Archaeologist and art conservator Raven Todd DaSilva’s new book, The Other Ancient Civilizations… (+) spotlights the lesser-known stories of the sands of time.
Joe Sills
It’s backpacking season in Nepal, and the streets of Kathmandu are filled with travelers navigating the narrow, dusty markets of Thamel. A growing number of outdoor gear suppliers offer everything from North Face knockoffs to crampons, trekking poles and trail bars. From midday until midnight, Thamel echoes with the sounds of deals being made with hikers heading to the Himalayas and the celebratory noise of others returning from Nepal’s bustling capital.
Beyond the hustle and bustle, at a small desk inside the Mandara Hotel, Canadian archaeologist Raven Todd DaSilva rummages through a three-hole binder full of dividers and loose-leaf paper. Archaeologists come here for trekking, a much-needed break from their day jobs working with heritage sites at London museums, and the chance to learn more about human history in the Himalayas.
But while the rest of her trekking group joins the cacophony below, she, a veteran archaeologist and art conservator who has shoveled dirt in places like Oman, Greece and Turkey, is in a binder. I keep holding my pen on top of it. Handwritten inside is the final chapter of “Other Ancient Civilizations: Deciphering Archeology’s Less Famous Cultures.”
“Other Ancient Civilizations” transports readers to far-flung corners of the globe by using archaeological context to paint a portrait of everyday life.
mango publishing group
For almost two years, this book has been Todd DaSilva’s constant companion. The 570 handwritten pages are carefully cataloged and brought to life in a way rarely seen in modern books. This is no ordinary history book. It’s not a historical fantasy either. Instead, Todd DaSilva’s book fuses context derived from archaeological sites and uses it to reveal a largely forgotten world to readers.
Each chapter is meticulously written with human fingertips and tools, just as the story was first written hundreds and thousands of years ago.
“The ancients weren’t that different from you or me,” says Todd DaSilva. “While it is often lost in the historical record of monumental sites and major events and influential figures, there is a magic to the everyday life of archeology that is often overlooked in popular media. ”
If Indiana Jones wrote a guidebook, it might mirror what Raven Todd da Silva wrote. “Other Ancient Civilizations” brings to life travelers, shadows of heroes and everyday people who follow in their footsteps today. The stories on these pages are of cuneiform and Etruscan origin. Long before the time of the Amazons, they were carved into stone, carved into wood, and written on papyrus. They were painted as works of art on pottery, mosaic tiles, and sometimes on the land itself.
Each chapter revolves around a common theme, but the fun here is in the details. Walking the line between scientist and communicator, Todd DaSilva walks the line between scientist and communicator, walking the line between children playing inside the walled cities of Great Zimbabwe and Tule storing summer food in coolers for a taste of warmer weather in the dead of winter. Uncovering the stories of Inuit and more.
COLLINSVILLE, IL – JULY 11: The St. Louis skyline is visible on the horizon beyond Monk’s Mound at the (+) Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site in Collinsville, Illinois. Cahokia is just one of the locations explored in Todd DaSilva’s book.
Washington Post (via Getty Images)
The book paints portraits like the Nabataean builders of Petra and the Nubians, who produced more pyramids than mighty Egypt. Readers witness what appears to be a gardener’s son planting literary seeds in Mesopotamia, a jungle shaman hovering carefully over the bones of the dead in the Amazon, and the first cry of a minotaur in the Mediterranean.
Todd DaSilva talks about outriggers across Oceana and delves into an ancient supercity on the banks of the Mississippi River. Captivated by these fascinating stories, The Other Ancient Civilizations takes you inside the stories of the people and places that shaped the modern world.
This book brings new depth to the present and guides the curious traveler around the world.
Even casual history buffs generally know the basics of ancient societies such as Rome, Egypt, and Peru. But Todd DaSilva says there are many other civilizations with fascinating stories to tell. “Era periods with large monuments and ruins and many written records are more accessible,” the authors say. “Cultures and civilizations that attract large audiences also lead to more funding. Therefore, research on lesser-known cultures and civilizations is usually done at a more local level. In some cases , it can be difficult to cross borders due to language barriers.
Great lithograph portico of the Temple of Philae, Nubia, David Roberts, Egypt, 1838. Collection of the New York Public Library. (+) York Public Library. (Photo courtesy of Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images).
Getty Images
Todd DaSilva says he researched 15,000 years of ancient history and compiled the 20-chapter book to show readers the hidden world of ancient societies. Often these societies existed alongside or directly beneath modern cities and states, as in the case of the Cahokia burial mounds outside St. Louis. Some of the stories are so surprising that they seem to have been largely omitted from elementary school history books.
“In certain environments, organic materials and metals break down faster than in others, so you won’t find them as much in certain areas,” added Todd DaSilva. “The less we can discover, the less we know, so certain areas of archeology don’t get as much attention as other, better-preserved areas. I hope it inspires you to look outside your comfort zone and engage with local history.”
Released in bookstores around the world this week, The Other Ancient Civilizations is currently being painstakingly transcribed from script to print. Readers don’t need to decipher handwriting to uncover the stories inside, but they do need to be curious about the world they take for granted, says Todd DaSilva. “There are so many amazing ancient and historical cultures around the world. There’s probably evidence of a culture you’ve never heard of, right in your backyard.”
