Books in Echoes of the ancient world series

Thousands of years ago, a variety of civilizations developed throughout the land we now know as China. Over time, they grew and changed, eventually forming a single empire. This title details the details the birth and development of ancient China, from its earliest days to its transition into more modern times. Readers will learn about ancient Chinese religion and culture and discover how the work of ancient Chinese scholars and inventors continues to affect our world today.

Want to speak Hittite? Hold out a glass and ask for “wa-tar.” This unique activity book for children ages nine and up shows what life was like among the Nubians, Mesopotamians, Hittites, and their neighbors the Egyptians from around 3100 B.C., when Upper and Lower Egypt became one kingdom, to the death of Queen Cleopatra under the Romans, in 30 B.C. Projects such as building a Nubian irrigation machine, creating a Mesopotamian cylinder seal out of clay, making kilts like those worn by Egyptian boys and men, and writing in Hittite cuneiform help young readers to connect with these ancient cultures and see how profoundly they have influenced our own.

Throughout history, many civilizations have sprung up and later disappeared in the land we now call India.This book charts the rise and fall of these civilizations, exploring their governments, culture, and geography. Readers (Grades 6-9) will also discover how archaeologists have uncovered artifacts to learn about these ancient peoples and how the discoveries and innovations of Ancient India continue to influence the world today.

Discover Mesopotamia, the world's first civilization.Over ten thousand years ago, humans began settling in the land between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers in what is now southwestern Asia. Over time, these early settlements grew into Mesopotamia, the world's first civilization. Readers (Grades -9) will discover the long history of this incredible civilization and the incredible impact it had on the development of the world as we know it today.

Children can try their hand at re-creating ancient Israelite culture—along with the cultures of their neighbors, the Philistines and Phoenicians—in a way that will provide perspective on current events. The book covers a key period from the Israelites’ settlement in Canaan in 1200 B.C.E. to their return from exile in Babylonia in 538 B.C.E. This part of the Middle East—no larger than modern-day Michigan—was the birthplace of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. More than 35 projects include stomping grapes into juice, building a model Phoenician trading ship, making a Philistine headdress, and writing on a broken clay pot. Israelites', Phoenicians', and Philistines' writing and languages, the way they built their homes, the food they ate, the clothes they wore, and the work they did, and of course, their many interesting stories, are all explored.

Intended for ages 8-14, this fascinating new book describes how Japan grew from rule by local chieftains to an emperor-led nation with many noble families competing for prominence. Beautiful spreads and full-colour photographs unveil Japan's rich history and the people who struggled to make it their own. Topics include: wet rice cultivation; trade with other cultures, their influence, and isolation in the 17th century; from early pit dwellings to the development of castle towns; nature worship, the rise of Shinto, and Buddhism and Confucianism; life as a samurai warrior; sword making and pottery; and herbal medicine.

Recounts the involvement of Odysseus and the other Greek heroes in the Trojan War and the hardships and adventures endured by Odysseus on his way home from the war. Site reconstructions, photographs, and other archeological evidence depict the civilization of the Greek world at the time of this legendary story.Describes the events of "The Iliad" and "The Odyssey," with details on the Greek and Trojan way of life at the time

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.

This volume is a concise introduction to the history and culture of the Huns. This ancient people had a famous reputation in Eurasian Late Antiquity. However, their history has often been evaluated as a footnote in the histories of the later Roman Empire and early Germanic peoples. Kim addresses this imbalance and challenges the commonly held assumption that the Huns were a savage people who contributed little to world history, examining striking geopolitical changes brought about by the Hunnic expansion over much of continental Eurasia and revealing the Huns' contribution to European, Iranian, Chinese and Indian civilization and statecraft. By examining Hunnic culture as a Eurasian whole, The Huns provides a full picture of their society which demonstrates that this was a complex group with a wide variety of ethnic and linguistic identities. Making available critical information from both primary and secondary sources regarding the Huns' Inner Asian origins, which would otherwise be largely unavailable to most English speaking students and Classical scholars, this is a crucial tool for those interested in the study of Eurasian Late Antiquity.

The definitive guide to the life of the first woman to play a major role in Greek political history, this is the first modern biography of Olympias. Presenting a critical assessment of a fascinating and wholly misunderstood figure, Elizabeth Carney penetrates myth, fiction and sexual politics and conducts a close examination of Olympias through historical and literary sources, and brings her to life as she places the figure in the context of her own ancient, brutal political world. Individual examinations look at: the role of Greek religion in Olympias' life literary and artistic traditions about Olympias found throughout the later ancient periods varying representations of Olympias found in the major ancient sources. An absolutely compelling read for students, scholars, and anyone with an interest in Greek, Classical, or women’s history.