Eyewitness to Discovery; first-person Accounts of more Than Fifty of the World's Greatest archaeological Discoveries

by Brian M. Fagan

Archaeology has an aura of romance and a long history of startling discoveries wrested from clinging soil. Indeed, patience and persistence can lead to spectacular finds, as they did for Howard Carter in November 1922. After seven years searching the Egyptian desert, Carter discovered the tomb of Tutankhamun, and in these vivid words he described what the tomb held in "At first I could see nothing, the hot air escaping from the chamber causing the candle flame to flicker, but presently, as my eyes grew accustomed to the light, details of the room within emerged slowly from the mist, strange animals, statues, and gold--everywhere the glint of gold."In Eyewitness to Discovery, Brian M. Fagan gathers together fifty-five vivid accounts of the world's greatest archaeological discoveries, from the tomb of Tutankhamun and the Aegean Marbles to Otzi the Iceman and Macchu Picchu, told by the people who discovered them. The selections chronicle the development of the field, from the early 1700s when archaeology was little more than a lighthearted treasure hunt, to the late twentieth century when discoveries often come not only from spectacular excavations, but also from the screens of computers or from the analysis of pollen grains invisible to the naked eye. Fagan provides engaging, informative introductions to each selection, as well as an introduction to the volume, that lays out the history of archaeology.But the heart of the book is the excitement of the discoveries themselves. We see how Arthur Evans found clues on Minoan seals in an Athens flea market that helped him discover the Palace of Knossos and a long forgotten early civilization; how Austen Henry Layard--one of the heroic archaeologists of the nineteenth century--discovered ancient Nineveh; and how General Napoléon Bonaparte's soldiers found the Rosetta Stone, one of the most important archaeological finds in history, in the Nile Delta in 1799. And we read how, in 1974, Don Johanson, while working in the center of the Afar desert in Ethiopia--a wasteland of bare rock, gravel, and sand--happened upon the oldest, most complete skeleton of any human ancestor that had ever been Lucy, approximately 3.5 million years old.Archaeological discovery unveils the past and brings us face to face with the triumphs and tragedies of those who have gone before. This book is a celebration of archaeological discoveries, and the men and women who made them.Brian M. Fagan gathers together 58 vivid accounts of the world's greatest archaeological discoveries, from the tomb of Tutankhamun and the Aegean Marbles to Otzi the Iceman and Machu Picchu, as told by the people who discovered them. The selections chronicle developments in this field. Includes 72 photos, 12 in color. Map and chronological table.

Genres: History, Archaeology, Nonfiction, Anthropology, Science, Cultural, Adventure

Paperback

First published January 30, 1997

About the author

Brian Murray Fagan was a British author of popular archaeology books and a professor emeritus of Anthropology at the University of California, Santa Barbara.

Reviews

[Katharine Holden · Rating 3 out of 5]

Choppy, oddly edited, and oddly arranged collection of excerpts. Contrary to the promise in the title, several excerpts are not first person. The author's introductions vary widely in writing quality and factual help. Meager illustrations, muddy reproduction. Still, there are two excerpts by female archaeologists I had never heard of, and I read the book cover to cover.

[Leslie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful book with incredible and little known archaeological discoveries across all continents. Not only one of my favorite History Books- but one of my favorite books of all time.

[Frank McAdam · Rating 3 out of 5]

This would have been a much better book if it had had a more competent editor. As it is, the organization is poor, the introductions trite, and the excerpts generally too short to provide any real context. As for the excerpts themselves, they are not all first-person accounts, as advertised, but also contain secondary sources including one written by the editor himself. Their literary quality varies greatly as not all scientists, no matter how well qualified in their areas of expertise, possess sufficient writing ability to hold their audience's attention. Those excerpts which a reader will find most useful will depend upon his or her own interests. For me, the most fascinating was that which dealt with the excavation of Jericho simply for the immense age of the ruins discovered. If the carbon dating is correct, and there's no reason to think it isn't, the walls and tower of Jericho antedate the pyramids by several millennia.

[Sharon · Rating 4 out of 5]

It loses a star for the unnecessary, smug comments from the author about the incompatibility of Catholicism and science. (I'm guessing the Pontifical Academy of Archaeology doesn't exist.)

That being said, it's a great collection of primary sources. The writing styles from the discoverers vary from thrilling to tedious, but they're all worth trying.

[Jandro · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a thick, but satisfying read. It was like a highlight reel of three centuries of archaeology. It’s a great book to pick up and put down.

[Sarah Sammis]

Received as a Christmas gift.

[Jerry-Book · Rating 4 out of 5]

19th centuries greatest discoveries.

[Sarahandus · Rating 2 out of 5]

This seems to be about the people who made the discoveries and not about the discoveries them selves. Which is what I was interested in.