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Then And Now

The history of our world
is the story of people.
From the early humans who
hunted and controlled
fire, through
generations of explorers
who set off into the
unknown, to the
astronauts who freed
themselves of planet
earth entirely. This
brilliantly illustrated
family reference will
take you on a
rollercoaster journey
through time.

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£4.99

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Conversations With Mummies

As the delicately painted
mummy case moves slowly
through the CAT scanner,
remarkable images appear.
Artificial eyes have been
placed in the sockets.
Between the bandages lie
pieces of jewelry, a
gold vulture with
outstretched wings, and
a stone beetle, a symbol
of life after death...
Thousands of years ago,
their bodies were
carefully prepared for
the journey to the
afterlife. Today,
state-of-the-art
technology allows
researchers to examine
more closely than ever
before these people who
have remained so
miraculously preserved
through time. Their
findings portray the most
intimate picture yet
available of the everyday
lives of ancient
Egyptians. In this
lavishly illustrated
book, internationally
acclaimed
paleopathologist Rosalie
David and writer Rick
Archbold guide us through
the fascinating world of
Egyptian mummies and the
international teams who
study them. In an
absorbing text, we meet
ancient people from every
walk of life -- from
pharaohs to peasants --
and learn how they lived
and why they died.
High-tech autopsies --
using X-rays, CAT scans,
and endoscopes --
uncover the agonizing
afflictions that spared
no one, from Pharaoh
Ramesses II to a temple
musician named
Djedmaatesankh. And with
electron microscopes and
DNA testing, scientists
can look deeper still,
to reveal the secrets
hidden inside
three-thousand-year-oId
cells -- secrets that may
one day help provide
cures for modern
illnesses.

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Lives Of The Ancient Egyptians

This sumptuous book
reveals the greatest
civilization of the
ancient world through the
lives of 100 men and
women who experienced it
at first hand. Lavishly
illustrated with
spectacular works of art
and scenes of daily life,
'Lives of the Ancient
Egyptians' offers unique
and remarkable insights
into the history and
culture of the Nile
Valley, treating the
reader to very personal
glimpses of a vanished
world, and a fresh
perspective on a
bewitching civilization.

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Creation - Artists Gods And
Origins

Throughout history,
artists, writers and
musicians - 'creative'
people - have tried to
outdo God or the Gods in
the acts of creation.
This extraordinarily
wide-ranging study traces
the different concepts of
creation in Western
civilization, following
the struggle between man
and god for the right to
create, and even the
right to create gods.
Along the way it becomes
what is in essence a new
history of Western
civilization, a series
of thirty-three chapters
brimming with ideas,
insights and erudition.
It touches upon religion,
art and artistry,
alchemy, mystical
traditions, opera,
film, literature,
linguistics,
psychoanalysis,
psychology and physics,
among many other things,
exploring what it means
to create, as well as
the popular myths of
creation from every
conceivable angle. The
result is a breathtaking
overview of man's
uncrushable impulse to
create, and his endless
rivalry with the gods.
This spectacular hardback
book, with 592 pages,
measures approximately:
24cm x 17.5cm x 4.7cm.

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The Midas Touch - World
Mythology In Bite-sized Chunks

This authoritative and
fascinating introduction
to the legends of history
will reintroduce readers
to the cyclopes,
Minotaur and centaurs of
the Ancient Greeks, as
well as shedding light on
the wider world of
mythology. The Midas
Touch includes a stunning
array of fascinating
tales and gets to grips
with the ancient stories
of Aboriginal, Sumerian,
Egyptian, Mesoamerican,
Maori and Indian
cultures, encompassing
legends from the most
diverse societies and the
most ancient cultures
from across the globe. In
a concise yet
comprehensive format,
The Midas Touch is a
wonderful evocation of
the hugely entertaining
stories and characters of
mythology.

