Kingdoms of ruin : the art and architectural splendours of ancient Turkey /

Kingdoms of ruin : the art and architectural splendours of ancient Turkey /

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Bibliographic Details
Author / Creator:	Stafford-Deitsch, Jeremy.
Imprint:	London ; New York : I. B. Tauris, 2010.
Description:	xi, 233 p. : ill. (chiefly col.), col. map ; 28 cm.
Language:	English
Subject:	Historic buildings -- Turkey -- Pictorial works. Historic sites -- Turkey -- Pictorial works. Cities and towns, Ancient -- Turkey -- Pictorial works. Antiquities. Cities and towns, Ancient. Historic buildings. Historic sites. Turkey -- Antiquities -- Pictorial works. Turkey. Pictorial works.
Format:	Print Book
URL for this record:	http://pi.lib.uchicago.edu/1001/cat/bib/8147924

Hidden Bibliographic Details
ISBN:	9781845117993 (hbk.) 1845117999 (hbk.)
Notes:	Includes bibliographical references (p. [225]-226) and index.
Summary:	Turkey boasts a legacy of extraordinary richness and magnificence. From the dawn of civilisation Anatolia spawned great empires of her own - Hittite, Phrygian and Lydian - and then felt the mark of invading Persia, Macedon and Rome. The story of the country is one of migration and conquest, of artistic and spiritual splendour and of cities and gods trampled underfoot. The brutal greatness of this complex past is reflected in the ruins populating the region's immense landscape. Some sites, such as Homer-haunted Troy, white-marbled Ephesus and the lofty acropolis of Pergamon, are already familiar to the modern visitor. More intrepid travellers encounter fallen cities that may be less famous - such as Assos, Aphrodisias or Termessos - but are no less spectacular. They leave mysterious temples and porticos wondering what may yet await discovery along the timeless Aegean coastline, buried in the shadows of resin-scented pine forests and clinging to the foothills of distant, snow-capped mountains. In Kingdoms of Ruin, acclaimed photographer Jeremy Stafford-Deitsch has assembled over 150 sublime full-colour images to illustrate the glory of Anatolia's matchless ancient sites. Some are world famous, some are known only to scholars, while a few are visited only by shepherds and treasure hunters. Taking the reader on several interwoven journeys into Turkey's past, the author argues in a substantial introductory essay that a sensitive encounter with ruins is profoundly confrontational: it unearths neglected intimations of the transcendent. Considering the legacy of ancient Turkey from the perspectives of both East and West, Stafford-Deitsch explores Homer and the tragic poets; Aristotle and Alexander the Great; ancient Rome; the Byzantine Empire; conflicts between Christendom and Islam; the capture of Constantinople by the Ottomans; and the discoveries of more recent European explorers such as Heinrich Schliemann. Combining informed historical analysis with exquisite photography, Kingdoms of Ruin comprises a unique celebration of some the most inspiring archaeological remains on earth. This lavishly illustrated book will be an essential purchase and an object of lasting delight for historians of antiquity and armchair enthusiasts alike --Book Jacket.

Description
Summary:	Turkey boasts a legacy of extraordinary richness and magnificence. From the dawn of civilization Anatolia spawned great empires of her own - Hittite, Phrygian and Lydian - and then felt the mark of Persia, Greece and Rome. The story of the country is one of migration and conquest, artistic and spiritual splendour and cities and gods trampled underfoot. The brutal greatness of this complex past is reflected in the ruins populating the region's immense landscape. Some sites, such as Homer-haunted Troy, white marbled Ephesus and the lofty acropolis of Pergamon, are already familiar to the modern visitor.More intrepid travellers encounter fallen cities that may be less famous, but are no less spectacular. They leave wondering what yet awaits discovery along the timeless Aegean coastline, either buried in the shadows of resin-scented pine-forests or clinging to the foothills of distant, snow-capped mountains. In "Kingdoms of Ruin", acclaimed photographer Jeremy Stafford-Deitsch presents 150 sublime full-colour images to illustrate the unparalleled glory of Anatolia's matchless ancient sites. Some are world famous, some are known only to scholars while a few are visited only by shepherds and treasure hunters. Introduced by an extensive contextualising essay, "Kingdoms of Ruin" will be essential reading for historians of antiquity and armchair travellers alike.
Physical Description:	xi, 233 p. : ill. (chiefly col.), col. map ; 28 cm.
Bibliography:	Includes bibliographical references (p. [225]-226) and index.
ISBN:	9781845117993 1845117999