Review Written: 30 of May, 2024
The book explores various writing systems worldwide, offering deep insights into their development and decipherment. It covers diverse scripts like Mayan Glyphs, Egyptian Hieroglyphs, and Cretan Linear B across approximately 25 pages per chapter, providing historical context without overwhelming the reader. Although it focuses on script evolution rather than specific antiquities like Mesopotamian clay tablets, it enhances cultural and historical understanding of ancient artifacts, aiding in their chronological placement based on scripts observed. The book is divided into three parts: early scripts, extinct scripts, and modern writing systems, each chapter richly illustrated and engagingly written. It concludes with references for further reading, encouraging deeper exploration of specific scripts like Mayan Glyphs and Cuneiform.
Review Written: 9 of April, 2024
The book, authored from a collector’s perspective by James Chesterman, spans 86 pages and includes over 100 figures and illustrations. It features a foreword by Dr. Reynold Higgins from the British Museum, noted for his research on classical terracottas. Chesterman’s approach makes the book engaging and educational for collectors, offering clear insights into identifying various artifacts like Tanagra figurines and classical terracottas from periods such as Archaic, Minoan, and Mycenaean. It serves as an invaluable resource for collectors of Greek and classical terracottas, focusing exclusively on this niche within antiquities. It is one of my favorite books on classical terracottas due to the large variety of pictures and examples, as well as great writing that is concise and to the point. You don't get overwhelmed!
Review Written: 20 of March, 2024
The book provides dense, intense, and somewhat technical information but remains incredibly engaging and educational. Despite its brevity, it's clear the author meticulously planned the content, requiring focused reading to be able to follow along. You might find yourself taking many notes!
It serves as an excellent introduction to faience and glass production in ancient Egyptian history, featuring a great deal of black-and-white photographs, particularly of faience objects like amulets, ushabtis, glass amphorae, and scarabs. These items are accessible for collectors, making the book highly relevant to antiquities collectors.
Structured into two parts—Faience and Glass—the book delves into the technical aspects of production and material characteristics, organized chronologically across various periods of Egyptian history. The clear division enhances the book's accessibility and usability as a reference.