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A Brief History Of The Samurai
- The True Story Of The
Warrior

Details: From a leading
expert in Japanese
history, this is one of
the first full histories
of the art and culture of
the Samurai warrior. The
Samurai emerged as a
warrior caste in Medieval
Japan and would have a
powerful influence on the
history and culture of
the country from the next
500 years. Clements also
looks at the Samurai wars
that tore Japan apart in
the 17th and 18th
centuries and how the
caste was finally
demolished in the advent
of the mechanized world.
Ideal for: This book is
for anyone who wants to
know about Samurai first
and Japanese history
second. This paperback
book has 356 pages and
measures: 19.7 x 13 x
2.6cm

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£2.99

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The Gunfighters - How The West
Was Won

Details: Of all the wild
characters of the Western
frontier, gunfighters
were certainly the most
feared and the most
legendary. Was it their
bizarre moral code,
their depravity, their
charisma and good looks,
their temper, or their
precise marksmanship that
made them so memorable?
The Gunfighters takes a
closer look at the most
famous Wild West gun
slingers, such as Doc
Holiday, Wyatt Earp,
Jesse James, Billy the
Kid, Butch Cassidy and
the Sundance Kid, and
Wild Bill Hickok. The
book explores the truth
and tall tales
surrounding their lives,
and the tools of the
shootists?
tradesome of the
most iconic weapons ever
discharged in the West.
Ideal for: People with an
interest in the wild west
era. This hardback book
has 175 pages and
measures: 26 x 20.4 x
1.8cm

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£4.99

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Vikings - A History

The Vikings famously took
no prisoners, relished
cruel retribution and
prided themselves on
their bloodthirsty skills
as warriors. But their
prowess in battle is only
a small part of their
extraordinary story. For
over two hundred years
between the end of the
eighth century and the
middle of the eleventh,
these Scandinavian tribes
became the greatest
adventurers the world had
yet seen. Perhaps the
greatest there will ever
be. Their restless
voyaging in elegant
timber long ships would
grant them a territory
stretching from Iceland
in the north to the
Mediterranean Sea in the
south, from Newfoundland
in the west to
Constantinople and the
Caspian Sea in the east.
They were warriors and
mercenaries of
international renown,
even the bodyguards of
choice of the Byzantine
emperors; they were
colonisers, builders and
engineers who helped
shape the destinies of
almost every land they
touched. The way modern
Europe looks and sounds
today is due in no small
part to Scandinavian men
and women who turned
their backs on their
homelands and set sail
for distant horizons.
Drawing on the latest
archaeological and
scientific discoveries,
Neil Oliver goes on the
trail of the real
Vikings. Where did this
mysterious people emerge
from? How did they really
live? And just what drove
them to embark on such
extraordinary voyages of
discovery over a thousand
years ago? Vikings
reveals the surprising
answers to these
questions, in the epic
story of one of history's
greatest empires of
conquest.

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£7.99

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A Brief History Of The Knights
Templar

Much has been written
about the Knights Templar
in recent years. A
leading specialist in the
history of this legendary
medieval order now writes
a full account of the
Knights of the Order of
the Temple of Solomon,
to give them their full
title, bringing the
latest findings to a
general audience. Putting
many of the myths finally
to rest, Nicholson
recounts a new history of
these storm troopers of
the papacy, founded
during the crusades but
who got so rich and
influential that they
challenged the power of
kings.

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Valley Of The Kings - The
Tombs And The Funerary Temples
Of Thebes West

Details: The Valley of
the Kings and the region
of Luxor are home to some
of the greatest
Archaeological treasures
not only in Egypt but in
the whole world. This
book accompanies the
reader on a journey of
discovery to the
magnificently decorated
tombs of the Pharaohs and
Queens of the new kingdom
and their monumental
funerary temples. With
the aid of superb
photographs and drawings,
it is possible to
reconstruct the events of
the New Kingdom that led
to the building of the
royal tombs and,
consequently, to
understand the
civilisation and culture
of ancient Egypt, the
sequence of its
dynasties, and its
famous Pharaohs whose
presence influenced the
ancient history of the
West. This volume is a
compendium of the most
advanced archaeological
research carried out on
the west bank of the Nile
but also, thanks to the
skills of the narrators
and the quality of the
illustrations, a
fascinating journey into
the ancient heart of a
country that has always
been at the centre of
human history. Ideal for:
A must have book for all
Egyptophiles. This
hardback book has 326
pages and measures: 30 x
21.5 x 3cm.

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Alexander The Great At War

Alexander the Great never
ceases to fascinate. He
was aged only 20 when he
became king of Macedon,
but had already begun to
show the military genius
that would win him
victories against the
mighty Persian Empire. In
a campaign lasting 11
years he travelled
thousands of miles
through deserts, plains
and forests, fought huge
battles, and besieged
many cities to become the
master of a massive
empire. He died
prematurely at the age of
just 33, and no man
could hold together the
empire he had created. A
god in his lifetime, his
name is still
world-famous millennia
after his death. This
book examines Alexander's
campaigns in detail and
his victories with the
help of maps,
illustrations and
reconstructions.

