The Past from Above

by Charlotte Trumpler

Now available in paperback, The Past From Above presents stunning aerial photographs of 250 of the world's foremost archaeological sites. The photographer, Georg Gerster, has been shooting ancient sites from the air for more than fifty years. In this current collection, his subjects range from
the temple complex at Karnak to the Great Wall of China, and from the Acropolis in Athens to Aztec palaces in Mexico. Gerster's photographs are technical achievements--often produced under hair-raising circumstances--in their own right but at the same time offer a unique visual history of mankind
stretching back to the dawn of civilization. Charlotte Trumpler introduces the photographs with an overview of the critical role that aerial photography has played in archaeological research.

Genres: History, Photography, Nonfiction, Travel, Coffee Table Books

Hardcover

First published May 17, 2005

Reviews

[Peter Tillman · Rating 5 out of 5]

It would be difficult to over-praise this monumental book, which represents a lifetime of work by aerial photographer Georg Gerster. 249 archaeological sites in 51 countries! Photographed in color, and reproduced to the standards of its 2005 publication date. This really is an essential book for anyone interested in archaeology.

About the only drawbacks are its weight (almost 6 pounds!), which preclude bedtime reading. All that weight is hard on the binding, and the well-worn library copy in front of me needs some repair work.

Here's a good professional review:
http://bmcr.brynmawr.edu/2005/2005-09...

[Michael Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Aerial photographs began being taken in the mid-19th century, from tethered hot-air balloons, but it was a very iffy business. Among other things, the balloon gondola had to include a darkroom because the glass plates of the time couldn’t wait the photographer to return to earth. The invention of the airplane in the early 20th century made things much simpler in a technical sense, but also more complicated when it came to politics and borders. Most of the earliest aerial photos of archaeological sites were a byproduct of World War I reconnaissance flights, and some of the first locations surveyed no longer exist at all, or not in their earlier form. You’ll find all the details of this early history in an introductory chapter, along with Gerster’s reminiscences of his own often hair-brained aeronautical adventures with a camera. (No, he never acquired a pilot’s license.)

The main section of this large, heavy, glossy book is organized into ten topical chapters covering settlement types, royal residences, fortifications, battlefields, cemeteries and gravesites, sacred sites, monumental carvings in the land itself, and natural resources, with two more chapters on the scourge of looting and on sites later lost to dams and such, or saved at practically the last minute. There’s a final chapter on the rescue of the statues of Rameses at Aswan, which Gerster documented for the National Geographic Society. Altogether, there are some 250 large-format color photos of subjects ranging from famous places like the Athenian Acropolis, the Great Wall of China, Avebury, and Temple Mount in Jerusalem, to much less well-known ones like the prehistoric settlement of Yoshinogari on Kyushu, the Sigiriya palace in Sri Lanka, the Blythe Giant in southeast California, and the ancient Tell Brak in Syria. Each photo includes a pretty detailed explanation of what you’re looking at, but these are set on separate pages, to allow the photos as much space on their own page as possible. Even if you’re the sort of person who (like me) reads a lot of armchair archaeology, I guarantee at least one-third to one-half of these sites will be new to you. Find a comfortable chair and settle in for the weekend.

[Cat. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very cool book. I must admit I didn't read much of the text. It was educational to see some "old favorite" archaeological sites from the air, however, just to get a sense of how they fit into the surrounding landscape. Some can only be seen from above, anyway, but others (like Stonehenge, for example) look really small when viewed from the air. I never realized how big "The Forum" is in Rome; there are several Fora and they inside courtyards and separated by buildings now.

The colors were amazing, too. The browns and tans of the Middle East, the greens of Japan and Burma, the grays and sagebrush of the Southwestern U.S. and Mexico. Lovely.

[L · Rating 5 out of 5]

This fascinating book inspired hours of awe, wonder, even sadness (over the amazing archeology of Syria that has possibly been destroyed forever). The marvels of ancient and even recent man are evident from the photos of 6 continents. Informative, short articles highlight each photo.

[Walt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really good photographs and brief descriptions.