point
Review: 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.

Rating:
Summary: Informative, but a complaint just the same
Review: This compilation explores 70 mysteries of the ancient world in 292 pages of beautifully illustrated text.

Each of the book's 70 chapters is written by an expert on the subject at hand. Although some of the authors spin a better story than others, the book as a whole is fairly well written and often quite fascinating.

The broad topics addressed include "Myths and Legends," "Mysteries of the Stone Age," "Ancient Civilizations," "Tombs & Lost Treaures," "The Fall of Civilizations," and "Ancient & Undeciphered Scripts." The last topic is perhaps the most unusual and in some ways the most intriguing--books about ancient mysteries usually focus on ruins rather than on forgotten languages, and this topic broke new ground for me.

For those who are looking for ancient astronauts and Atlantis, this book will be a disappointment. This book is not about the supernatural, but is instead the story of how clever our own ancestors could be when presented with novel problems and opportunities.

If you relish the sober exploration of the past, you might also enjoy "Ancient Mysteries," by Peter James and Nick Thorpe. It explores more provocative theories and is written in a more lively style than "The Seventy Great Mysteries," although the illustrations are not as colorful. Other good books in the same genre: David Keys, "Catastrophe"; Hugh Miller, "Secrets of the Dead" and "More Secrets of the Dead" (available from Amazon's UK store); Pelligrino, "Unearthing Atlantis" and "Return to Sodom and Gomorrah"; and Ryan & Pitman, "Noah's Flood."

Rating:
Summary: Spotty
Review: 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.

Rating:
Summary: Fascinating look at the mysteries of humanity's past.
Review: 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.