History of the World in 1000 Objects

Description

Discover how humans created their world from the objects they left behind - from the US Constitution to the first iPhone - in DK's latest history book. From the beginning of human history, the one thing that has defined us is our talent for making things, from basic technology and everyday objects, such as bowls and hand axes, to high-tech inventions, such as supersonic aircraft, smart devices, and Mars rovers. Objects speak volumes about a civilization, telling us how our ancestors lived - as well as what they believed in and valued. A bronze cat mummy shows us how highly the ancient Egyptians valued their feline companions, while a mechanical tiger toy tells the story of rising tensions between an Indian sultan and European colonizers. With stunning, exclusive photography, History of the World in 1000 Objects shows you the objects that our ancestors treasured - from the jewelry worn by the Mesopotamians to the prized ritual vessels used by the people of the Shang Dynasty - and gives you insight into what gave each culture its own identity. From astrolabes and airplanes to vacuum cleaners and X-rays, DK uses its hallmark visual style to weave the extraordinary legacy of our creativity into a unique view of world history that will change the way you see the objects all around us. CONTENTS EARLY SOCIETIES 20,000–700 BCE Early Humans Shaping the World The Enigma of the Indus Civilization The Cradle of Civilization Egyptian Life and Afterlife Europe’s Bronze Age Warriors The Mighty Hittites Palace Societies of the Aegean The Intrepid Phoenicians China’s First Celestial Empire The Awe-Inspiring Gods of the Andes The Mystical Land of the Olmec ANCIENT CIVILIZATIONS 700 BCE–600 CE The City-States of Ancient Greece Celtic Kingdoms The Great Persian Empire The Artistic Etruscans The Splendor of Rome Foreign Rule in Egypt India’s First Empires The Unified Kingdoms of China Yayoi and Kofun Japan The First Cities of Mesoamerica The Mysterious Nazca and Moche TRADE AND EMPIRE 600–1450 Europe’s Germanic Kingdoms Viking Traders and Raiders The Glory of Byzantium Islamic Courts and Caliphates Islamic Cultures of Spain and Africa Norman Crusaders and Conquerors The Rise of the Holy Roman Empire Early Kingdoms of Eastern Europe Empires of the Mongol Khans Art and Devotion in Classical India The Dragon Throne of Imperial China Buddhism in Medieval Japan Korea’s Golden Kingdoms Temple Cities of Cambodia Seljuk and Early Ottoman Realms Spirit of the Greater Southwest The Mythmakers of Mesoamerica Treasures of the Andes The Sculptors of Easter Island ENLIGHTENMENT AND IMPERIALISM 1450–1750 Art and Science in Renaissance Europe Reformation, War, and Enlightenment The Height of Ottoman Power Poetry and Power in the Safavid Empire Culture in Korea’s Last Dynasty China’s Age of Prosperity Last Days of the Samurai The Majesty of Mughal India The Rise of the Maratha Empire The Merchant Empire of Benin Ethiopia and the Christian World European Settlers in the New World INDUSTRY AND INDEPENDENCE 1750–1900 The Birth of the Industrial Age Revolution and Republic in France The Decline of the Austrian Empire Russia Under the Romanovs The Race for African Empires The Empire of the Sikhs Company Rule and the Raj in India The Reopening of Japan Unrest in Late Imperial China Colonial Struggle in Southeast Asia Pacific Exploration and Expansion Settlers in Australia and New Zealand Revolution in Latin America Tradition and War in North America The Birth of the United States A SHRINKING WORLD 1900 TO PRESENT A Century of Flight Transportation for the Masses Entertaining the World Fighting the World Wars Combating Disease Life Under the Revolution The Western Home Fashion for the People The Space Age The Technology of Modern War Connecting the World TIME LINES OF WORLD HISTORY Early Societies Ancient Civilizations Trade and Empire Enlightenment and Imperialism Industry and Independence A Shrinking World Index Acknowledgments