Incredible Archaeology: Inspiring Places from Our Human Past

by Paul G. Bahn (Editor)

Discover the world's best and most beautiful archaeological sites

Incredible Archaeology offers a journey through the best archaeological sites the world has to offer. With stunning photography, it serves as both a dazzling spectacle and travel inspiration, making it perfect for armchair travelers and world adventurers alike!

Archaeological sites tell a story spanning thousands of years, and the ones in this book range from the well-known to hidden gems, handpicked for their desirability as destinations. Explore the cliff dwellings at Mesa Verde (the largest archaeological preserve in the United States), the Abu Simbel twin temples in Egypt that commemorate Pharaoh Ramesses II and his queen Nefertari, the Terracotta Army in China, the Nazca Lines in Peru that feature large geoglyphs in the desert soil, and the hill fort known as Maiden Castle in England. These are just a sampling of the top-notch sites you'll find in this book. Incredible Archaeology takes a striking tour through human history, so come along!

Genres: Nonfiction, Archaeology, History

320 pages, Hardcover

Published November 3, 2020

About the author

Paul G. Bahn is a British archaeologist, translator, writer and broadcaster who has published extensively on a range of archaeological topics, with particular attention to prehistoric art. He is a contributing editor to Archaeology magazine.

Reviews

[Suz Jay · Rating 4 out of 5]

INCREDIBLE ARCHEOLOGY is a comprehensive reference book that includes a mix of well known and hidden gem historical sites. The book separates the sites geographically with sections focusing on North America, Middle & South America, Europe & Northern Asia, Africa, Near East & Western Asia and Far East & Oceana. Per the introduction, the sites were chosen based on archeological importance, interest to the general public, accessibility, and photogenicness.

Each section includes a short introduction. Each site is identified by type (e.g. mound, military, mausoleum, necropolis, etc.), architectural style, location, and the date/time period construction was begun.

I liked how, in some cases, travel tips are included such as the suggestion of visiting a beach town near the ancient mud city of Chan Chan and the recommendation to wear sensible shoes and adding the Archeological Museum in Naples to one’s itinerary when visiting the buried cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum.

I did not like how, in some cases, facets of the site are mentioned but not pictured. For example, the stone disk of the goddess Coyolxauhqi that triggered a major excavation of the Aztec capital Tenochtitlan and the bronze cauldron used for sacrifices to Apollo in the sanctuary of Delphi.

I received a proof copy for review which included grainy grayscale rather than color photographs, but I expect the final version to include stunning color photos.

Overall, I really liked this book, I kind of wish, however, some of the less interesting sites been omitted in order to include additional photos and descriptions of the other sites and their histories, or better yet, making the book bigger or a two volume set. Still, I really enjoyed the organization and information included for each site and the variety of the sites. The book provides a nice general overview that can help travelers plan their trips and trigger further research for those who wish to explore from the comfort of their couches.

[Becca · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tabletop book with snippets of information about fascinating archaeological findings and gorgeous photos highlighting it all. Great for browsing and introductory fact finding.

[Katie Haasch · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ancient ruins have so much to tell us about ancient humans- how they lived and how advanced they were. This book gives a snapshot of over 100 places that archaeologists have discovered, pondered and even protected.

[Zora · Rating 5 out of 5]

Would make a great Christmas gift for an armchair traveler or anyone interested in archaeology. Some famous and some obscure (or simply recent) sites are presented here with photos as beautiful as you might expect from the publisher. Aren't humans simply fascinating?

[Clare Marshall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gorgeous book! I cannot wait to travel again.

[Dee Roll · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fabulous photos of archaeology sites with descriptions of each

[Sophie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful photos

[SassieMolassie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was very relevant to my interests and the photography was great.

[Suhel · Rating 4 out of 5]

great quick read, a lot of interesting historical places around the globe.