From Black Land To Fifth Sun
The Science Of Sacred Sites
- Paperback
416 pages
- Release Date
9 April 1999
Summary
Until recently, archaeology was concerned mainly with piecing together the material lives of our ancestors. In this ground-breaking book, master storyteller and respected archaeologist Brian Fagan explains how cutting-edge science can now take us beyond the artifacts, into the mystical realm of shamans and spirit mediums, ancestor worship, and ritual sacrifice. From the Nile’s black land to the Aztec’s world of the Fifth Sun, from Stonehenge to Jericho, Fagan describes how Accelerator Mass Spectrometry, Geographic Information Systems, Computer Automated Design-mapping and other sophisticated scientific methods are helping us to decode the religious and spiritual beliefs of our forebears. This new archaeology of the mind” blends a wealth of scientific disciplines, from botany, zoology, and geology to neuropsychology, palynology, and nuclear physics. With vivid imagery and a transporting voice, Fagan revolutionizes our understanding of the inner lives of ancient people.
Book Details
| ISBN-13: | 9780738201412 |
|---|---|
| ISBN-10: | 0738201413 |
| Author: | Brian Fagan |
| Publisher: | Basic Books |
| Imprint: | Basic Books |
| Format: | Paperback |
| Number of Pages: | 416 |
| Release Date: | 9 April 1999 |
| Weight: | 574g |
| Dimensions: | 23mm x 155mm x 227mm |
| Series: | Helix Books |
You Can Find This Book In
Critics Review
“A personal, passionate account of fascinating problems…Nobody does this kind of book better than Fagan, who is a master of the fluent, readable, and informative account of archaeological investigation.”–New Scientist
“Fagan’s pilgrimage…takes us on an often gripping first-person tour of the world’s past, and his excitement in surveying these areas for himself is almost palpable. But the real focus here is on the science… and its invaluable contribution to painstaking reconstructions of the time frames and available materials of various eras.”–Publishers Weekly
“Fagan’s synthesis takes the reader on an enlightening journey…educating us about methods, theories, and inferences…Fagan blends science and archaeology to add a new dimension to our understanding of sacred places.”–Science Books and Films
“The stories are fresh, the insights dramatic, and Fagan tells the unfolding drama with verve…This is Fagan at his best.”–Nature
Brian Fagan
Brian Fagan is Emeritus Professor of Anthropology at the University of California, Santa Barbara. A former Guggenheim Fellow, he has written many internationally acclaimed popular books about archaeology, including The Little Ice Age, Floods, Famines, and Emperors, and The Long Summer. He lives in Santa Barbara, California.
Returns
This item is eligible for free returns within 30 days of delivery. See our returns policy for further details.