Disgraceful Archaeology: Or Things You Shouldn't Know about the History of Mankind

by Paul G. Bahn, Bill Tidy

The book that all archaeology buffs have secretly been yearning for! This unique blend of text, anecdote and cartoon reveals, and revels in, thse aspects of the past that have been ignored, glossed over or even suppressed - the bawdy, the scatological and the downright bizarre. Our ancestors were not always serious, downtrodden and fearful creatures. They were human like ourselves and shared our earthy sense of humour that is based on bodily functions, bawdiness and slapstick. So it's time to take the fig leaf off the past and have a long, hard look at the real past - the world that would have had the Victorians reaching for their smelling salts. So if you want to know what your average Egyptian slave thought of pharoah, or a Roman legionary thought of his commander, you will find the answer in Disgraceful Archaeology - in hilarious graphic detail!

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Humor, Archaeology, Science

172 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 1, 1999

About the author

Paul G. Bahn is a British archaeologist, translator, writer and broadcaster who has published extensively on a range of archaeological topics, with particular attention to prehistoric art. He is a contributing editor to Archaeology magazine.

Reviews

[Sleepy Boy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Basically Horrible Histories but for adults. More focused on the sexual side of things. Not bad for some chuckles and cringes. The lay out was a bit rushed honestly it felt like. Things just ran together. Would have liked more set up or background in spots.

[Tania · Rating 2 out of 5]

boring and incoherent

[Margaret · Rating 4 out of 5]

Delightful little book covering various oddities, mostly of a sexual nature, from our remote past. Wittily illustrated by English cartoonist Bill Tidy.

[Emmie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was sniggering and saying OMG in equal measure while reading this book. It is about all those dirty little secrets that the stuffy museums and archaeologists does not want us to know about! So interesting. These books make history come alive...

[Nigel kimber · Rating 4 out of 5]

A 'Horrible Histories ' for adults.

Ever wondered what the 'possible' health benefits are from the use of excrement & urine (human or animal) for medical treatment or love potions? If so there is a chapter in this book you might enjoy?
An interesting book of bizarre (to us) facts of what our ancestors got up to back in the day.
Trawl back through time and find out loads of weird things accompanied by some wonderful cartoons by Bill Tidy.
4 stars

[Alexandra · Rating 2 out of 5]

Some parts where interesting and entertaining, but most of it was cherry picking and sensationalising the past based on our current world view. It’s meant to be funny but I feel a lot of the topics deserved more respect.

[Victoria · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was something different to what I would usually read. A bit of fun really, nothing special, just a quick read, which came in handy whilst I was waiting for my mum to have a procedure done in hospital. I read it there and then, in one sitting.
It’s a bit like an adult version of Horrible Histories. The book gives bite sized facts and pieces of information about the stranger parts of history, parts that are never really talked about. There’s lots of sexual escapades and toilet humour, but I found it all a bit dull if I’m honest.

[KL Caley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is like reading an adult version of Horrible Histories. It explores all the horrid, lurid and funny bits of history that the Victorians hoped to hide from the history books.
The authors’ writing styles are fun but still informative, not at all like a history textbook but something that can be read anytime or anywhere (although I will warn you, some parts really do make you laugh out loud). A few of the stories will have the male readers squirming uncomfortably too!
It’s a shame a lot of the material mentioned is locked away and un-visit-able. All in all a good fun read, for those not afraid to learn the real history of humankind in all its glory! Haha.

[Matt · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not much archaeology used as evidence in this book. It relies heavily on literary sources from Greece and Rome and doesn't often leave the classical world as it's topic. I would have liked more medieval topics to have been covered to warrant a 5 star review. Nevertheless, there were funny parts in the book.

[Crystal · Rating 1 out of 5]

I suppose I should have known by the cover that this wasn't going to be a booked based in real archaeology, but more conjecture from the ancient writings of Greece and Rome.

Read it if you want to distract yourself on a plane -- what I did -- but don't read it if you want a concise, factual book about ancient cultural practices.

I also didn't find it that funny.

[Ariana Deralte · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an entertaining and quick read with intriguing references to various things you'll be surprised to know about history. The comics don't always add to the book, but they're bearable. My only wish would be for some footnotes.

[Simon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun, but a little too reliant upon written sources that may not be accurate.

For example the story about the Spanish Gallic tribes brushing their teeth with urine is pure Roman propaganda, and almost certainly not true.

[Liam Ostermann · Rating 1 out of 5]

A load of stories, most with a sexual dimension, vaguely related to history and tangentially archaeology but honestly it is rather trite and stupid. If you found it in a doctor's waiting room it would pass the time. But spend money on it? I don't think so.

[Amanda · Rating 2 out of 5]

I liked the start of this, but it became less interesting as it went along. I also didn't find it funny. Shouldn't have bothered bringing it home from the library.