Gods, Tombs, Scholars

The popular science "novel of archaeology" by Kurt Wilhelm Ceram has ignited an interest in history and archaeology in more than one generation of schoolchildren in the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, rivaling the popularity of novels by Jules Verne... and Stevenson. Because the real history of archaeological discoveries is no less captivating than the adventures of fictional characters. The book has been translated into more than 28 languages and has sold over 10 million copies. The mysteries of ancient civilizations, the fairy-tale treasures of royal tombs, the traps, dangers, and curses awaiting the daring explorers who risked extracting from oblivion the temples of forgotten gods... Sounds like a teaser for an adventure movie about the escapades of Indiana Jones or Lara Croft. The fact that archaeology ceased to be a science interesting only to dry, dusty scholars happened in part thanks to Ceram's book. It is divided into four parts. "The Book of Statues" tells about the birth of archaeology in connection with the excavations of Pompeii, the discovery of Troy and Mycenae, which confirmed Heinrich Schliemann's hypothesis that Homer's "Iliad" is a reliable historical source. The following parts are dedicated to unraveling the secrets of the ancient civilizations of Egypt ("The Book of Pyramids"), Mesopotamia ("The Book of Towers"), and Mesoamerica ("The Book of Steps"). The design includes illustrations from the original edition. This book will be useful and interesting for both schoolchildren and anyone interested in the history of archaeological discoveries, which includes adventure, risky expeditions, and inspired revelations.