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£3.99

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The Pyramids - The Great
Mysteries Of Archaeology

This book unravels the
mystery behind the
pyramids of Egypt and
discover the civilization
that created these
magnificent structures.
Full colour photographs
of original artefacts,
sculptures, reliefs and
frescos bring the
pyramids to life. You can
learn about the
significance of the
pyramids, how they were
constructed and the
beautiful objects found
within. You can discover
more about the kings and
queens of Egypt, how
they lived and their
beliefs about life and
death. You can unearth
the story of the
discovery of the pyramids
and find out what can be
seen at the historical
site today.

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£3.99

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Civilizations Of The Ancient
World - A Visual Sourcebook

Civilizations of the
Ancient World offers a
uniquely visual approach
to exploring the cultures
of the key civilizations
of ancient times. By
combining historic
engravings with a modern
commentary that is at
once authoritative and
accessible, it creates
both a visual celebration
and invaluable reference
for all students of early
history. The main section
of the book focuses on
ancient Egypt,
Mesopotamia, Rome and
Greece, offering a
detailed exposition of
each in turn through
thematic spreads
depicting many aspects of
their cultures.
Government, society,
war, religion, work,
leisure, shelter, food,
costume and daily life
are all unveiled in vivid
detail through carefully
designed compositions of
both coloured and
monotone engravings. A
second section features
timelines, maps and
overviews of the other
key civilizations that
were flourishing
throughout the world at
that time. Thus the
reader is offered both a
close-up view of the four
major peoples who hold an
endless fascination for
modern readers, plus a
broader panorama of the
global cultures that
shaped the ancient world.

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Hieroglyph Detective: How To
Decode The Sacred Language Of
The Ancient Egyptians

Egyptian hieroglyphs have
long fascinated people
the world over, though
traditionally only
specially trained
scholars have been able
to unlock their esoteric
secrets. In Hieroglyph
Detective, renowned
Egyptologist Nigel
Strudwick offers a
historical background for
the symbols as he takes
the reader on a visual
tour of museums around
the world and provides
step-by-step instructions
on how to decipher
inscriptions from ancient
Egyptian tombs and
temples. This hands-on
field guide contains
everything one needs to
uncover age-old mysteries
like a true detective!

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Ancient Greek Myths

The stories of ancient
Greece are still as vivid
as they always were. This
book retells in words and
pictures five of the
greatest stories ever
told: "Jason and the
Argonauts", The Twelve
Labours of Heracles, The
Trojan War, The Voyage of
Odysseus (Ulysses), and
"The Adventures of
Perseus". Each section
begins with an
introduction to the
characters to make the
story easier to follow.
This book includes 'Ask
the Storyteller' for
extra information as the
tale unfolds. It contains
a detailed glossary and a
full index.

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£3.99

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Tutankhamun - The Great
Mysteries Of Archaeology

Gaze at the beauty and
splendour of
Tutankhamun's tomb and
relive the moment of its
discovery. Full colour
photographs of original
artefacts, sculptures,
reliefs and frescos bring
the fascinating tomb to
life. Discover more about
the Kings of Egypt during
the 18th dynasty, how
they lived and ruled over
the Egyptian people.
Learn about the Valley of
the Kings and the
significance of cities
such as Luxor and Tebe to
the ancient Egyptians.
Unearth the story of the
discovery of the tomb of
Tutankhamun in 1922 and
find out where you can
see its stunning
treasures today.

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The Great Pharoahs

Apart from the universal
fame that Tutankhamun and
Ramesses II share, and
the proximity of the
periods in which they
lived, the reigns and
figures of the two
pharaohs have nothing in
common. These two rulers
are presented in this
two-part volume,
dedicated to one of the
most dynamic and
magnificent periods of
Ancient Egypt's history.
It is written by the
famous Egyptologist
T.G.H. James and
illustrated by renowned
photographers and
includes reconstructive
drawings that bring to
life the pomp and drama
of an age that will never
be 'lost'.

