Civilizations takes the reader forward from the earliest days of human settlement to the civilizations of the New World overthrown by the Spanish Conquistadors.

In this panorama of world history from 4004 BC to AD 29, you will explore creation, the Flood, the Tower of Babel, and the rise of civilizations from Mesopotamia to Rome. You will see God's purposes worked out through His chosen people, Israel, culminating in the birth of the Messiah, Jesus Christ.

From the dazzling temples of the Acropolis to the strange and enigmatic glyphs of the Maya, Ancient Civilizations takes readers on a fascinating journey back in time. This richly illustrated book explores the beliefs, rituals, arts and myths of ancient cultures across the world, beginning with the first civilizations of the Fertile Crescent and progressing to the early Middle Ages. Informative, accessible text and gorgeous, detailed photographs of art work and sacred sites give readers real insight into our ancient ancestors' daily lives. Special emphasis is given to symbols, sacred texts, religious ceremonies, gods and goddesses, visions of the cosmos, and sacred sites. If you've ever felt drawn to the magic, legends, and mysteries of the past, this is the perfect book for both reading pleasure and reference.

Drawing on many avenues of inquiry: archaeological excavations, surveys, laboratory work, highly specialized scientific investigations, and on both historical and ethnohistorical records; Ancient Civilizations, 3/e provides a comprehensive and straightforward account of the world’s first civilizations and a brief summary of the way in which they were discovered.

Features essays about women's roles in 12 ancient civilizations--China, India, Japan, Mesopotamia, the Levant, Egypt, West Africa, Greece, Rome, the Maya, the Inca, and Native North America.