Christopher Mee and Antony Spawforth Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2001) 464 pp., $19.95
Southern France: An Oxford Archaeological Guide
Henry Cleere (Oxford University Press, 2001) 211 pp., $19.95
England: An Oxford Archaeological Guide
Timothy Darvill, Paul Stamper and Jane Timby (Oxford University Press, 2002) 493 pp., $19.95
Three additions to the Oxford series of archaeological guidebooks—amply illustrated with maps, diagrams and photographs—provide readers with easy-to-follow descriptions of archaeological sites in their respective regions. Greece surveys sites dating from the Neolithic period to the sixth century A.D., including Philip’s tomb at Vergina, the Mycenaean palace complex, the temples of the Acropolis and the Hellenistic city of Messene. The guide even flags interesting non-archaeological sites for travelers whose companions find themselves underwhelmed by history and ruins.
Southern France presents the archaeological wealth of the Midi, the area of France that lies between the huge plateau of the Massif Central and the Mediterranean Sea. Geographical and chronological presentations—which range from Paleolithic rock art and Roman towns to the medieval city of Carcassonne—provide curious travelers with a useful historical overview.
England is a real bargain: Twice as many pages as the other two Oxford volumes for the same price. Its three authors, specializing in England’s prehistoric, medieval and Roman periods, take readers to off-the-beaten-track locales —barrows, castles, forts and stone circles—as well as to more familiar sites like Stonehenge, Hadrian’s Wall and Maiden Castle.
Greece: An Oxford Archaeological Guide
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