The Past Revealed

The Past Revealed:
Great Discoveries
in Archaeology


 


This amazing book about the great discoveries in archaeology was published in 2010 by the Italian publishing house White Star, which specialises in hardcover picture books in large format (also known as coffee table books). White Star has published several books about the ancient world. Here are a few examples:

 * Lost Cities from the Ancient World

 * Hidden Treasures of Antiquity

 * The Realm of the Pharaohs

 * Splendors of Ancient Persia

The text - written by Mark Rose, Eti Bonn-Muller and Giorgio Ferrero – is divided into three parts. The chapters in each part follow an (almost) chronological line. Here is a brief overview:

PART ONE – “The Great Archaeologists” - presents 17 archaeologists and 19 discoveries (two persons are mentioned twice)

PART TWO – “Adventurers and Explorers” - presents six discoveries

PART THREE – “Chance Discoveries” - presents six discoveries

The book is illustrated by old drawings and paintings (in colour), old photos (in black-and-white), and modern photos (in colour). The illustrations are absolutely fabulous.

Let me mention three of the many cases in this book:

From part one: “Zahi Hawass: The Valley of the Golden Mummies.” The place known as the valley of the golden mummies was discovered in the Bahariyah oasis some 240 miles (380 km) southwest of the Giza pyramids in 1996, but the investigation did not begin until 1999, because there was a lack of funds and trained excavators. White Star has published a book about this case: The Valley of the Golden Mummies (2000)

From part two: “Travels in Arabia: Burckhardt and the Caravan City of Petra.” Johann Ludwig [sometimes John Lewis] Burckhardt came to this city in 1812. White Star has published a book about this place: Petra: Splendors of the Nabataean Civilization (2009)

From part three: “The Terracotta Army of the First Chinese Emperor.” The huge army of terracotta soldiers guarding the mausoleum of Qin Shi Huangdi near Xian was discovered by chance in 1974. White Star has published a book about this case: The Eternal Army: The Terracotta Soldiers of the First Chinese Emperor (2005, 2011)

It is obvious to compare this book from White Star with a book written by Justin Pollard and published by Quercus: The Story of Archaeology: 50 Great Discoveries That Shaped our View of the ancient World (2007, 2011).

 
The two books have much in common: they have the same topic and (almost) the same title. Some cases are found in both books, for instance Howard Carter and the discovery of Tut Ankh Amun’s tomb in 1922. Some overlapping is inevitable, but there are also some differences between the two books. Let me explain:

(a) Pollard’s book is published in a large format, it measures 22 x 28 cm, but the book from White Star is published in a super-large format, it measures 28 x 36 cm. Pollard’s book has 256 pages, but the book from White Star has 288 pages.

(b) There are some fine illustrations in Pollard’s book, but nothing can beat White Star when it comes to illustrations.

(c) Pollard’s book has 50 cases, while the book from White Star has 31. Obviously, several cases are only found in Pollard’s book. But Pollard does not have all the cases covered in the book from White Star: in fact, 14 cases in the book from White Star are not found in Pollard’s book.

(d) There are a few unfortunate mistakes in Pollard’s book, as I explain in my review. In this review of the book from White Star I have to mention two unfortunate mistakes, one unfortunate omission, and two unfortunate misprints.

The mistakes

In the introduction to part two EBM mentions Napoleon’s “savants” (the learned scholars), who were “sent to Egypt to record the country in encyclopedic fashion” and claims that they “returned with the Rosetta Stone” (page 190).

The savants did not return to France with the Rosetta Stone. French soldiers found it in 1799, but the British army took it from them at the end of the war in 1801. From Egypt it was transported to England. In 1802 King George III donated it to the British Museum, where it remains today.

MR gives an accurate account about the stone in the chapter about Jean-François Champollion, but he makes a mistake on page 193 when he mentions the older brother Jacques-Joseph:

“In 1801 he [i.e. Jean-François] went to Grenoble and joined his older brother Jacques-Joseph, who had been in Egypt with Napoleon.”

Jacques-Joseph did not go to Egypt with Napoleon.

The omission

Champollion’s expedition to Egypt (which lasted from July 1828 to December 1829) is never mentioned.

The misprints

In the chapter about the Maya civilization written by MR we hear about John Lloyd Stephens and Frederick Catherwood. On page 227 we are told Stephens died in 1852 (which is true), but on page 229 we are told he died in 1850 (which is false).

In the chapter about the first Chinese emperor written by EBM were are told the U-shaped Pit # 3 measures “560 sq ft (520 sq m)” (page 265). This cannot be true, since 1 square meter equals more than 10 square feet. The figure 520 square meters seems to be correct. This figure equals 5,600 square feet.

(e) Books from White Star are generally rather expensive, which is not surprising given the fabulous illustrations, and this book is no exception. Pollard’s book sells for £11.89, while the book from White Star sells for £29.75. It is expensive, but sometimes you have to pay to get high quality.

If you want text more than illustrations, I recommend Pollard’s book. If you want fabulous illustrations and a text that is clear and concise, I recommend the book from White Star. Obviously, the best solution is to buy both books.

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The Past Revealed:
Great Discoveries in Archaeology,
White Star Books, 2010, 288 pages

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