DISCOVERING THE ROYAL TOMBS AT UR

by Shirley--Ed. Glubok ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 27, 1969

Glamorous and synthetic by comparison with the recent Baumann book (In the Land of Ur, p. 1074, J-414), this photo-documentary isa reworking of C. Leonard Woolley's difficult writings about ""The Royal Cemetery."" It focuses on the details of his excavations--methodology and discoveries--but fails to convey the historic and mythological perspectives that Baumann's less restrictive study affords. Nor is it as dramatic a story as might be anticipated: after an initial chapter on the classification of the different cemeteries there follows a ""General Description of the Royal Tombs,"" then a ""Detailed Description of the Royal Tombs,"" then the ""General Description of the Private Graves,"" etc. And whereas some of the illustrations are exquisitely clear, others are not as sensitively angled (e.g. the Ziggurat) or shadowed as the well-chosen few in Baumann, and none at all are in color. The serious specialist will probably want to consult Mr. Woolley's original despite its dense antiquarian prose, and any non-specialist will want to consult Hans Baumann--first, at least--despite the integrity of this adaptation.

Pub Date: Oct. 27, 1969

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Macmillan

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 1969

Categories: NONFICTION