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£9.99

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The Men Who Mapped The
World/The Treasures Of
Cartography

The Men Who Mapped the
World takes you on a
journey through the
history of cartography
and is essentially a
history of the world and
how its territories were
discovered and explored.
Maps have been an
integral part of the way
humans have lived for
approximately 8, 000
years. The first accurate
maps were produced in
Ancient Babylonia. The
earliest world map is the
Babylonian World Map,
which is symbolic and not
an exact representation.
It deliberately doesn't
include the Persians or
the Egyptians. The
Ancient Greeks also
produced maps, although
they were mostly
imaginary reconstructions
of the world. Maps have
been crucial in the
development of empires,
have helped to win wars,
and have encouraged man
to venture further than
his or her known
boundaries. Beautifully
illustrated, The Men Who
Mapped the World is a
fascinating look at how
the science of
cartography developed,
how maps are used not
just for getting from A
to B, and why
cartography is so
important to our history
of the world and the
world we live in.
Nowadays, we take the
use of Sat Nav and Google
maps for granted, but
this book reflects on the
fact that it all began
with human imagination
and the desire for
knowledge.

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Tutankhamens Curse - The
Developing History Of An
Egyptian King

Details: Ninety years
ago, Howard Carter
discovered Tutankhamen's
mummy lying, surrounded
by grave goods, in a
virtually intact tomb in
the Valley of the Kings.
Egyptology would never be
the same again.
Tutankhamen's Curse
approaches the story of
the lost king and his
development into a
cultural icon with fresh
eyes. Stripping away the
layers of modern myths
that threaten to obscure
the king, it uses the
evidence from his tomb to
reconstruct a family and
a history for
Tutankhamen.
Tutankhamen's Curse is
designed to appeal to the
widest of readerships,
from general readers and
history fans to students
of Egyptology and
archaeology. Ideal for:
Those interested in
Egyptian history and also
those who wish to learn
more and more about this
amazing part of the
history. This paperback
book has 316 pages and
measures: 20 x 13 x 2cm

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Treasures Of The Buddha

The greatest art and
monuments of Asian
Buddhism, portrayed in
more than 160 superb
colour photographs -
including exquisite
devotional paintings and
manuscript illuminations,
colossal statues and
sculptures, ornate
mandalas, intricate
metalwork and fabulous
monasteries and temples.
Includes: Unrivalled
coverage of the great
Buddhist sites -
including the sculpted
caves of Ajanta and
Ellora in India, the
three-dimensional mandala
and temple-mountain of
Borobudur in Java, the
gilded monuments of the
Sukhotai rulers in
Thailand and the
stone-carved microcosm of
the universe at Angkor,
one-time heart of the
Khmer Empire. Traces the
growth of the various
schools of Buddhism and
reveals the diversity of
Buddhist art and
practices in a range of
cultures across the
continent of Asia. Shows
examples of superb
craftsmanship, with a
fascinating commentary on
the motifs and symbols
depicted, and the
underlying beliefs.

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Chronicle Of The Roman
Republic - The Rulers Of
Ancient Rome From Romulus To
Augustus

New in paperback, here
is a highly readable
account of 56 of the
extraordinary characters
whose lives were the
defining threads in the
great adventure and final
tragedy that was the
Roman Republic. In this
history we see the best
and worst of the Roman
?lite superstitious,
brutal and utterly
uncompromising, but
often men of great honour
and principle. This
highly readable and
authoritative account is
ideal for home or school
reference, and as a
companion to the
bestselling Chronicle of
the Roman Emperors.

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Realm Of The Pharaohs

In this superbly
illustrated volume,
distinguished
Egyptologist Zahi Hawass
guides readers through
the architectural
landscape of ancient
Egypt, from the houses
and palaces of the living
to the temples of the
gods to the tombs of the
dead. Hundreds of
photographs and a
compelling text unveil
the mysteries of
pharaonic Egypt as
unearthed through major
excavations, revealing
fresh insight into how
the ancient Egyptians
lived, how they prepared
for death, and how they
perceived their own place
within the universe. The
Realm of the Pharaohs
takes readers on a tour
of the most important
sites of ancient Egypt
from the Pyramids at Giza
to Abu Simbel to the
Valley of the Kings. It
recounts the history of
the most famous kings and
queens and shares details
of the everyday lives of
the people. Presented in
a handsome slipcase,
this book is made all the
more compelling by the
inclusion of the author's
personal archaeological
adventures.

