Barbarii

Lost Civilizations

by Peter Bogucki

Ne gandim adesea la civilizatiile antice din Grecia si din Roma ca fiind leagane ale culturii vestice, locurile in care au luat nastere si de unde s-au raspandit pretutindeni toate ideile despre lume, de la modul de a guverna o tara pana la arta si filozofie. Dar, asa cum Peter Bogucki ne reaminteste in aceasta carte, Grecia si Roma nu s-au dezvoltat in izolare.

De jur imprejurul lor existau comunitati rurale care aveau culturi remarcabil diferite, unele despre care putini dintre noi mai stiu cate ceva. Spunandu-ne povestile lor, ne ofera o mult asteptata imbogatire a modului in care intelegem antichitatea clasica. De la tarmurile Oceanului Atlantic, la vest, pana la Muntii Ural, la est, traiau comunitati care nu cunosteau scrierea. Tot ceea ce stim despre ei se datoreaza in exclusivitate descoperirilor arheologice - un tablou construit din ramasite ale asezarilor, ofrandelor, monumentelor si mormintelor dezvaluind un portret la fel de convingator ca si marile civilizatii literate ale acelor vremuri.

Bogucki urmareste dezvoltarea acestor grupuri din Epoca Pietrei pana la caderea Imperiului Roman de Apus. Rezultatul este o prezentare fascinanta a catorva dintre culturile aproape uitate precum si a metodelor moderne care ne permit sa le scoatem din anonimatul istoric.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Ancient History, Archaeology

312 pages, Paperback

Published January 1, 2019

Reviews

[Caroline · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a required reading for one of my Uni classes, and Bogucki is a colleague and friend of one of my professors. We did not finish this in class, so I figured it was necessary I take it up later.
This is a wonderful, highly accessible history of one of the most influential civilizations in western culture. Bogucki approaches the Barbarians from an archaeologist’s point of view, debunking long-held myths about these diverse people and showing us once again just how important they are to modern western identity. I look forward to reading more from this series.

[Luna Cuypers · Rating 5 out of 5]

This Book of Bogucki gives a good scientific view of the archeology of Northwestern Europe and is very enjoyable to read. I definitely recommend this book.

[Cristina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Denumirea de „barbari” a fost dată popoarelor care nu cunoșteau scrierea și care au locuit în Europa la nord de Alpi, cu mii de ani înaintea erei comune și până în aproximativ anul 500 E.C., arcașul din Amesbury, Ötzi (Omul Ghețurilor) și fata din Egtved fiind câteva dintre personajele reprezentative ale Lumii Barbare descoperite în zilele noastre de către arheologi sau turiști. Peter Bogucki ne întroduce prin acest volum în lumea barbarilor așa cum a fost ea, adunând detalii despre ritualuri, viața de zi cu zi, relațiile sociale și militare, comerțul și conflictele cu Lumea Civilizată, precum și despre reprezentarea contemporană a barbarilor în cărți, filme sau jocuri video.

http://www.4arte.ro/2019/10/20/peter-...

[Maria · Rating 5 out of 5]

Archaeologist Peter Bogucki's well-researched book describes the increasing complexity, technological accomplishments, and distinctive practices of the non-literate peoples known as Barbarians starting at the end of the last Ice Age, through the stone age, bronze and iron ages. The author ends the book in the year 500 AD after the collapse of the Roman Empire.

Peter Bogucki serves as the Associate Dean for Undergraduate Affairs of the School of Engineering and Applied Science at Princeton University.

[Wesley · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lot of objective information on the ancient peoples of western and northern Europe. It is very informative which makes it quite hard to read some parts (like a school book). But it provides a very good and total insight in the circumstances back then.

[Randal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bogucki spends a lot of energy on disambiguation ... so if you think you know lots about Northern Europeans from the Bronze-Iron ages but think the druids built Stonehenge, Asterix was a real-life Gaul, and the Vikings were a standard part of the landscape from time immemorial through Charlemagne, you will undoubtedly learn a great deal from this title and are the target audience.

If you've read a bit in the subject previously, your mileage will vary.

As I'm in the latter category and this is billed as an archaeological study, I think I was subconsciously hoping for a bit less "the site is interpreted as ..." and a bit more "here's why we think these post holes tell this story, leading us to the following conclusion(s)." (Like the sections on various of the mummified remains, which are outstanding.")

