Books

Books : reviews

Marilia Albanese, Davide Domenici, Giorgio Ferrero, Stafano Maggi.
Archaeology from Above.
White Star. 2010

Thanks to the rich potential of aerial photography, the monuments of the past are revealed like jewels set in the landscape. The view from the sky of an archaeological site and its surroundings allows us to appreciate from an entirely new perspective the ancients’ extraordinary skills in integrating architecture and landscape.

From the ground we don’t have the opportunity to observe the splendor and grandeur of the world’s most famous archaeological sites in their entirety, nor can we see them as fully formed architectural units. When viewed from the sky, however, excavation sites seem to come back to life, cities regain their original size, and baths and theaters look ready to welcome their customers and members. This book, illustrated with beautiful images taken by professional aerial photographers, reveals how ancient wonders mark the landscape of different continents, from the pyramids of Egypt to the cities of Mediterranean civilizations, from the architectural jewels of Mesoamerica to the temples and monuments of the Far East, up to the massive, serpentine Great Wall of China. Page after page, the book invites us to reflect on what we can learn and discover about the world and its history through a unique and privileged perspective.