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£12.99

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Emperors Of Rome

In 27 BC Octavian was
proclaimed emperor by the
Roman Senate and given
the title 'Augustus'. He
ruled over an Empire that
embraced the territories
of 25 some modern
countries and had more
than 50 million subjects.
Its provinces stretched
from Hadrian's Wall in
the North to Egypt in the
South, and from Portugal
in the West to Syria in
the East. Emperors of
Rome charts the 500 years
that followed the triumph
of Augustus, during
which Rome reached
heights of economic
prosperity and cultural
achievement, but also
plumbed depths of
anarchy, cruelty and
chaos. It profiles the
greatest and most
notorious of the emperors
- the autocratic
Augustus, the feeble
Claudius, the vicious
Nero, the beneficent
Marcus Aurelius, the
maniac Commodus. But
these colourful accounts
of the Emperors are just
part of a wider narrative
charting the vicissitudes
and ultimate decline of
the Roman polity. All of
the key events of Roman
imperial history are
described here, from the
Golden Age of Augustus to
the destruction of
Pompeii, from the
reorganization of the
Empire under Diocletian
in 284 to the division of
the Empire into Eastern
and Western halves in
395, and from
Constantine's Edict of
Milan of 313 to the sack
of Rome by the Visigoths
in 410.

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Fortune And Glory - Tales Of
History's Greatest
Archaeological Adventurers

Fortune & Glory follows
the exploits of the
intrepid and sometimes
piratical adventurers who
put life, limb and
reputation at risk in the
discovery of some of the
world's best-known
historical monuments.From
4004BC to the 21st
century, Fortune & Glory
chronicles all of the
major discoveries these
awe-inspiring explorers
have made, through vivid
first-hand accounts,
maps, images and
captivating commentary.
Learn about the evidence
of our ancestors and the
birth of man,
explorations and
adventures in the
classical world and
empires in Egypt and
Africa. Follow Howard
Carter into the tomb of
Tutankhamun, Hiram
Bingham into the lost
city of Machu Picchu,
and discover how Heinrich
Schliemann turned myth
into history when he
found the legendary city
of Troy. From early
mavericks and amateurs to
the science of modern
archaeology, Fortune &
Glory will make you
marvel at the courage,
vision, resourcefulness,
innovation and
perseverence of the
real-life Indiana
Joneses.

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A Brief Guide To Celtic Myths
And Legends - Brief Histories

A very readable guide
which fills the gap
between academic analysis
and less critical
retellings of the myths
and legends. Marytn
Whittock provides an
accessible overview while
also assessing the
current state of research
regarding the origins and
significance of the
myths. Since all records
of the myths first occur
in the early medieval
period, the focus is on
the survival of
pre-Christian mythology
and the interactions of
the early Christian
writers with these myths.
A wide-ranging and
enthralling introduction
to Celtic mythology,
from the Irish gods
before gods, the
Fomorians, to the
children of Llyr, the
sea deity; from the
hunter-warrior Fionn mac
Cumhaill, whose exploits
are chronicled in the
Fenian Cycle, to C?
Chulainn, the Hound of
Ulster; and from the
Welsh heroes of the
Mabinogion to Arthur,
King of Britain, though
the mythical, Welsh
version who predates the
medieval legends.

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Fighting Ships

Beginning with Ramses III
dramatic defeat of the
sea people in 1176 BC -
the worlds earliest
visual record of a naval
battle - Fighting Ships
tells the story of 3000
years of maritime history
through 150 glorious
images. From the Greeks,
Phoenicians and Romans to
the coming of the age of
sail, here are
breathtaking depictions
of ancient triremes and
Viking longships, the
Santa Maria and the
Spanish Armada, as well
as Henry VIII giant
carracks and the majestic
three-decked warships of
Louis IV that patrolled
the Mediterranean.
Arranged chronologically,
this sumptuous
collection of grand-scale
images brings together
the earliest carvings on
temple walls and the
world-famous Bayeux
tapestry, with exquisite
depictions by the
greatest artists,
including TintorettoThe
Capture of
Constantinople,
Brueghel. The Fall of
Icarus, Vasari The
Battle of Lepanto in 1571
and Samuel Scott The
Capture of Puerto Bello.
Here too are striking
portraits of key
historical figures, such
as Columbus, Raleigh and
Drake, alongside ship
plans, drawings,
engravings and artefacts
rescued from the wrecks
themselves. Maritime
historian Sam Willis
recounts famous battles,
voyages of conquest and
tales of triumph and
defeat at sea. He not
only reveals the secrets
of naval strategy and
ship design, but also
sheds fascinating light
on the lives of the great
men that commanded their
fleets, as well as on
the heroism and hardship
of life on board for the
ordinary sailor.

Availability: In Stock

£13.99

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