Uncovering Ancient World Wisdom
May 15, 2024
Grades 2-5 This engaging picture book uses 50 historical artifacts as entry points into 14 ancient civilizations. Many of the objects are rather mundane choices, such as cooking pots, figurines, tools, or pottery shards, and offer glimpses into how regular people, especially women and children, contributed to their communities. The text's fresh perspective emphasizes how these past cultures addressed social problems that still concern us today, including natural-resource conservation, sustainability, racial and gender equality, and trade regulations. Each entry runs four pages, with introductory material providing brief geographical and social context, followed by descriptions of four or five artifacts. Pages consist of detailed illustrations overlaid with text, captions, and sidebars. A final section offers a Q&A session with an archaeologist (""How do you know where to dig?"" and ""Do archaeologists make mistakes?"") and a glossary. The lack of source notes or a bibliography hinders this as a research tool, but the emphasis on diversity and inclusion makes this a noteworthy addition for social-studies, world-history, and STEM collections.
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Starred review from May 15, 2024
Focusing on 14 cultures spanning more than 40,000 years, archeologist Dave invites readers to "celebrate equality, inclusivity, and sustainability across the ancient world." Though many may assume that misogyny was pervasive in the ancient world, the author spotlights the hunter-gatherer society of �atalh�y�k (in what is now Turkey), where men and women were considered equals. While racist historians have stated that Black Africans weren't capable of great achievements, the author counters that claim by citing the city of Great Zimbabwe. Sustainability might sound like a more recent concept, but from 2500 to 1900 B.C.E., the inhabitants of the city of Mohenjo-daro, in modern-day Pakistan, drank rainwater and used an inspired sewage system that brought waste directly to farmers who used it to fertilize crops. Dave examines 50 artifacts that archeologists have studied to understand these cultures--for instance, small handprints on the walls of Chauvet prove that women and children created cave paintings. Dave's explanations are cogent and her content is fascinating and well supported; discussions of the ethics of archeology are especially noteworthy. At times, she strays into generalization (a heading states "Women Triumphed at the Ancient Olympic Games" when she presents evidence of one particular woman). Still, those who are familiar only with the history taught in textbooks will come away surprised and enlightened. Bright and cheerful illustrations are detailed in their depictions of cultural practices and artifacts. Captivating lessons from the past that are all the more relevant today. (information on archeology, glossary) (Nonfiction. 7-13)
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August 23, 2024
Gr 3-7-Are equality, peace, and sustainability strictly modern values, or can objects from ancient civilizations reveal these virtues in the lives of our ancestors? That is the question at the heart of this text. Through archaeological evidence, Dave brings to life 14 distinct civilizations spanning 40,000 years and multiple continents with a focus on what the artifacts tell us about the contributions of women and children to history; egalitarian principles at work in the daily lives and work of ancient peoples; and efforts by communities of the distant past to live in harmony with the natural world. Each culture is discussed in a multi-page vignette that explores each group's embrace of a particular value like equality between the sexes or environmental consciousness, the archaeological evidence that supports the author's claims, and the significance and legacy of each culture for modern society. While the illustrations are copious, clear, and engaging, maps and time lines would make the stories here even more compelling and easier for young readers to grasp. Though the concluding discussion on archaeologist work and the glossary of key terms are a useful addition, an index and suggestions for further reading would round out the back matter. VERDICT This social history will appeal to upper-elementary and young junior high school readers who are curious about the past and its relation to a positive and peaceable future.-Kelly Kingrey-Edwards
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