Considering that this series of 27 programs was made for Italian television (with added English narration for broadcast on the History Channel), it's not surprising that the vast majority of the episodes in Secrets of Archaeology—19, to be exact—deal with the Greco-Roman world, from the Minoan era on Crete through the latter years of the Roman Empire. Of the remaining programs, three concentrate on Egypt (particularly the pyramids), three focus on Meso-American cultures (Aztecs, Incas, and Mayans), one is on the Phoenicians (from whom the Greeks took their alphabet), and the other episode looks at Persia, the fifth-century enemy of the Greek city-states. Visually, the programs are handsomely done, with elegant photography of surviving ruins and excellent use of graphics—including maps, stills, and computer-generated simulations of structures now largely destroyed. On the other hand, there's considerable repetition among the episodes (even in terms of the illustrations), and the narration—intoned in a solemn, slightly soporific manner—doesn't reflect the complexity of the archaeological arguments circulating around many of the subjects, opting instead to present as established fact conclusions that in many cases remain highly speculative. Nevertheless, Secrets of Archaeology is a generally sound example of popular history that will serve as a good introduction to ancient archaeology. Recommended. Aud: H, C, P. (F. Swietek)
Secrets of Archaeology
(2006) 6 discs. 672 min. DVD: $89.98. Koch Vision (avail. from most distributors). Color cover. ISBN: 1-4172-2934-9. Volume 21, Issue 54
Secrets of Archaeology
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