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Lost Civilizations: 10 Societies that Vanished Without a Trace
Buy "Lost Civilizations" and you will receive a free 2-book boxed set, which contains "The History of Alexander the Great" and Mythology Tales from Norse, Old German, Hindu, and Egyptian Mythology." See the link for these ebooks inside. +++++ From the #1 bestselling author of History's Greatest Generals comes an exciting new book on the greatest societies in history that vanished without a trace, and why their disappearance still haunts us today. Whether it is Plato's lost city of Atlantis, a technological advanced utopia that sank into the ocean "in a single day and night of misfortune"; the colony of Roanoke, whose early American settlers were swallowed up in the wild forest lands of the unexplored continent, or the Ancient American Explorers, who managed to arrive to the New World 2,000 years before Columbus, the disappearance of these societies is as cryptic as it is implausible. This book will look at cultures of the 10 greatest lost civilizations in history. Some were millenia ahead their neighbors, such as the Indus Valley Civilization, which had better city planning in 3,000 B.C. than any European capital in the 18th century. Others left behind baffling mysteries, such as the Ancient Pueblo Peoples (formerly known as the Anasazi), whose cliff-dwelling houses were so inaccessible that every member of society would have to be an expert-level rock climber. It will also at explanations as to how massive societies that lasted for centuries can disappear without a trace. Did the builders of the pyramids handy craftsmen whose method of transporting massive stones are still unexplainable simply disappear or were they part of an advanced alien race, as conspiracy theorists assert? Was the Kingdom of Aksum really the keeper of the Ark of the Covenant, and did this lead to their downfall? Whatever the nature of their disappearance, these lost civilizations offer many lessons for us today -- even the greatest of societies can disappear, and that includes us.
- GenresHistoryNonfictionMystery
103 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 2, 2013
129 people are currently reading
375 people want to read
About the author
Michael Rank
37 books37 followersMichael Rank is a doctoral candidate in Middle East history. He has studied Turkish, Arabic, Persian, and Armenian, but can still pull out a rural Midwestern accent if need be. He also worked as a journalist in Istanbul for nearly a decade and reported on religion and human rights.
He is the author of the #1 Amazon best seller “From Muhammed to Burj Khalifa: A Crash Course in 2,000 Years of Middle East History,” and “History's Worst Dictators: A Short Guide to the Most Brutal Leaders, From Emperor Nero to Ivan the Terrible.”
He is the author of the #1 Amazon best seller “From Muhammed to Burj Khalifa: A Crash Course in 2,000 Years of Middle East History,” and “History's Worst Dictators: A Short Guide to the Most Brutal Leaders, From Emperor Nero to Ivan the Terrible.”
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
December 19, 2019
A popular history that traces 10 lost civilizations (some that may never have existed) from what is known of their beginnings to the end. The trouble is, not much about these civilizations are known. At best, we have spotty archaeological evidence of what they were like.
Interesting, but not especially educational, except for the neophyte. At least he doesn't think it's all aliens.
Interesting, but not especially educational, except for the neophyte. At least he doesn't think it's all aliens.
January 21, 2014
Yesterday I made a post about historical places being abandoned.
I think this will fall right into place with that post.
Michael Rank wrote a book called, “Lost Civilizations”. It covers Ancient cities that were abandoned during different ages. He also goes into detail of what could had happened to them or even if Atlantis ever truly existed.
Some of the civilizations covered in the book were the Aztec and Mayans. I would love to go to some of these places that are mentioned in the book, or even a museum that has the artifacts in it. I’d really love to go to Ancient Egypt settings or even a tour of Egypt.
My teen daughter can tell you anything about Ancient Egypt and even read the Ancient Egyptian writing (hieroglyphics), at the age of 16. She’s been studying their Ancient history for as long as she’s been able to read. Before the age of five, she would watch every History channel show there was about Ancient Egypt. There are things I don’t know that she can tell me and translate from photos!
I’d love to go on a trip to Egypt or anywhere that has to do with Ancient History. That is her dream too.
If you could go anywhere in the world with the Ancient history of the cities in this book, where would you want to go?
The cities that are in the book are:
Atlantis
The Cucuteni-Trypillian Culture
The Indus Valley
The Pyramid Builders
Mycena
Ancient American Explorers (Arrived many millenniums before Columbus).
The Ancient Pueblo
The Nabataeans (Showed in the movie, Indiana and the Temple of Doom).
The Kingdom of Aksum (The Trade Empire that hid a lost tribe of Israel and Guarded the Ark of the Covenant).
The Roanoke Colony (Ghosts of the Colonial America)
Honestly, myself, I couldn’t choose just one. I would eventually have to explore them all…except Atlantis. That one still to this day remains a mystery.
I think this will fall right into place with that post.
