The Seventy Wonders of the Ancient World: The Great Monuments and How They Were Built - Hardcover

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0500050961 ISBN 13: 9780500050965

Publisher: Thames and Hudson Ltd, 1999

Synopsis

The Seventy Wonders of the Ancient World expands on the traditional Seven Wonders to incorporate an impressive number of marvels from around the globe, spanning the centuries from the first standing stones of the fifth millennium BC to the Great Temple of the Aztecs in the sixteenth century AD. The shaping of the Great Sphinx at Giza, the raising of the stones at Stonehenge, The laying out of the Nazca Lines on the face of the Peruvian desert, and the construction of the Great Wall of China are all described and explained by an international team of experts in the light of the most recent archaeological research. Packed with fact files, diagrams, photographs and specially commissioned perspective views, this is a testament to the skill of the ancient architects and engineers which continue to impress successive generations down the ages.

About this title

Synopsis:

How were the ancient wonders of the world built? How many people did it take to build the Great Wall of China and the Sphinx at Giza? This text seeks to answer such questions, examining these spectacular feats of engineering and celebrating the achievements of the builders who worked without the aid of modern technology. Expanding on the theme of the traditional Seven Wonders, the book broadens the scope to incorporate marvels from around the globe, spanning the centuries from the first standing stones of the fifth millennium BC to the Great Temple of the Aztecs in the 16th century AD. The raising of the stones at Stonehenge, the erection of Egyptian obelisks, the building of Roman roads and the laying out of the Nazca Lines on the face of the Peruvian Desert are all described and explained in the light of archaeological research. The text also features factfiles, diagrams, photographs and perspective views.

About the Author:

Chris Scarre is Professor of Archaeology at Durham University. He is a specialist in European prehistory, but has broad interests in the archaeology of other regions of the world. He is the author of many books and has directed excavations at prehistoric sites in France, Portugal, and the Channel Islands. He has recently taken over as editor of the leading UK archaeology journal Antiquity.

About this edition

• Publisher: Thames and Hudson Ltd
• Publication date: 1999
• ISBN 10: 0500050961
• ISBN 13: 9780500050965
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 304
• Editor: Chris Scarre