Without the help of archeologists throughout time, very little would be known about some of the world’s greatest civilizations. Archeology, with its carefully developed preservation techniques, is responsible for uncovering artifacts like the Greek sculptures and Native American weaponry we see in museums everyday. Be an “eyewitness” to the fascinating world of archeology. See a loaf of bread preserved for 2,000 years, the first humanskeleton ever discovered, a corroded cannon from a shipwreck, and a reconstructed helmet made of gold, silver and bronze. Learn about carbon dating, how to tell the difference between a fake and the real thing, why tombs were plundered, and the secrets behind standing stones. Discover where the world''s first iron bridge was built, how a dig is organized, a "ghost ship''s" impression in the sand, how rescue evacuations are carried out, and much, much more! Discover the world of archeology how to piece together civilizations of the past and why it matters today

Illus. with full-color photos. Take a close-up look at the science and technology of digging up the past--from the 1970 excavation of the legendary city of Troy to the recent find of a Chinese emperor's long-lost grave.

Did you know early lighthouses were used up to 3,000 years ago with woodfires on headlands? Dive deep into the underwater world of shipwrecks, find out the most common causes of sinking and see inside spectacular wrecks full of ancient secrets fromaround the world.

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

"What sort of book is worth a man's life? After a year away from working in the field, archaeologist Cormac Maguire and pathologist Nora Gavin are back in the bogs, investigating a ninth-century body found buried in the trunk of a car. They discover that the ancient corpse is not alone-pinned beneath it is the body of Benedict Kavanagh, missing for mere months and familiar to television viewers as a philosopher who enjoyed destroying his opponents in debate. Both men were viciously murdered, but centuries apart-so how did they end up buried together in the bog?"--

Scorned for agreeing to help an Arab couple excavate allegedly haunted grounds under their house, archaeologist Page Brookstone finds what may be the tomb of the prophet Jeremiah, as well as the remains of a woman, and intriguing scrolls documenting their relationship.

Examines what archaeology is and how it has evolved over the centuries.