Michael Rank wrote a book called, “Lost Civilizations”. It covers Ancient cities that were abandoned during different ages. He also goes into detail of what could had happened to them or even if Atlantis ever truly existed.
Some of the civilizations covered in the book were the Aztec and Mayans. I would love to go to some of these places that are mentioned in the book, or even a museum that has the artifacts in it. I’d really love to go to Ancient Egypt settings or even a tour of Egypt.
My teen daughter can tell you anything about Ancient Egypt and even read the Ancient Egyptian writing (hieroglyphics), at the age of 16. She’s been studying their Ancient history for as long as she’s been able to read. Before the age of five, she would watch every History channel show there was about Ancient Egypt. There are things I don’t know that she can tell me and translate from photos!
I’d love to go on a trip to Egypt or anywhere that has to do with Ancient History. That is her dream too.
If you could go anywhere in the world with the Ancient history of the cities in this book, where would you want to go?
The cities that are in the book are:
Atlantis
The Cucuteni-Trypillian Culture
The Indus Valley
The Pyramid Builders
Mycena
Ancient American Explorers (Arrived many millenniums before Columbus).
The Ancient Pueblo
The Nabataeans (Showed in the movie, Indiana and the Temple of Doom).
The Kingdom of Aksum (The Trade Empire that hid a lost tribe of Israel and Guarded the Ark of the Covenant).
The Roanoke Colony (Ghosts of the Colonial America)
Honestly, myself, I couldn’t choose just one. I would eventually have to explore them all…except Atlantis. That one still to this day remains a mystery.
April 20, 2017
This is an unexpectedly good piece of anthropological writing pertaining to some of the most famous and sometimes less known ancient lost civilizations whose origins and demise are still the topic of fervent debate in the academic circles. The best thing about this book is that it refrains from the unnecessary obliques of random embellished statements that infect a large chunk of popular texts on lost civilizations written for non-scholars. Refreshingly, this book is a well written, scholarly account of what the current scientific consensus and contradictions are with regards to a certain number of the most interesting lost civilizations of the world. Highly recommended for those interested in the field.
May 3, 2014
If you are interested in history, specifically lost or ancient civilizations {both real & possibly fictitious} then you will enjoy this book. This is not a book that is to be read as short stories, as it is full of factual opinions, proven truths, dated discoveries, etc. This is a small condensed version of 10 obscurely known and famously known lost civilizations. Each chapter covers one society or location, each chapter filled with facts and theories as to what may or could have occurred. Some of these civilizations have left clues behind to help us begin to figure out what happened, while others have left nothing at all for us to follow.
The most interesting part of this book were the slew of theories that are floating around the archeological and scientific worlds. Some seem very cut and dry, as others seem far fetched and unbelievable to a sane individual. The author, Michael Rank, takes you from The Lost City Of Atlantis to the Pyramid Builders and plenty of intriguing spots in between.
While reading each account of these lost civilizations, I learned facts that I had not known before. I was amazed when I read about Christopher Columbus in the Chapter entitled "Ancient American Explorers", this was not the Columbus that I was taught about in school. Michael Rank ended this chapter with the best paragraph ever in my opinion.
"The answer to these questions, if nothing else, may further reduce the legacy of Christopher Columbus. They are enough to make the once universally-beloved explorer roll in his grave. Still, at the very least, the Italian navigator will always have two inalienable accomplishments to console his woes: a federal holiday in his name, and a capital city in Ohio." ---This had me laughing but then again I had found things out that I didn't know about good ole Columbus. You will also learn how a sweet potato, a coin from a Greek city, a shipwreck in Texas, and other tokens play into theories based on Columbus and his famous discovery.
The best line in the book and one that most everyone can relate to, came in the third chapter of the book. The third chapter consists of the topic "The Indus Valley Civilization", this is a city where they are still trying to figure out how it ran-meaning did they appoint one ruler, a counsel, etc. People even suggest that it was a civilization without any rule at all. In reply to this it is stated:
" While it is highly unlikely that a civilization with millions of subjects could govern itself in a utopian anarchy- after all, if unmediated forums such as Facebook can erupt so easily into petty squabbles among adults that resemble that of first-graders fighting over a pack of Lunchables, imagine such a phenomenon at a civilization-wide scale." -----Now I am sure most of us can relate to this and probably have even witnessed this on numerous occasions. But what if? What if these civilizations were able to accomplish just that-a utopian anarchy?
That is one thing that I found myself thinking about during my journey through this book. That even if the civilizations are lost to us, they seemed to be living better lives and treating each other with much more dignity. There were many thoughts that I began exploring as I read each chapter of this book, and many questions that I began to want answered. Unfortunately, because they are lost or near lost to us, I will probably never get those answers.
The most interesting part of this book were the slew of theories that are floating around the archeological and scientific worlds. Some seem very cut and dry, as others seem far fetched and unbelievable to a sane individual. The author, Michael Rank, takes you from The Lost City Of Atlantis to the Pyramid Builders and plenty of intriguing spots in between.
