Gods, Tombs, Scholars

The popular science "novel of archaeology" by Kurt W. Ceram has inspired generations of Soviet schoolchildren and those in Eastern Europe, rivaling the popularity of novels by Jules Verne and Stevenson. Because the real history of archaeological discoveries is no less fascinating 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 that await daring pioneers who risk bringing temples of forgotten gods from oblivion... Sounds like a teaser for an adventure movie about the escapades of Indiana Jones or Lara Croft. The fact that archaeology has ceased to be a science interesting only to dry scholars is partly due 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 credible historical source. The following parts are dedicated to unveiling the secrets of ancient civilizations of Egypt ("Book of Pyramids"), Mesopotamia ("Book of Towers"), and Mesoamerica ("Book of Steps"). The design features illustrations from the original edition. This book will be useful and interesting to both schoolchildren and anyone interested in the history of archaeological discoveries, which has room for both adventure and risky expeditions and inspired insights.