Books in Technology in the Ancient World series

A six-million-year-old jaw bone in Ethiopia proves to be a piece of the earliest hominid discovered-so far. Big Mama, who used a tree branch to escape from a zoo in Holland, is found sipping chocolate milk at a local restaurant. Nandy, a 50,000-year-old skeleton surrounded by flower pollen in Iraq, casts doubt on the beastly reputation of an early hominid. Found frozen in the Alps, �tzi reveals what people in Europe ate 5,000 years ago. Ardipithecus ramidus kadabba, a chimpanzee, a Neandertal, and the Iceman are just some of the characters who make up The Early Human World.Peter Robertshaw and Jill Rubalcaba tell the story of early human life using an incredible variety of primary sources: 3.5-million-year-old footprints preserved by a volcano provide evidence of our ancestors' walking on two legs. Stone flakes fashioned 2 million years ago prove early hominids used tools. Bears, lions, and rhinoceroses painted in a cave 30,000 years ago reveal our ancestors' artistic side. An 8,500-year-old dog grave shows the extraordinarily long history of man's best friend. This evidence helps archaeologists decipher not just how we came to be the Homo sapiens we are today, but also what life may have been like for our earliest ancestors. The first Australians encountered freakishly gigantic beasts: kangaroos as big as houses and tortoises the size of cars. The Sahara Desert was once a fertile land, supporting herds of cattle, sheep, and goats. The Early Human World takes readers to sites around the world as archaeologists piece together the clues to our past.

Thousands of years ago, in what is now Guatemala, Belize, and southern Mexico, the Mayan people began to build one of history's greatest civilizations.This book details the history of the Mayan people, from the settlement of their earliest villages and farms to their demise at the hands of the Spanish in the 16th century. Readers (Grades 6-9) will discover how Mayan culture grew and developed over time and how these remarkable people continue to influence the world today.

Western literature, philosophy, medicine, and astronomy all have roots in the science and technology of ancient Greece. The Greeks' unparalleled achievements in the technology of writing, construction, warfare, and medicine are covered in this book, in which readers will learn about such creations as the Greek temple, amphitheater, water clock, phalanx, trireme, and catapult. Supports history-social science content standards mandating student understanding of the origins and influence of agricultural, technological, and commercial developments in key ancient civilizations. Broadens student understanding of the relationship among science, technology, and society by highlighting how major scientific and mathematical discoveries and technological innovations have affected societies throughout history.

The ancient Romans road-building technology was so good, some of their roads are still being used! Considered in the context of their other famous construction triumphssuch as the Colosseum and Hadrians Wallthe Roman roads are just a small piece of their technological stamp on the world. Readers will be fascinated by the many modern innovations the Romans had a hand in developing, including running toilets and the 365-day calendar. As each section focuses on a new topic, such as the Romans farming technology, sidebars add fun facts and detail to flesh out knowledge readers encounter in the classroom. Present-day photographs of artifacts and existing structures enhance the main historical content while a timeline concisely summarizes the major events of ancient Rome. Readers will be immersed in ancient Roman cultureand want to know even more!

The Student Study Guides are important and unique components that are available for each of the books in The World in Ancient Times series. Each of the Student Study Guides is designed to be used with the main text at school or sent home for homework assignments. The activities in the Student Study guide will help students get the most out of their history books. Each student study guide includes a chapter-by-chapter two-page lesson that uses a variety of interesting activities to help a student master history and develop important reading and study skills.

Students may have heard of papyrus and the pyramids, but this insightful book outlines many of the lesser known technological advancements that were the product of a fiercely creative, intelligent, and inventive ancient society. Covering such things as mummification and elaborate tombs, The Technology of Ancient Egypt is sure to keep students on the edge of their seats. Some scholars believe that more than half of the basic inventions on which today's world depends came from ancient China. The ancient Chinese made the first iron plows in the world and also invented the wheelbarrow, the seismograph, and many other invaluable things. Readers will learn about the many technologies that the Chinese created or improved upon. Supports history-social science content standards mandating student understanding of the origins and influence of agricultural, technological, and commercial developments in key ancient civilizations. Broadens student understanding of the relationship among science, technology, and society by highlighting how major scientific and mathematical discoveries and technological innovations have affected societies throughout history.