While reading each account of these lost civilizations, I learned facts that I had not known before. I was amazed when I read about Christopher Columbus in the Chapter entitled "Ancient American Explorers", this was not the Columbus that I was taught about in school. Michael Rank ended this chapter with the best paragraph ever in my opinion.
"The answer to these questions, if nothing else, may further reduce the legacy of Christopher Columbus. They are enough to make the once universally-beloved explorer roll in his grave. Still, at the very least, the Italian navigator will always have two inalienable accomplishments to console his woes: a federal holiday in his name, and a capital city in Ohio." ---This had me laughing but then again I had found things out that I didn't know about good ole Columbus. You will also learn how a sweet potato, a coin from a Greek city, a shipwreck in Texas, and other tokens play into theories based on Columbus and his famous discovery.
The best line in the book and one that most everyone can relate to, came in the third chapter of the book. The third chapter consists of the topic "The Indus Valley Civilization", this is a city where they are still trying to figure out how it ran-meaning did they appoint one ruler, a counsel, etc. People even suggest that it was a civilization without any rule at all. In reply to this it is stated:
" While it is highly unlikely that a civilization with millions of subjects could govern itself in a utopian anarchy- after all, if unmediated forums such as Facebook can erupt so easily into petty squabbles among adults that resemble that of first-graders fighting over a pack of Lunchables, imagine such a phenomenon at a civilization-wide scale." -----Now I am sure most of us can relate to this and probably have even witnessed this on numerous occasions. But what if? What if these civilizations were able to accomplish just that-a utopian anarchy?
That is one thing that I found myself thinking about during my journey through this book. That even if the civilizations are lost to us, they seemed to be living better lives and treating each other with much more dignity. There were many thoughts that I began exploring as I read each chapter of this book, and many questions that I began to want answered. Unfortunately, because they are lost or near lost to us, I will probably never get those answers.
September 18, 2020
The idea of a lost civilization or culture sparks the imagination. They may be likened to a treasure map with very few features for some of the older, even ancient ones, while discoverers have unique ruins in which to interpret and hopefully one day understand.
Rank has taken 10 civilizations or societies and investigated what is known about them, what may make them unique and what may have caused their downfall and disappearance.
Starting off with - Atlantis, the ultimate vanished civilization. He does relay all the various theories of it's location from the island of Thera, to an area of Doggerland (a submerged area of the North Sea between England, Germany and Scandinavia) to the current excavations near Cadiz, Spain. It is his opinion (if I'm wrong, I apologize) would be that Atlantis is a pure allegory or morality tale of a utopian society which became greedy, decadent and that the gods destroyed them. Maybe.
- Cucuteni-Trypillian. I have never heard of this one but it was located in the Romania, Moldavia and Ukraine area during 4800 - 3000 BCE. They supposedly built some of the largest cities at the time, as well as creating unique forms of pottery, textiles and farming techniques before even ancient Sumar. The oddest part was that the culture deliberately destroyed and rebuilt their villages and cities based on some unknown cycle of around 70 years.
- Indus Valley Culture from 3300-1300BCE which was the largest of the ancient civilizations. Their communities were laid out in the 'classic urban' style as well as having indoor plumbing, multi-story buildings, high walls to protect from flooding, private wells and possessed a level of technology that was centuries ahead of any of their neighbors. And since they were so clean, the people lived for the most part, disease and plague-free. The decline is suspected to be due to drought which limited their agriculture. A vital rivers dried up, the people had to move or die and eventually were absorbed into neighboring societies.
It should be noted that debris from an underwater site indicates an older additional culture/civilization has been discovered recently. Possibly even 5000 years older. The author gives no more than this tantalizing hint.
- Pyramid Builders in 2700-1700 BCE. Oddly enough he does not specifically call them Egyptians although he uses their work at Giza. It was an industry and trade since most of these monuments took decades to build and needed talented and trained laborers to design and direct the massive labor force.
- Mycenae in Greece from 1900-1100 BCE. Renown for the weight-bearing corbel arch in their halls, tombs and other structures, they also interacted with the Minoan culture of Crete and was a stronghold in Anatolia. Their origins are unknown as well as the causes of their decline which occurred a relatively short time after the fall of Homer's Troy.
- America's Explorers from 500 BC to 1500 AD. The author had fun with this one ranging from the Chinese great fleet of Admiral Zheng in the early fifteenth century to the Buddhist expedition to the legendary land of Fusang which may have been California. The Solutrians who crossed along the edge of the Ice Caps from Europe in Neolithic Times. The Polynesians who are acknowledged as superior seafarers especially since the sweet potato - a native South American plant - is a stable of Polynesian agriculture. An inscription found in Brazil possibility derived from Phoenician. The ancient copper mines of Isla Royale, Michigan which date back some 6000 years, well into the Bronze Age.
