School Library Journal

11/01/2014
Gr 7 Up—As the series title promises, these books "dig up" the general and archaeological histories of some of the world's most iconic locations. The authors trace the archaeological history of each site, from early digs for artifacts to current preservation efforts; explain how archaeologists have expanded our knowledge and understanding of the site or society; and discuss its historical significance. The text is supplemented with a location map and sidebar biographical sketches of archaeologists and information about related topics. Average-quality photos and illustrations are a mixture of contemporary location shots and historical archaeological digs, but more depictions of the archaeological process would have been useful. These books lack the visual appeal of World Book's "Enigmas of History," but there is minimal overlap in topics, and these books' well-written and informative perspective about how archaeology contributes to historical knowledge makes them good choices for secondary libraries.