Geoffrey Bibby (1917–2001)

I love this book. At the time it came out, and still even today, it is an excellent introduction to the beginnings of civilization in the Near East and the Mediterranean. Dividing the period roughly into life spans, and adopting a different persona for each life, the reader gets an invaluable sense of how long things take to happen. While probably challenged by now on many of its findings, as it was published in 1961, it is still a wonderful technique for the writer, lecturer or film maker to pursue.… (mais)

The civilisation of Dilmun was largely forgotten, re-surfacing only as the cuneiform tablets from Mesopotamia were discovered and translated during the last 150 years. It became clear that Dilmun was once a significant place in the mythology of the Near East in the period between the late fourth millenium and 1000 BC, featuring in the Epic of Gilgamesh as a place beyond the seas where immortality could be gained. It was also recorded as a major trade centre and so was no doubt that Dilmun was a real place, despite its location not being known.

This is an account of the search for Dilmun by a group of Danish archaeologists during the 1950s and 1960s, written with the excitement and insight of first-hand experience by Geoffrey Bibby. They begin on Bahrain, an island in the gulf of Arabia, where hundreds of thousands of enormous ancient burial mounds can be seen dotting the landscape. Forgotten cities, temples, and cultures are unearthed here and across neighbouring states of Qatar, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and the Oman as they follow the clues along the way.

As both a tale of discovery, and a taste of the life, methods, and thought processes of the archaeologist this is a fantastic and exciting read. At around 400 pages this is not as concise as many accounts of discovery, but it follows the digressions and details that matter here - from pottery to politics, Sheiks to sinking sand- that form the varied life of archaeological work. In this way the reader gains genuine insight into the practice and challenges of archaeology as well as the excitement of putting clues together to form a bigger and more detailed picture of forgotten history.
I would recommend this to anyone interested in history, archaeology, the ancient near east, or of the development of human culture in general.… (mais)