- Ancient Pueblo/Anasazi 1200 BC which left ruins carved into the sides of cliffs in the American southwest. Their collapse was likely due to a time of severe drought lasting over a century.
- Nabataeans/Petra from 37 AD - 1000 AD. The glorious and luminous rose colored stone facade of the entrance that most people recall from the movie Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.
Traders throughout the Arab World as well as into Greece and southern Italy. They utilized large cisterns and deep wells to collect and store the meager rainfall before the Roman Empire basically changed the trade routes and forced their submission and integration.
Aksum of Ethiopia from 100-940 AD. The only African culture to actually mint coins as well as previous metals. Their own alphabet and language that is still used today. Traders on China's Silk Roads that tied the Indian Peninsula with the unknown regions of Africa. Supposed descendants of those who followed the Queen of Sheba back from her trip to Jerusalem and King Solomon, they were racially African but religiously Jewish residents that resided in the north and were eventually re-located to Israel due to religious conflicts with the Christian and Muslim factions.
Roanoke - hmm, no, I disagree with the author on this one. Yes, it vanished but it was not a society or culture in itself. It was an English settlement. I would have suggested the Olmecs, the Etruscans, or any of the South American cultures that pre-dated the Incas.
This short book includes a sample of one of the author's other books - History's Most Insane Rulers: Lunatics, Eccentrics, and Megalomaniacs from Emperor Caligula to Kim Jong Il
I must say that he otherwise ends his book with an most apropos comment - "A great civilization is not conquered from without until it has destroyed itself from within." Will Durant
2020-186
Rank has taken 10 civilizations or societies and investigated what is known about them, what may make them unique and what may have caused their downfall and disappearance.
Starting off with - Atlantis, the ultimate vanished civilization. He does relay all the various theories of it's location from the island of Thera, to an area of Doggerland (a submerged area of the North Sea between England, Germany and Scandinavia) to the current excavations near Cadiz, Spain. It is his opinion (if I'm wrong, I apologize) would be that Atlantis is a pure allegory or morality tale of a utopian society which became greedy, decadent and that the gods destroyed them. Maybe.
- Cucuteni-Trypillian. I have never heard of this one but it was located in the Romania, Moldavia and Ukraine area during 4800 - 3000 BCE. They supposedly built some of the largest cities at the time, as well as creating unique forms of pottery, textiles and farming techniques before even ancient Sumar. The oddest part was that the culture deliberately destroyed and rebuilt their villages and cities based on some unknown cycle of around 70 years.
- Indus Valley Culture from 3300-1300BCE which was the largest of the ancient civilizations. Their communities were laid out in the 'classic urban' style as well as having indoor plumbing, multi-story buildings, high walls to protect from flooding, private wells and possessed a level of technology that was centuries ahead of any of their neighbors. And since they were so clean, the people lived for the most part, disease and plague-free. The decline is suspected to be due to drought which limited their agriculture. A vital rivers dried up, the people had to move or die and eventually were absorbed into neighboring societies.
It should be noted that debris from an underwater site indicates an older additional culture/civilization has been discovered recently. Possibly even 5000 years older. The author gives no more than this tantalizing hint.
- Pyramid Builders in 2700-1700 BCE. Oddly enough he does not specifically call them Egyptians although he uses their work at Giza. It was an industry and trade since most of these monuments took decades to build and needed talented and trained laborers to design and direct the massive labor force.
- Mycenae in Greece from 1900-1100 BCE. Renown for the weight-bearing corbel arch in their halls, tombs and other structures, they also interacted with the Minoan culture of Crete and was a stronghold in Anatolia. Their origins are unknown as well as the causes of their decline which occurred a relatively short time after the fall of Homer's Troy.
- America's Explorers from 500 BC to 1500 AD. The author had fun with this one ranging from the Chinese great fleet of Admiral Zheng in the early fifteenth century to the Buddhist expedition to the legendary land of Fusang which may have been California. The Solutrians who crossed along the edge of the Ice Caps from Europe in Neolithic Times. The Polynesians who are acknowledged as superior seafarers especially since the sweet potato - a native South American plant - is a stable of Polynesian agriculture. An inscription found in Brazil possibility derived from Phoenician. The ancient copper mines of Isla Royale, Michigan which date back some 6000 years, well into the Bronze Age.
- Ancient Pueblo/Anasazi 1200 BC which left ruins carved into the sides of cliffs in the American southwest. Their collapse was likely due to a time of severe drought lasting over a century.
- Nabataeans/Petra from 37 AD - 1000 AD. The glorious and luminous rose colored stone facade of the entrance that most people recall from the movie Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.
