Publisher's Synopsis
Using maps as a starting point, this atlas shows the reader what life was like in ancient times and illustrates the achievements of the great civilizations that have influenced and shaped our modern world, from daily life and literature and the arts, through to religious beliefs and technology.;A visual study of past cultures is provided continent by continent. The atlas covers not only the classical civilizations of the Mediterranean, such as the Greeks and the Romans, but also traces the rise and fall of cultures as diverse as the Chinese T'ang, the Mexican Aztecs, and the Polynesians.;Each civilization is illustrated by a detailed map, showing major cities, buildings and scenes from everyday life. Accompanying colour photographs reveal artefacts, archaeological sites and other reminders of the past that have survived to the present day.;One can learn facts, such as who invented the wheel, how mummies were embalmed, and how long it took to build the Great Wall of China.