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Lost Cities
In this small book Leonard Cottrell traces the history of ten lost cities of the Ancient World, their birth, the people who lived in them and how they were rediscovered in our own day.
The cities include Babylon, once the greatest and richest city in Western Asia; Nineveh, capital of the Assyrians; and Ur of the Chaldees. Moving westward Cottrell tells of Pompeii, the city that died of one volcanic catastrophe and was preserved; then takes us to the New World to conjure up the magnificent Maya and Inca cities that flourished centuries ago.
LOST CITIES--an enthralling narrative that captures all the romance and excitement of the great civilizations of the past.
The cities include Babylon, once the greatest and richest city in Western Asia; Nineveh, capital of the Assyrians; and Ur of the Chaldees. Moving westward Cottrell tells of Pompeii, the city that died of one volcanic catastrophe and was preserved; then takes us to the New World to conjure up the magnificent Maya and Inca cities that flourished centuries ago.
LOST CITIES--an enthralling narrative that captures all the romance and excitement of the great civilizations of the past.
- GenresHistoryNonfiction
Paperback
First published January 1, 1957
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About the author
Leonard Cottrell
181 books23 followersLeonard Eric Cottrell was a prolific and popular British author and journalist. Many of his books were popularizations of the archaeology of ancient Egypt.
Leonard Cottrell was born in 1913 in Tettenhall, Wolverhampton, to William and Beatrice Cottrell (née Tootell). His father inspired his interest in history from a very young age. At King Edward's Grammar School, Birmingham, Leonard was notably only interested in English and history, in which he read widely.
In the 1930s, Cottrell toured the English countryside on his motorcycle, visiting prehistoric stone circles, burial mounds of the Bronze Age, medieval and Renaissance monuments. On those journeys, he was often accompanied by Doris Swain, whom he later married. After gaining experience writing articles on historical subjects for motoring magazines, he wrote his first documentary for the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) in 1937.
Cottrell was rejected by the RAF during World War II for medical reasons, but he joined the BBC in 1942 and was stationed in the Mediterranean with the RAF in 1944, as a war correspondent. His wartime experiences formed the basis of his book All Men are Neighbours (1947). He worked at the BBC until 1960, when he resigned and moved to a house overlooking the estuary of the River Kent in Westmoreland, Cumbria, where he stayed for the rest of his life, writing.
Among other achievements, Cottrell was the editor of the Concise Encyclopaedia of Archaeology (1965).
He was married and divorced twice, first to Doris Swain (divorced 1962) and Diana Bonakis (married 1965; divorced 1968). He had no children by either marriage.
Leonard Cottrell died on 6 October 1974.
Leonard Cottrell was born in 1913 in Tettenhall, Wolverhampton, to William and Beatrice Cottrell (née Tootell). His father inspired his interest in history from a very young age. At King Edward's Grammar School, Birmingham, Leonard was notably only interested in English and history, in which he read widely.
In the 1930s, Cottrell toured the English countryside on his motorcycle, visiting prehistoric stone circles, burial mounds of the Bronze Age, medieval and Renaissance monuments. On those journeys, he was often accompanied by Doris Swain, whom he later married. After gaining experience writing articles on historical subjects for motoring magazines, he wrote his first documentary for the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) in 1937.
Cottrell was rejected by the RAF during World War II for medical reasons, but he joined the BBC in 1942 and was stationed in the Mediterranean with the RAF in 1944, as a war correspondent. His wartime experiences formed the basis of his book All Men are Neighbours (1947). He worked at the BBC until 1960, when he resigned and moved to a house overlooking the estuary of the River Kent in Westmoreland, Cumbria, where he stayed for the rest of his life, writing.
Among other achievements, Cottrell was the editor of the Concise Encyclopaedia of Archaeology (1965).
He was married and divorced twice, first to Doris Swain (divorced 1962) and Diana Bonakis (married 1965; divorced 1968). He had no children by either marriage.
Leonard Cottrell died on 6 October 1974.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
August 19, 2021
Cottrell states that his intention was to write a book primarily intended to entertain, i.e. it is not presented as a scholarly work of archaeology. This enabled him to cover a lot of ground within a modestly sized book without having to explore each site in depth — and avoid the need to painstakingly document every observation. It is therefore highly digestible for the average reader.
His approach is particularly appropriate when one considers that most of the sites he includes were initially explored not by professional archaeologists but rather by dedicated amateurs who learned excavation and evaluation techniques in the field as they went along. By including commentaries left by those self-taught explorers, Cottrell gives us the “amateur’s view”, thereby making the material more approachable. And what lengths some of those men went to, the hazards and hardships they faced (and the degree of difficulty most of them encountered in obtaining funding, institutional support and scholarly backing) make for compelling stories.
I was left with a feeling of deep regret and frustration at the tragic loss of knowledge occasioned by the brutal actions of many Europeans who first encountered these ancient cultures and/or their artifacts over the centuries (most starkly the Spanish conquistadores and priests who deliberately destroyed much of the cultural heritage of the ‘pre-Columbian’ native American peoples).
The book also demonstrates a noticeable pattern of commonality among human societies in the manner and sequence whereby civilizations and settlements develop, always influenced by religion, agriculture, warfare and the innate desire to understand their world and their place in it. Despite vast differences in climate, topography and genetics of isolated populations, we are all human. And every human accomplishment, every empire, every structure, no matter how grandiose, is impermanent.
His approach is particularly appropriate when one considers that most of the sites he includes were initially explored not by professional archaeologists but rather by dedicated amateurs who learned excavation and evaluation techniques in the field as they went along. By including commentaries left by those self-taught explorers, Cottrell gives us the “amateur’s view”, thereby making the material more approachable. And what lengths some of those men went to, the hazards and hardships they faced (and the degree of difficulty most of them encountered in obtaining funding, institutional support and scholarly backing) make for compelling stories.