Traders throughout the Arab World as well as into Greece and southern Italy. They utilized large cisterns and deep wells to collect and store the meager rainfall before the Roman Empire basically changed the trade routes and forced their submission and integration.
Aksum of Ethiopia from 100-940 AD. The only African culture to actually mint coins as well as previous metals. Their own alphabet and language that is still used today. Traders on China's Silk Roads that tied the Indian Peninsula with the unknown regions of Africa. Supposed descendants of those who followed the Queen of Sheba back from her trip to Jerusalem and King Solomon, they were racially African but religiously Jewish residents that resided in the north and were eventually re-located to Israel due to religious conflicts with the Christian and Muslim factions.
Roanoke - hmm, no, I disagree with the author on this one. Yes, it vanished but it was not a society or culture in itself. It was an English settlement. I would have suggested the Olmecs, the Etruscans, or any of the South American cultures that pre-dated the Incas.
This short book includes a sample of one of the author's other books - History's Most Insane Rulers: Lunatics, Eccentrics, and Megalomaniacs from Emperor Caligula to Kim Jong Il
I must say that he otherwise ends his book with an most apropos comment - "A great civilization is not conquered from without until it has destroyed itself from within." Will Durant
2020-186
July 4, 2025
Mysteries or histories?
An easy-to-read collection of chapters about the development, golden age and vanishment of ancient-to-recent cultures and civilisations. I was interested to learn more about history I was aware of, and to be introduced to history I knew nothing of, such as the Neolithic cities of eastern Europe. Causation of collapse is attributed more to deterministic decline than to catastrophic failure; and the conclusion, that a civilisation doesn’t die from without until it is dying within, is a timely warning.
An easy-to-read collection of chapters about the development, golden age and vanishment of ancient-to-recent cultures and civilisations. I was interested to learn more about history I was aware of, and to be introduced to history I knew nothing of, such as the Neolithic cities of eastern Europe. Causation of collapse is attributed more to deterministic decline than to catastrophic failure; and the conclusion, that a civilisation doesn’t die from without until it is dying within, is a timely warning.
April 15, 2025
a quick, short and not in-deep glossary of ten ancient civilizations lost to history, some of them might or might not have existed.
it's a great book for beginners and for anyone that has a subtle interest in history and ancient civilizations as a whole. it sheds a bit of light to some less known civilizations. however, i found it poor explained or so little about it explained about some cultures and civilizations.
it's a great book for beginners and for anyone that has a subtle interest in history and ancient civilizations as a whole. it sheds a bit of light to some less known civilizations. however, i found it poor explained or so little about it explained about some cultures and civilizations.
July 4, 2017
Fresh and different
I found this book to be an easy and often funny read. While the topics were not new, they were presented in a fresh and different way. The pop culture references and tie-ins were not something I've typically seen in similar works but they helped lighten the content and were thought provoking in a new and unique way.
I found this book to be an easy and often funny read. While the topics were not new, they were presented in a fresh and different way. The pop culture references and tie-ins were not something I've typically seen in similar works but they helped lighten the content and were thought provoking in a new and unique way.
May 9, 2020
Not a bad book, but mostly "generic", maybe because I already read a LOT of books about lost civilizations and related themes...
I can vouche this book for begginers only!
If you are into most complex issues, look in another place.
I can vouche this book for begginers only!
If you are into most complex issues, look in another place.
July 28, 2017
A quick look at those civilizations
Hardly an in-depth study with too many movie references (MHO,OC) but a book handy o pick up and reassuringly have a few moments
Hardly an in-depth study with too many movie references (MHO,OC) but a book handy o pick up and reassuringly have a few moments
September 14, 2018
Great book for teens.
October 29, 2019
Interesting little book that brings some light into old civilizations
September 18, 2022
We should pay more attention to history. Maybe we wont make the same mistakes.
January 28, 2019
I haven’t read other books in the same genre, so I have nothing to compare this book too, but I found it to be informative and thought-provoking. Reading about ancient societies that were miles ahead of their time with respect to their magnificent engineering, farming, and irrigation, knowledge of stars, etc. was intriguing. The only cons of the book are there are no pictures, maps or timelines. This would have provided a deeper understanding of the content author wants to share with the audience. Overall, this was a good introductory read for anyone who likes reading history/anthropology books.
January 23, 2014
Don’t judge a book by its (back) cover
Was there ever a real Atlantis? Whatever happened to the Anasazi? Were the pyramids really built by Egyptian slaves (with or without help from aliens), or were the pyramid builders respected members of that society? Was Columbus really the first to discover the “New World”? What about the Roanoke colonists – what happened to them, and what does the cryptic message “Croatoan” mean?
