The 50 Greatest Prehistoric Sites of the World
Reviewed By Ian Banks December 17, 2017
Author Barry Stone
Distributor: Allen and Unwin
ISBN: 9781785782350
Publisher: Icon Books
Release Date: September 2017
Website: https://www.allenandunwin.com
FaceBook:
YouTube:
Instagram:
X formally Twitter:
During the advent and reign of what can be termed as modern man, the death and destruction caused is like none other before in many aspects; none so apparent as the carelessness and greed that has seen the desecration and destruction of many of the prehistory sites, which offer a glimpse into the evolution of man and society.
As each of the sites detailed in this collection were discovered, many where pillaged, the items seen as treasures to be hidden away in private collections, sites where destroyed in the name of war or progress resulting in much of history lost forever.
But on the plus side, the sites that do remain, that have been carefully documented and preserved, researched and investigated, are able to tell a majestic story about our ancestors, our pre-history; how long they were around, the tools they used, the cultivation of crops, the various cultures in existence over many centuries, manufacturing and trading. The aspects of a life and civilization that consisted of people much like modern man, people who simply went about living their lives, working, bearing children, dying and being buried.
As scientific techniques improve, far more has and is being discovered and pieced together, creating a detailed map of the human journey ranging from the Middle Bronze Age forward.
Sites such as Newgrange, Stonehenge, Avebury, and the hypogeum of Hal-Saflieni have much to tell, but also hold their secrets well, more often than not raising far more questions that are ever answered with the discovery of the woolly mammoths of Wrangel Island, Arctic Ocean, Eastern Siberia being simply one of the recently amazingly puzzling examples.
These pre-history sites contain many images left by the former inhabitants telling of their culture, such as the cave paintings of the indigenous Australians, which were used for many purposes, to the Cueva De Las Manos cave paintings in Argentina consisting of more than 800 hand prints stencilled more than 9,000 years ago.
As more sites are discovered the information collected is growing to form a fascinating record of our ancestors ranging from the isles of Scotland to the jungles of Thailand, the ancient sites of Greece, Egypt, the mystery of Easter Island and Australia. Who were these people, how and when did they arrive, appear, and how did they learn the skills they used on a daily basis, will keep archaeologists digging and discovering for many years to come.
Comprehensive answers will perhaps never be discovered as each new site brings forth a more complex collection of facts.
None-the-less in this wonderful collection of the most well-known 50 sites, Barry Stone has presented a fascinating look at each of the locations which will answer some questions, as always with archaeological discoveries raise many more and offers a comprehensive guide to these places, should you decided to set out on a pilgrimage to pay homage to those who have gone before.