This volume explores some of the most intriguing questions about ourselves, from myths and legends, through our origins and evolution to the mysterious collapse of once-powerful civilizations. These mysteries are described and explained in the light of archaeological research.

The human past is full of unsolved mysteries: Was Atlantis fact or fiction? Who were the Tarim Mummies? Will the world end in 2012, as predicted by the Maya? Were the ancient Egyptians Black Africans? How did language evolve? The Seventy Great Mysteries of the Ancient World takes us on a journey through some of the most intriguing questions about ourselves, from myths and legends, through our origins and evolution to the mysterious collapse of once-powerful civilizations. All are described and explained in the light of the most up-to-date archaeological research by leading international experts.

Introduction I. Myths and Legends: Hidden Truths? II. Mysteries of the Stone Age III. Ancient Civilizations IV. Tombs and Lost Treasures V. Ancient and Undeciphered Scripts VI. The Fall of Civilizations