I was interested in reading and reviewing this book because I have a fascination with lost civilizations dating back to the first time I heard the story of Atlantis. I was probably four or five years old when I read the comic book “Uncle Scrooge Adventures: The Secret of Atlantis.” I read that comic multiple times, loving the story of how the people of Atlantis had over time evolved into “Fish People” who wanted to protect their privacy from the land dwellers, and it was just scary enough to really hold my interest (I loved scary stories even as a little girl). It’s unlikely that if there actually was an Atlantis that the residents are now Fish People; however, “Lost Civilizations” delves into more reasonable theories about Atlantis and whether or not it truly existed and what might have happened to it if it did.
And don’t let the back cover (or blurb provided on the Amazon page) fool you – I was a little scared when I read the back cover, as it was absolutely loaded with grammatical errors and improper punctuation. However, the style on the back is NOT the style in which the book is written. The book itself is actually very well written. The writing style is more academic than conversational (which makes the reading itself a little dry – if you’re looking for a fast-paced thriller, this is not the book for you), but the topics are thoroughly researched and discussed.
Author Michael Rank provides background information– both verified and theoretical – on these different civilizations, and then goes on to explain various theories of what may have happened to cause the decline/disappearance of that civilization. He includes both current theories and past theories that have now been debunked and explains why they’re no longer considered feasible. Included were civilizations I was familiar with (the Egyptian pyramid builders, Mycena, the Roanoke colony) as well as several that were new to me (such as the Cucuteni-Trypillian culture and the Indus Valley Civilization). Even for the cultures I already had some knowledge of, though, I learned plenty of new information from this book.
While the answers I desperately want are not provided in this book (what does Croatoan mean, darn it?!? ), the thorough discussions of the ten societies that vanished are extremely interesting. I enjoyed learning more background information about what these cultures might have been like during the height of their existence, and the theories of why they might have disappeared. The debunked theories (and why these beliefs are no longer held) were also very interesting to me, as I like learning more about knowledge in general, and how people’s beliefs change based on new information.
In conclusion: Given the academic nature of the writing, it may be a little “heavy” for the younger crowd or casual reader (although that’s not to say those folks should avoid it; quite the opposite!) I can also see this book being useful to parents and educators as a starting point for research projects about any of these historical civilizations. Well worth reading if you have any interest in history and/or lost civilizations.
*I received a free copy of this book for review purposes via Tomoson.com. Nonetheless, all opinions expressed are my own.
Was there ever a real Atlantis? Whatever happened to the Anasazi? Were the pyramids really built by Egyptian slaves (with or without help from aliens), or were the pyramid builders respected members of that society? Was Columbus really the first to discover the “New World”? What about the Roanoke colonists – what happened to them, and what does the cryptic message “Croatoan” mean?
I was interested in reading and reviewing this book because I have a fascination with lost civilizations dating back to the first time I heard the story of Atlantis. I was probably four or five years old when I read the comic book “Uncle Scrooge Adventures: The Secret of Atlantis.” I read that comic multiple times, loving the story of how the people of Atlantis had over time evolved into “Fish People” who wanted to protect their privacy from the land dwellers, and it was just scary enough to really hold my interest (I loved scary stories even as a little girl). It’s unlikely that if there actually was an Atlantis that the residents are now Fish People; however, “Lost Civilizations” delves into more reasonable theories about Atlantis and whether or not it truly existed and what might have happened to it if it did.
And don’t let the back cover (or blurb provided on the Amazon page) fool you – I was a little scared when I read the back cover, as it was absolutely loaded with grammatical errors and improper punctuation. However, the style on the back is NOT the style in which the book is written. The book itself is actually very well written. The writing style is more academic than conversational (which makes the reading itself a little dry – if you’re looking for a fast-paced thriller, this is not the book for you), but the topics are thoroughly researched and discussed.
Author Michael Rank provides background information– both verified and theoretical – on these different civilizations, and then goes on to explain various theories of what may have happened to cause the decline/disappearance of that civilization. He includes both current theories and past theories that have now been debunked and explains why they’re no longer considered feasible. Included were civilizations I was familiar with (the Egyptian pyramid builders, Mycena, the Roanoke colony) as well as several that were new to me (such as the Cucuteni-Trypillian culture and the Indus Valley Civilization). Even for the cultures I already had some knowledge of, though, I learned plenty of new information from this book.
While the answers I desperately want are not provided in this book (what does Croatoan mean, darn it?!? ), the thorough discussions of the ten societies that vanished are extremely interesting. I enjoyed learning more background information about what these cultures might have been like during the height of their existence, and the theories of why they might have disappeared. The debunked theories (and why these beliefs are no longer held) were also very interesting to me, as I like learning more about knowledge in general, and how people’s beliefs change based on new information.
In conclusion: Given the academic nature of the writing, it may be a little “heavy” for the younger crowd or casual reader (although that’s not to say those folks should avoid it; quite the opposite!) I can also see this book being useful to parents and educators as a starting point for research projects about any of these historical civilizations. Well worth reading if you have any interest in history and/or lost civilizations.
