"The Ancient Indus Valley: New Perspectives" takes readers back to a civilization as complex as its contemporaries in Mesopotamia and Egypt, one that covered a far larger region, yet lasted a much briefer time (less than a millennium) and left few visible traces.

Researchers have tentatively reconstructed a model of Indus life based on limited material remains and despite its virtually indecipherable written record. This volume describes what is known about the roots of Indus civilization in farming culture, as well as its far-flung trading network, sophisticated crafts and...

A wealth of new archaeological findings and interpretations has sparked a richer understanding of the Aztecs, dispelling many myths. "The Aztecs: New Perspectives" looks at evidence from ancient, colonial, and modern times to present a contemporary, well-rounded portrait of this Mesoamerican culture. Like no other volume, it examines daily Aztec life both at, and away from, the seats of power, revealing the Aztecs to be accomplished farmers, astronomers, mathematicians, and poets--as well as ruthless warriors and tireless builders of empire.

"The Aztecs" ranges from the mysterious...

"Ancient Mesopotamia: New Perspectives" ranges from the region's cultural beginnings to its Persian "liberation," from simple farmers to mighty kings, from the marshy Gulf shores and Arabian desert sands to the foothills of the Taurus and Zagros mountains. It is the first volume to capture the entire sweep of Mesopotamia's four major ancient cultures (Sumerian, Akkadian, Assyrian, Babylonian) in one concise and captivating volume.

"Ancient Mesopotamia" reveals how archaeologists, geologists, geographers, and other scientists have pieced together an understanding of some of the most...

"The Incas: New Perspectives" offers a revealing portrait of the ancient Andean empire from the earliest stages of its development to its final capitulation to Pizzarro in the mid-16th century.

In recent years researchers have employed new tools to get to the heart of the mysterious Inca culture. Drawing on recent work in archaeology, anthropology, ethnohistory, and other sources, "The Incas" provides the most up-to-date interpretations of Inca culture, religion, politics, economics, and daily life available. Readers will discover how the Incas discovered medicines still in use and kept...

"The Romans: New Perspectives" is the ideal starting point for investigating this extraordinary civilization--its remarkable rise and decline, the scope of its power and wealth, the details of everyday life for its people, and its signature contributions to human culture (food, architecture, government, public works, art, and more).

"The Romans" takes readers from the establishment of the monarchy (circa 753 BCE) through the rise of the republic (circa 509 BCE), the imperial period, and ultimately to the fall of the empire and the coronation of the barbarian king Odoacer. It is an...