Smithsonian Timelines of the Ancient World

by Chris Scarre

Tracks the advance of history from human origins to the Renaissance in all parts of the world simultaneously, through specially designed time charts featuring full-color photographs of fascinating artifacts from a diversity of cultures. 35,000 first printing.

Genres: History, Reference, Nonfiction, Ancient History, The World, Adult

256 pages, Hardcover

First published September 15, 1993

Reviews

[Mark · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting overview of the history of the ancient world from 4,600 million years ago to 1500 A.D. The book is a large coffee table style book with lots of photographs illustrating highlights from a big chunk of ancient history. Despite the title, only one page is actually devoted to 4600 million years ago, then it jumps right to a 410 million years ago. The first two chapters give the highlights of origins of life with interesting photos of fossil remains and artwork of the earliest forms of plant and animal life. By the time the book gets to Chapter 3, it traces the dawn of man from 100,000 to 35,000 years ago. By the nature of the book, nothing is covered in depth, but it does give a beginners or refresher course on how man evolved with maps, photos and illustration of early tools and fossils.

In Chapter 6, early civilization begins to take shape between 8000 and 5000 BC. The book illustrates from hereon changes in five major locations, The Americas (both North and South), Africa, Middle East, Asia and Australia and Europe. Through photographs and illustrations the changes in four major categories are followed. Food & Environment, Shelter and Architecture, Technology and Innovation, and Art & Ritual (ritual typically included religion).

Anyone looking for a rise and fall of nations will not find it here. Although Egypt, Rome, Greece and other important cultures are looked at, this book gives an overall look at mankind rather than the rise and fall of any particular nation or culture. Nonetheless it was quite fascinating.

It was interesting to see the spread of humanity, the changes in art and architecture and the overall way of life as time moved forward. The books final chapter is 1450 to 1500 AD. It was interesting to see a big picture overview of man's development.

[John Dinyari · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful but looses global relevance by denoting the latter 8/10th of the book in BC & AD time scale. This inconsistent denotation takes away from the beauty of the book and is an antiquated, unnecessary and confusing reference to time past.

[Joseph “The Researcher“ Paul Riley Fougere · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a good book. I recommend it to people who like timelines and prehistory and history and stuff. This Book Has timelines of prehistory and stuff history of man until 1500 ad. It shows rise of farming and culture from the first villages to big cities.And It shows progress in multiple countries of the world.I liked how it had human evolution and the prehistory days in it.
also I like the progress of humanity from stone to iron age.Culture and art over the ages has changed and it shows those changes.Yes I recommend it. To guys (guys is gender neutral) who are curious and want to read stuff about evolution and prehistory.I enjoyed this book and its history and information.thank you for listening.

[Fishface · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the coolest history books ever. Lets you know what was going on everywhere else while this or that well-known event, like the fall of Rome, was getting all the publicity. Allows the reader to match up events all over the world -- while this world leader was getting assassinated, these people over here had only just discovered fire, but these other guys over thataway were busy inventing the first bar of soap...

[Georgene · Rating 5 out of 5]

While this book was published 20 years ago, it is still a good source for how our world developed.

It is, because of much newer research, lacking in North American archaeology. However, I learned a LOT from reading this book. It is dense with information it is a big, oversized book. Thus it took me over 2 weeks to read it. But it was well worth the effort.

Not bad for $7.99 from Goodwill!

[Monica · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's a great reference book which I still use