*I received a free copy of this book for review purposes via Tomoson.com. Nonetheless, all opinions expressed are my own.
January 13, 2014
This book highlights 10 civilizations that have vanished throughout history. If you have any interest in history, you would like this. As I read about each civilization, I also thought this would be a great book for students in history class or those researching any of these groups.
I am fascinated by history, so I dove in when I received the book for this review. It is very well written without being so complicated that it can't be understood and I was very surprised to learn new things about people and civilizations that I thought I knew. I don't want to spoil any of it, but the story of Christopher Columbus could be much different than we learned in school! I also learned about a few civilizations and people that I had never heard of before! Michael Rank gives us a glimpse into these cultures and their way of life. Some of the things they did seem strange and the theories as to why they performed certain rituals or tasks the way they did, sets you mind to imagining how differently life was at these various points in history. Lost Civilizations takes you on a trip through time to visit these people and see highlights of how they lived and where they lived. Juxtaposed with our own way of life makes these cultures so interesting! You have to wonder what it must have been like. Adding to the fascinating mental imagery is the fact that all of these civilizations just vanished. Where all at once or in a gradual fashion, they are gone, leaving only clues, scant information and mysteries that beg to be solved.
I would recommend Lost Civilizations: 10 Societies that Vanished Without A Trace to anyone that is a history buff, a student learning about ancient history or even a kid that likes to read! It's a nice read that adults as well as kids can get into.
I am fascinated by history, so I dove in when I received the book for this review. It is very well written without being so complicated that it can't be understood and I was very surprised to learn new things about people and civilizations that I thought I knew. I don't want to spoil any of it, but the story of Christopher Columbus could be much different than we learned in school! I also learned about a few civilizations and people that I had never heard of before! Michael Rank gives us a glimpse into these cultures and their way of life. Some of the things they did seem strange and the theories as to why they performed certain rituals or tasks the way they did, sets you mind to imagining how differently life was at these various points in history. Lost Civilizations takes you on a trip through time to visit these people and see highlights of how they lived and where they lived. Juxtaposed with our own way of life makes these cultures so interesting! You have to wonder what it must have been like. Adding to the fascinating mental imagery is the fact that all of these civilizations just vanished. Where all at once or in a gradual fashion, they are gone, leaving only clues, scant information and mysteries that beg to be solved.
I would recommend Lost Civilizations: 10 Societies that Vanished Without A Trace to anyone that is a history buff, a student learning about ancient history or even a kid that likes to read! It's a nice read that adults as well as kids can get into.
October 24, 2015
For those who like ancient history and mysteries, I definitely recommend this book. Michael Rank does a good job at explaining the lost civilizations he writes about, their historical significances, and what led to their downfalls. The book starts by talking about Plato's Atlantis and ends with The Lost Colony of Roanoke. There are 10 chapters, a good conclusion, and an excerpt from “History's Most Insane Rulers: Lunatics, Eccentrics, and Megalomaniacs.”
I found every part of this book fascinating and interesting because it uses factual evidence, and put it into detail. In chapter 8, the book mentions the city of Petra in the Jordanian Desert. It was used by the Nabataeans to control trade routes coming from the East and the West. The site is also the temple from Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, you see it at the end of the movie where Indy finds the Holy Grail.
The only thing I would do to improve the book is to lengthen the topics the author mentions. I wish they were a bit longer. For example, I wanted to read more about the Atlantis myth, who came to America before Columbus, and what happened to the people who lived in the lost colony of Roanoke. In conclusion, this a great book but it could've been longer and I would've liked if the author incorporated pictures.
I found every part of this book fascinating and interesting because it uses factual evidence, and put it into detail. In chapter 8, the book mentions the city of Petra in the Jordanian Desert. It was used by the Nabataeans to control trade routes coming from the East and the West. The site is also the temple from Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, you see it at the end of the movie where Indy finds the Holy Grail.
The only thing I would do to improve the book is to lengthen the topics the author mentions. I wish they were a bit longer. For example, I wanted to read more about the Atlantis myth, who came to America before Columbus, and what happened to the people who lived in the lost colony of Roanoke. In conclusion, this a great book but it could've been longer and I would've liked if the author incorporated pictures.
July 24, 2014
After listening to several of Michael Rank’s interesting but short history podcasts, I decided to buy this book. I was curious which civilizations he would include, and what he would have to say about each of them.
“Perhaps experiencing the end of the world over and over again in the form of entertainment makes it less terrifying” Alissa Wilkenson suggests in response to the popularity of contemporary apocalyptic stories in print and in film. Rank suggests that some of these stories point a humorous finger in an attempt to conquer the fear of our society being destroyed. He shows that no catastrophe was responsible, which may be reassuring to some. But when he finally offers the words of William Durant as the final statement on why civilizations fail: “A great civilization is not conquered from without until is has destroyed itself from within.” I think that should be a greater fear. I suppose he is giving us a warning to take care of what we have, but offers no suggestions for how to do that.
