Abandoned Civilisations (ENG)

Ruined cities overgrown by jungle. Towns buried beneath the ground. Statues lying half- hidden in the sand. Why do civilisations collapse? Why are towns abandoned? And how do once mighty cities come to be forgotten about? From the pyramids of Egypt to the ruins at Angkor in Cambodia and on to the mysteries of the Easter Island moai statues, Abandoned Civilisations is a brilliant pictorial work examining lost worlds. What emerges is a picture of how vast societies can rise, thrive and then collapse. We admire how whole cities develop, but equally fascinating is what happens when their moment has passed. From the 9th century temples at Khajuraho in India which were lost in the date palm trees until stumbled across by European engineers in the 19th century to Mayan pyramids in the Guatemalan jungle to Roman cities semi-buried – but consequently preserved – in the North African desert, the book explores why societies fall and what, once abandoned, they leave behind to history. With 150 striking colour photographs exploring 100 worlds, Abandoned Civilisations is a fascinating visual history of the mysteries of lost societies. Review From the weathered giant Buddhas of Thailands Wat Mahathat Temple, to the imposing Ajanta Caves in India and expressive cave paintings depicting hands in Patagonia, this is a compelling grand tour of lost and rediscovered worlds. --Juanita Coulson, The Lady About the Author Kieron Connolly is a graduate in history from Edinburgh University and in film from the National Film & Television School. An editor and journalist, he has written for the Mail on Sunday, the Daily Mail and The Times. His books include Dark History of Hollywood, Abandoned Places, Abandoned Castles and Bloody History of America. He lives in London.

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