The Goddess and the Bull: Catalhoyuk - An Archaeological Journey to the Dawn of Civilization

Balter, Michael

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0743243609 ISBN 13: 9780743243605

Verlag: Simon & Schuster Ltd, 2005

Book by Balter Michael

Críticas:

Ian Tattersall, Curator, Division of Anthropology, American Museum of Natural History& #199; atalh& #246; y& #252; k is not only an archaeological site of tremendous importance, it is one with a dramatic history -- both ancient and modern -- that Balter tells with verve and an abundance of personal detail. His book is foremost about a site that offers unique insights into the origins of our own civilization; but at the same time it is an evocative portrayal of the process of archaeology itself. Brian Fagan, Emeritus Professor of Anthropology, University of California, Santa BarbaraMichael Balter takes us on a fascinating journey through the excavations at one of the world's great archaeological sites. He provides an engrossing chronicle of one of the world's earliest farming villages and of the personalities and thoughts of the archaeologists engaged in the research -- the human side of archaeology. Heather Pringle, author of "The Mummy Congress"Erudite and meticulously researched, "The Goddess and the Bull" takes us behind the scenes of archaeology on the world stage, revealing the pitched political battles, the sometimes battered egos, and the stubborn quest for knowledge at one of the world's most important archaeological sites, & #199; atalh& #246; y& #252; k. Colin Renfrew, Professor Emeritus, University of CambridgeAn engagingly personal account of one of the most ambitious excavation projects currently in progress, undertaken at one of the world's great archaeological sites; a revealing narrative of people and ideas at the working face of archaeology. Bruce Trigger, James McGill Professor, Department of Anthropology, McGill University, MontrealA superb biography of a super archaeological site! Balter also demonstrates how this work is radically transforming what all archaeologists think and do. His carefully researched and compellingly written narrative, which makes readers feel as if they are there, will be read with pleasure and interest by professional archaeologists and all who are interested in archaeology. Balter's skillful weaving together of archaeological findings, the personalities and ambitions of a broad cast of archaeologists, and the evolution of archaeological thought makes this book a classic.

Reseña del editor:

THE GODDESS AND THE BULL details the dramatic quest by archaeologists to unearth the buried secrets of human cultural evolution in the largest and best preserved prehistoric settlement ever to be discovered: the 9,500-year-old village of Catalhoyuk in Turkey. Here lie the origins of modern society - the dawn of art, architecture, religion, family, and even the first tangible evidence of human self-awareness, the world's oldest mirrors. Michael Balter, the excavation's official biographer, takes readers behind the scenes, providing unprecedented access to the remarkable site and its history of scandal and thrilling scientific discovery. He features colourful characters like James Mellaart, the man who discovered the site only to lose it in the wake of a scandal, and Ian Hodder, a path-breaking archaeological rebel who reopened excavations in the early 1990s and who continues to probe the site today. Along the way, Balter describes the cutting-edge advances in archaelogical science that have allowed the team at Catalhoyuk to examine and illuminate the central questions of human existence.