I wonder why there are no references, index, or other articles/books to read. My biggest wonder is why he did not include maps! I know, I know, I could look them up online, but I’m reading a BOOK and I like MAPS in my books.
“Perhaps experiencing the end of the world over and over again in the form of entertainment makes it less terrifying” Alissa Wilkenson suggests in response to the popularity of contemporary apocalyptic stories in print and in film. Rank suggests that some of these stories point a humorous finger in an attempt to conquer the fear of our society being destroyed. He shows that no catastrophe was responsible, which may be reassuring to some. But when he finally offers the words of William Durant as the final statement on why civilizations fail: “A great civilization is not conquered from without until is has destroyed itself from within.” I think that should be a greater fear. I suppose he is giving us a warning to take care of what we have, but offers no suggestions for how to do that.
I wonder why there are no references, index, or other articles/books to read. My biggest wonder is why he did not include maps! I know, I know, I could look them up online, but I’m reading a BOOK and I like MAPS in my books.
February 22, 2016
Fun, quick read - although it plays pretty fast and loose with the terms "lost" and "civilization." It covers some people/places that definitely existed (i.e. Roanoke), some that probably didn't (i.e. Atlantis), some that might not, strictly speaking, be their own civilizations (i.e. the potential Pre-Columbian incursions of Europeans, Asians, Africans, and Pacific Islanders into the continental Americas).
Sticks to rational theories of how people lived/how these civilizations fell (a lot of disease, climate change/poor ecological management, war, etc.). Probably not enough information concerning "how" we know these things, but it's nothing a deeper dive couldn't fix.
Sticks to rational theories of how people lived/how these civilizations fell (a lot of disease, climate change/poor ecological management, war, etc.). Probably not enough information concerning "how" we know these things, but it's nothing a deeper dive couldn't fix.
October 23, 2014
Very Interesting View Into Vanished Societies
I found a lot of information in this book to be the untold story of lost civilizations that I have only known to be story's or myths. I enjoyed this look into historical facts and accounts into the rise and fall of many civilizations that I did or did not know existed or only know what knowledge exists of these lost civilizations. if your still history buff or just want to know more about several civilizations like Roanoke or Atlantis then I would highly recommend this book to you.
I found a lot of information in this book to be the untold story of lost civilizations that I have only known to be story's or myths. I enjoyed this look into historical facts and accounts into the rise and fall of many civilizations that I did or did not know existed or only know what knowledge exists of these lost civilizations. if your still history buff or just want to know more about several civilizations like Roanoke or Atlantis then I would highly recommend this book to you.
December 19, 2013
Cassandra's Review- Lost Civilizations: 10 Societies that Vanished Without a Trace - To take a group of mysterious Civilizations and mix in the intrigue that gets readers excited is somewhat of an art form. I believe that is exactly what this author has perfected and I would highly recommend reading this book.
I receieved a free copy of this book
I receieved a free copy of this book
January 8, 2017
Está serie de libritos de Michael Rank son muy entretenidos. Evidentemente no es para profesionales de la historia, pero no se crea que este hombre es un amateur, claramente tiene un gran bagaje pero ha encontrado un buen filón en los neófitos interesados en el tema, y lo hace muy bien. Este tema en particular es muy atractivo y afortunadamente no cae en el esoterismo.
July 13, 2020
An interesting and innovative take on some of the most enigmatic civilizations in human history. Definitely put some new ideas in my mind as to how to interpret the fates and ultimate legacies of these varying cultures and how they to continue to affect modern society today
August 9, 2014
enjoyed this book. had a lot of history surrounding the theories put forth as to the disappearance of these civilizations such as Roanoke. maybe ten civilizations or so were covered. all major theories for each disappearance were discussed. enjoyed the book, but of little or no practical value.
July 29, 2016
I received the book for free through Goodreads First Reads. Well written. Read it in one snowy cold afternoon.
February 23, 2014
Good, short treatment of an interesting subject. Includes likely answers to the questions of these disappearances.
May 17, 2014
Concise
Concise and to the point. An easy read for anyone with just a passing knowledge of history. I recommend this book for any one that reads historical books.
Concise and to the point. An easy read for anyone with just a passing knowledge of history. I recommend this book for any one that reads historical books.
June 29, 2020
Reread June 2020
This is my least favorite of Rank's books. I think it had more to do with the narrator than the content of the book.
This is my least favorite of Rank's books. I think it had more to do with the narrator than the content of the book.
July 23, 2014
A good, quick look at a number of lost civilizations that you may or may not have heard of, and it leaves you wanting to read more. I really enjoyed this book.
August 17, 2014
Very short and basic chapters. It was a nice evening read.
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