I was left with a feeling of deep regret and frustration at the tragic loss of knowledge occasioned by the brutal actions of many Europeans who first encountered these ancient cultures and/or their artifacts over the centuries (most starkly the Spanish conquistadores and priests who deliberately destroyed much of the cultural heritage of the ‘pre-Columbian’ native American peoples).
The book also demonstrates a noticeable pattern of commonality among human societies in the manner and sequence whereby civilizations and settlements develop, always influenced by religion, agriculture, warfare and the innate desire to understand their world and their place in it. Despite vast differences in climate, topography and genetics of isolated populations, we are all human. And every human accomplishment, every empire, every structure, no matter how grandiose, is impermanent.
March 4, 2021
This 1957 work is a relaxed, casual survey of the explorations for and uncoverings of a half dozen or so cities of once dominant civilizations which, as the title indicates, succumbed to the passage of time to the point that only ruins or hidden edifices remain. As the author indicates, the book was written for amusement and simply to entertain. Such was my impression reading it: I felt as if I was sitting in an overstuffed armchair in a darkened library watching the fire blazing in the grate as the evening wiled away, listening to an aged traveller recounting what he'd discovered in his journeys to ancient lands.
Henry Layard's discovery of the ruins of Nineveh from the Sumerian civilization, the center of Boghaz Koy of the ancient Hittites in Asia Minor, the ruined outlines of Babylon in modern day Iraq, the Hindu cities of Harappa and Mohenjidaro in the Punjub, the remains of Anuradhapura on the island now known as Sri Lanka, the ruins of Pompeii and Heraculaneum in Italy, those of Chichen-Itza of the Mayans in Yucatan and of Macchu Pichu of the Incas in Peru are all analyzed, sometimes focusing on the Europeans who uncovered them, sometimes on the cultures and customs of the ancient peoples and sometimes on the fates which brought their civilizations to a close.
The catastrophic devastation which befell Pompeii is described in agonizingly minute detail, as are the exploits of Hiram Bingham who struggled up steep mountains covered in rainforests to find the hardwood-covered remains of the Incan city of Vilcabamba, now known as Macchu Pichu. The ofttimes lascivious hedonism of Pompeii is honestly accepted, as are the horrific cruelties involved in Mayan, Aztec, Incan, Assyrian, Sinhalese and Christian treatments of both their own subjects and their enemies. Cottrell's comparison of these practises with the relatively eschewing of barbaric sacrifices by the Egyptians, who for three thousand years followed a relatively animistic religion largely lacking in any strong moral code led him to claim that 'there seems to be no necessary connection between morality and religion.' Interesting, eh?
A highly diverting, largely entertaining and quite informative work. Recommended.
Henry Layard's discovery of the ruins of Nineveh from the Sumerian civilization, the center of Boghaz Koy of the ancient Hittites in Asia Minor, the ruined outlines of Babylon in modern day Iraq, the Hindu cities of Harappa and Mohenjidaro in the Punjub, the remains of Anuradhapura on the island now known as Sri Lanka, the ruins of Pompeii and Heraculaneum in Italy, those of Chichen-Itza of the Mayans in Yucatan and of Macchu Pichu of the Incas in Peru are all analyzed, sometimes focusing on the Europeans who uncovered them, sometimes on the cultures and customs of the ancient peoples and sometimes on the fates which brought their civilizations to a close.
The catastrophic devastation which befell Pompeii is described in agonizingly minute detail, as are the exploits of Hiram Bingham who struggled up steep mountains covered in rainforests to find the hardwood-covered remains of the Incan city of Vilcabamba, now known as Macchu Pichu. The ofttimes lascivious hedonism of Pompeii is honestly accepted, as are the horrific cruelties involved in Mayan, Aztec, Incan, Assyrian, Sinhalese and Christian treatments of both their own subjects and their enemies. Cottrell's comparison of these practises with the relatively eschewing of barbaric sacrifices by the Egyptians, who for three thousand years followed a relatively animistic religion largely lacking in any strong moral code led him to claim that 'there seems to be no necessary connection between morality and religion.' Interesting, eh?
A highly diverting, largely entertaining and quite informative work. Recommended.
November 8, 2020
Between the 1950s and the 1970s Leonard Cottrell wrote extensively on archaeology and the Ancient World. Subsequent decades of research and discovery have doubtlessly rendered him out-of-date, but for a popular audience his many books remain well-written, entertaining, and informative introductions to a vast field of knowledge. "Lost Cities" is no exception.
March 29, 2022
This book is undoubtably an entertaining read. Some of the information is outdated, but the way that it is written is wonderful. The use of original source quotations throughout is a rare treat that was greatly appreciated. I recommend reading this book, but with the forewarning that knowledge has grown regarding these places (I am thinking of Turkey in particular as that is what I am most familiar with, but I know that more recent studies have dramatically expanded what we know about these Lost Cities).
November 5, 2025
I enjoyed reading this book a lot, it makes you wanna dive completely into the history of the lost cities described-which I recommend doing- and almost leaves you craving for more. But I also have to admit that the main reason for that is the way the author is writing, in a way that he is keeping the reader engulfed all the time, which is not often met especially when it comes to books about archeology, history. I am looking forward to reading more of his books since the way he writes really speaks to me. I recommend it.
November 20, 2021
Cottrell is always worth picking up. His books are littered all over 2nd hand stores and they perfectly engage the interested layperson in whatever topic he broaches. Here Cottrell casually scans over the most interesting archaeological material about various cities which have collapsed through the ages.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews