Before archaeology, Western knowledge of ancient history hardly existed outside of the pages of the Bible and the writings of ancient Greeks and Romans. Besides revealing to us the treasures, tombs, and cities of previously unimagined peoples, archaeology has given us five million years of ancestors and transformed our ideas of who we are and where we came from. This beautifully illustrated reference traces the history of this science from its inception in eighteenth-century Pompeii to the present day. Detailed text and hundreds of full-colour photographs describe the scientific advances made by key figures; renowned personalities of archaeology; and important events in archaeological history. Each of the book's five sections describes the history of one of the basic aspects of archeology, including: The search for treasure troves; The search for the origins of humankind and civilization; The search for "scientific" proof of the truth of ancient writings and of holy scripture; The constant, continuing search for ancient pedigrees for every modern nation and culture; The universal recurring question, "What were our ancestors really like?" ; Archaeologist and author John Romer's personal viewpoint and clear writing, combined with photographs and engravings of locations and artifacts, allow the world of archaeology to leap from the page straight into our own imaginations.