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The Testimony of the Spade
The first complete story, in the light of startling new discoveries, of the slow spread of a sucession of "barbarian" tribes north of the Alps, showing prehistory turning into history in the heartland of Europe.
- GenresHistoryArchaeology
446 pages, Hardcover
First published December 1, 1956
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64 people want to read
About the author
Geoffrey Bibby
39 books3 followersThomas Geoffrey Bibby was an English-born archaeologist. He is best known for discovering the ancient state of Dilmun, referred to in Mesopotamian mythology as a paradise.
He studied archaeology at Cambridge University, but because he could find no place in that profession, he lived in Bahrain and worked for the Iraq Petroleum Company from 1947 to 1950. On a return visit to Britain he met his future wife, whom he married in 1949. Through her he met the Danish professor Peter Vilhelm Glob and so acquired a position at the University of Aarhus in Denmark. In 1953 he and professor Glob led a team of archaeologists who discovered the ancient city of Dilmun, beneath Manama, Bahrain.
Bibby also wrote about stone and Bronze Age Europe, particularly the bog peoples of Denmark.
He studied archaeology at Cambridge University, but because he could find no place in that profession, he lived in Bahrain and worked for the Iraq Petroleum Company from 1947 to 1950. On a return visit to Britain he met his future wife, whom he married in 1949. Through her he met the Danish professor Peter Vilhelm Glob and so acquired a position at the University of Aarhus in Denmark. In 1953 he and professor Glob led a team of archaeologists who discovered the ancient city of Dilmun, beneath Manama, Bahrain.
Bibby also wrote about stone and Bronze Age Europe, particularly the bog peoples of Denmark.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
August 1, 2019
One of the most compelling and elegant history books revealing what so many of us know nothing about - prehistoric narrative of European people. How the lived< what were they like< how they determined what we became
April 10, 2011
This book came from a $1 "European History" mystery grab bag at a basement book sale for a public library in west Texas. What a find.
Bibby begins from the earliest cave paintings and and describes not only how life evolved in prehistoric Europe but also the often charming and remarkable stories of the academics who made archeology a legitimate field of science. Perhaps the most striking point from the early chapters is just how revolutionary and controversial the idea was that Europe and its people were in fact older than the Bible, and entire cultures of men looking and thinking almost exactly like us had thrived for tens of thousands of years prior.
Too much to recount in one review, but the meteorologist in me was particularly delighted with Bibby's 1950s-era (ie. pre-Al Gore, pre-CO2) discussion of climate change and its impact on early man. Remarkably, the climate is noted as being in a constant state of flux over the last 17,000 or so years... ice caps melted and sea levels rose without the urging of a single coal plant, and miraculously mankind adapted and survived. No carbon credits needed!
I believe this book is out of print now, but if you are able to find a copy, I highly recommend!
Bibby begins from the earliest cave paintings and and describes not only how life evolved in prehistoric Europe but also the often charming and remarkable stories of the academics who made archeology a legitimate field of science. Perhaps the most striking point from the early chapters is just how revolutionary and controversial the idea was that Europe and its people were in fact older than the Bible, and entire cultures of men looking and thinking almost exactly like us had thrived for tens of thousands of years prior.
Too much to recount in one review, but the meteorologist in me was particularly delighted with Bibby's 1950s-era (ie. pre-Al Gore, pre-CO2) discussion of climate change and its impact on early man. Remarkably, the climate is noted as being in a constant state of flux over the last 17,000 or so years... ice caps melted and sea levels rose without the urging of a single coal plant, and miraculously mankind adapted and survived. No carbon credits needed!
I believe this book is out of print now, but if you are able to find a copy, I highly recommend!
June 30, 2011
What archaeology has taught us about life in northern Europe from 15,000 BC to the time of the Vikings.
(Working from a list of books I read years ago.)
(Working from a list of books I read years ago.)
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews