Gods, Tombs, and Scholars

Collection "Civilisation and Tradition".

The original edition was published under the title "Gods, Graves & Scholars".

Translated by Gilberte LAMBRICHS. Revised and supplemented by Allan KOSKO.

"C.W. Ceram discovered archaeology while a prisoner in the library of a model American camp. Fascinated by the account of an Englishman named Layard's excavations, he became passionate about this science, about the poignant, sometimes dramatic, and always deeply human nature of the research it requires. He then decided to bring back to life for us the great archaeological discoveries of our time, essential revelations that revolutionized their discoverers and our culture by confronting them with other, older, and no less refined civilizations. Day after day, the reader accompanies Winckelmann to the site of the first excavations, participates in Champollion's first attempts at deciphering hieroglyphs, reaches Tutankhamun's burial chamber with Howard Carter, and discovers many other mysteries... Let the reader be captivated and relive with them the adventurous lives of these great discoverers in a colorful fresco where the minor historical details, the picturesque and true anecdotes, are but one link in the great chain of World History."