It's definitely one of those titles where frequently referring to the notes is worthwhile, often enlightening, and I wish they were at the bottom of the page instead of the back of the book.

He's a clear writer, and the overall quality is very high. Just not quite my bliss. Currently at 3.75 stars on Goodreads, and pretty much exactly how I would rate it.

[Francisco Javier · Rating 4 out of 5]

But... the book tries to show that complex cultures grew in northern Europe... As the book also sticks to the factual discoveries. Some more interpretation and correlation with the written sources would be appreciated. You end up with the impression that a culture that threw swords to the bogs cannot be compared with their contemporaries in the south, build Athens, Rome or Egypt.

Pliny is yet a better source to imagine, understand or empatize with the barbarians.

[Niels Bergervoet · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent overview of the world north of Rome and Athens. The author knows what he is talking about and takes the reader in birds eye view through a few thousand years of barbarian history, and still manages to make it a coherent narrative. It gives a good impression of the people and their culture. And it is full of interesting case studies and refedences to further read on barbarians.

[Celia Yang · Rating 4 out of 5]

原本對這本書沒什麼期望
對歐洲民族不太熟悉
Good read 上的評分也不是很好
卻意外地有驚喜
本書的考古知識基礎扎實
一顆星扣掉是因為翻譯的問題

幾年前到英國交流
有機會到歐洲的博物館到處看看
最記得到匈牙利的博物館看到史前文物的時候
完全看不懂
只覺得很原始沒什麼美感
輕輕一走就過了

但從這本書中
可以學到很多歐洲基本的史前考古及歷史概念
例如巨石陣的研究
佢是怎建成的
附近的墓地有什麼特色
每一個故事及研究
作者都有附上詳盡的資料
例如可以在什麼地方博物館找到那些文物
能去旅行的時候
也可以充當一本不錯的旅遊書

[Xroldx · Rating 2 out of 5]

Niet het spannende, goed geschreven boek over de Barbaren dat ik zocht. Vooral een compilatie van archeologische vondsten en een zeer beknopte geschiedenis.

[Vincent Faes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Using archeology instead of written sources, a more skeptical perspective is created concerning prehistoric peoples.

[Ruben · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mooie beschrijvingen van archeologische vindplaatsen afgewisseld met meer algemene waarnemingen over de prehistorische volken die in Noord Europa woonden. Ook een erg fijne en aangrijpende schrijfstijl.

Iets wat me wel lichtelijk ergerde was de keuze om alle verscheidene volkeren/stammen/gemeenschappen samen op een hoop te gooien met de naam 'barbaren', terwijl het boek juist poogt om het beeld dat we associëren met die term bij te stellen. Hierdoor wordt barbaren een soort geuzennaam, maar wel een die juist vanaf de bron (Grieks/Romeins imperialisme en cultureel superioriteitsgevoel) alles wat dit boek wil bestrijden in zich meedraagt. Gelukkig werd de keuze om consequent de naam 'barbaren' te gebruiken wel halverwege het boek (naar mijn gevoel had dat eerder in de inleiding gemogen) toegelicht.

Ik denk zeker dat ik fragmenten uit dit boek goed kan gebruiken in de klas, vooral omdat het vlot leesbaar is.

[Jan Peter van Kempen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Peter Bogucki is archeoloog en dan heb je bij mij al een streepje voor. De door Bogucki beschreven beschavingen hebben geen eigen geschiedschrijving in de vorm van geschreven teksten nagelaten. Het is dan aan de archeologie om aan de hand van vondsten de geschiedenis te reconstrueren. Dit boek is niet meer dan een beknopte introductie en nodigt zeker uit tot nadere verdieping. De opgenomen leeslijst biedt hiertoe voldoende mogelijkheden. Het afsluitende hoofdstuk is een beetje vreemde eend in de bijt: Bogucki wijst op het belang van de archeologie als wetenschap en maakt zich -terecht- druk over het feit dat de politiek, zowel in heden als verleden, voor propagandadoeleinden met de archeologie aan de haal gaat. Het boek had wat mij betreft twee of drie keer zo dik mogen zijn, maar zoals gezegd: er is een leeslijst.