The Mute Stones Speak: The Story of Archaeology in Italy

by Paul MacKendrick

"MacKendrick writes so enthusiastically that all laymen who have a serious interest in scholarship and antiquity will delight in following his story." -- New York Times Book Review

Genres: History, Archaeology, Anthropology, Nonfiction, Italy

511 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1960

Reviews

[Frances Durham]

This book focuses on archaeological studies done in Italy to paint a picture of life in Italy in ancient times. It quotes many archaeology studies as well as shows pictures and maps to help you better understand some of the complicated terminology. It talks through archaeology finds and along the way explains how the finds tell us about life in ancient Italy and what it's like compared to today.
I enjoyed this book. It was definitely a challenge at times but the detailed explanations of the history of the artifacts found in and around dig sights in Italy really helped me understand what was going on. This is definitely a good book for people who are interested in archaeology or history. I would recommend maybe taking notes to help you understand what’s being discussed if you have trouble understanding long or complicated terminology.

[Trina · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've been meaning to read this book for years. It's quite a readable history of the Romans and their predecessors in Italy through archaeology. Although I found lots to like, McKendrick is an opinionated old bird, and I don't share some of his opinions about the Romans. It's also somewhat dated now.

[Bob · Rating 3 out of 5]

The author assumed more knowledge of classical history than I had, but the descriptions of the methods used to reconstruct ancient buildings, the huge role of state pride in building AND restoring them, and the glimpses into the lives of people who lived and worked in them were entertaining and very readable.

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked his book on Greek archaeology better but it still holds up as a good introduction.