The Making of the Middle Sea : A History of the Mediterranean From the Beginning to the Emergence of the Classical World

A masterpiece of archaeological and historical writing, "The Making of the Middle Sea" is extensively illustrated and ranges across disciplines, subject matter and chronology from early humans and the origins of farming and metallurgy to the rise of civilizations - Egyptian, Minoan, Mycenaean, Phoenician, Etruscan, early Greek and pan-Mediterranean. The Mediterranean has been for millennia one of the global cockpits of human endeavor. World-class interpretations exist of its Classical and subsequent history, but there has been remarkably little holistic exploration of how its societies, culture and economies first came into being, despite the fact that almost all the fundamental developments originated well before 500 BC. This book is the first full, interpretive synthesis for a generation on the rise of the Mediterranean world from its beginning, before the emergence of our own species, up to the threshold of Classical times, by which time the "Middle Sea" was already in effect made. Thanks to unrivalled depth and breadth of exploration, Mediterranean archaeology is one of the world's richest sources for the reconstruction of ancient societies. This book is the first to draw in equal measure on ideas and information from the European, western Asian and African flanks, as well as the islands at the Mediterranean's heart, to achieve a truly innovative focus on the varied trajectories and interactions that created this maritime world. The Mediterranean combines unusual conditions in a strictly unique fashion that goes a long way towards explaining its precocious development: it is the world's largest inland sea, easily the largest of the five challenging, opportunity-rich "mediterraneoid" environments on the planet, and adjacent to the riverine cores of two of the earliest civilizations, in Mesopotamia and Egypt. No wonder its societies proved exceptional. Extensively illustrated and ranging across disciplines, subject matter and chronology from early humans and the origins of farming and metallurgy to the rise of civilizations -- Egyptian, Levantine, Hispanic, Minoan, Mycenaean, Phoenician, Etruscan, early Greek -- the book is a masterpiece of archaeological and historical writing. - Publisher. Thanks to unrivalled depth and breadth of exploration, Mediterranean archaeology is one of the world's richest sources for the reconstruction of ancient societies. This book is the first to draw in equal measure on ideas and information from the European, western Asian and African flanks, as well as the islands at the Mediterranean's heart, to achieve a truly innovative focus on the varied trajectories and interactions that created this maritime world. Extensively illustrated with maps and hundreds of unusual photographs, and ranging across disciplines, subject matter and chronology from early humans and the origins of farming and metallurgy to the rise of civilizations - Egyptian, Levantine, Minoan, Mycenaean, Phoenician, Etruscan, early Greek, and ulimately pre-Mediterranean - 'The Making of the Middle Sea' has already been recognized in pre-publication reviews as a seminal work A masterpiece of archaeological and historical writing, 'The Making of the Middle Sea' is extensively illustrated and ranges across disciplines, subject matter and chronology from early humans to the rise of civilizations - Egyptian, Minoan, Mycenaean, Phoenician, Etruscan, early Greek and pan-Mediterranean. It is the only up-to-date, full, interpretive synthesis on the rise of the Mediterranean world from its beginnings to the threshold of Classical times. The author is Professor of Mediterranean Archaeology at the Institute of Archaeology, University College London. ' ... offers us a Mediterranean like nothing we have seen before, in vivid and commanding prose that sweeps majestically across time and space while providing a stunning granularity of detail' - Daniel Lord Smail, Harvard University This Book Is The First Full, Interpretive Synthesis For A Generation On The Rise Of The Mediterranean World From Its Beginning, Before The Emergence Of Our Own Species, Up To The Threshold Of Classical Times. Extensively Illustrated And Ranging Across Disciplines, Subject Matter And Chronology. A Barbarian History -- Provocative Places -- The Speciating Sea (1.8 Million-50,000 Years Ago) -- A Cold Coming We Had Of It (50,000 Years Ago-10,000 Bc) -- Brave New Worlds (10,000-5500 Bc) -- How It Might Have Been (5500-3500 Bc) -- The Devil And The Deep Blue Sea (3500-2200 Bc) -- Pomp And Circumstance (2200-1300 Bc) -- From Sea To Shining Sea (1300-800 Bc) -- The End Of The Beginning (800-500 Bc) -- De Profundis Broodbank, Cyprian. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 630-653) And Index.