In Search of the First Civilizations

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Dazzling overview - Rated
In the ‘barbarian west’ we seem to view other eastern and older cultures as being less-advanced, less ‘civilised’. Over the past few hundred years western society has interfered with and meddled with countless other peoples of the world with a blinkered view of supremacy, but what about the time before?
Michael Wood examines the written and archaeological remains of ancient city civilisations in Iraq, India, China, Egypt and Central America to identify the beliefs and essence of these early cultures and looks at how they have changed and evolved over time.

At the heart of this book lies deep questions regarding civilisation and belief; belief in humanity, spirituality, religion, in ancestors, culture, past and future. This is a book to engage the senses, to make you consider the belief systems of today, whether that is religious, environmental or humanist. Using a broad historical perspective Wood gives an overview of immense power, comparing the identities of these past cultures and tracing the threads of the first cultural values through subsequent incarnations up to and including today. Most illuminating and enjoyable were his descriptions of traditions which have survived the passing of time, he is right that these are the things that really make history come to life.

More than anything it opened my eyes to the vast wealth of history and culture in the world. Until recently I admit to have been largely ignorant of the richness of the 5 first civilisations, and we westerners are poorer people for not knowing and recognising the achievements and power of the distant past.

5 Millennia of civilization - Rated
This interesting book was adapted from the script of a popular TV series. Ambitious in scope, it attempts to describe the first 5000 years of our known civilizations. In its six chapters, the author provides a broad historical portrait of various cultures in order to find their legacy and spirit.

Iraq: The Cradle Of Civilization, explores the fertile crescent of the Sumerians, Babylonians and others, up to modern times and including the golden age of Baghdad. The chapter India: Empire Of Spirit, includes the early cultures of the Indus and the Ganges, plus religions that originated there, like Buddhism, Jainism and Hinduism. It includes the periods of Islamic and British rule in the subcontinent.

There are illuminating passages on Confucius, Taoism and the contact with the West in the chapter China: Mandate Of Heaven, whilst Egypt: Habit Of Civilization, deals with the early dynastic period, the pyramid era, the spread of Christianity, the end of Paganism and the Islamic era. The achievements of the Aztecs, Maya and Olmecs are explored in Central America: Burden Of Time.

The last chapter is titled The Barbarian West. It contains information on, amongst other, the legacy of Greece, the rise of Rome, the Dark Ages, the Enlightenment and the roots of the Modern West. Plenty of maps throughout the text place the history in geographical context and are a great asset. In addition, there are 16 pages of colour plates with impressive photographs.

The book is for the lay reader as of course, no study of 6 civilizations can go into any great depth in one short book. It nevertheless provides enjoyable reading and much food for thought. The book concludes with a bibliographic essay discussing sources by theme, and an index.

Teasing - Rated
The book freely admits that it is a beefed-up set of film scripts, reflecting the BBC series of the same name, so readers looking for something more robust may have to look elsewhere. It did have the feel of a series of essays, and Mr Wood does indulge in the occasional academic critique which would be more at home in a more formal text book. The book claims that it does not seek to give a full picture of the civilizations it investigates, only that it should act as a teaser for wider reading. I agree. Of course a 200 odd page book was never going to be big enough to deal in detail with the ancient Sumerians, Indians, Egyptians, Chinese, Americans and even the Barbarian West. Perhaps where the book may concern, is that it forgets to go back to base-one. It is perhaps too keen to impress with its pseudo-political points, and forgets to give a cohesive outline of what happened, when, where and why. However, if you have a vague idea of the general chronology and major players in ancient history, the book is an easy and useful addition to the library.