Encyclopedia of Ancient Asian Civilizations (Facts on File Library of World History)

Grade 10 Up–This detailed volume "concentrates on civilizations that arose east of the Caspian Sea," from modern Afghanistan and the Aral Sea south to India and Sri Lanka and east to Japan, Korea, and the islands of Southeast Asia. The years covered range from 3000 B.C.E. through the 15th century. Entries vary in length from a paragraph to several pages, with the longer presentations followed by short lists for further reading; the appendix contains a comprehensive bibliography. Topics include dynasties, cultures, archaeological sites, artifacts, religions, temples, palaces, agricultural and economic development, trade, and individuals. The text, though dry, is thorough and up to date, incorporating descriptive material and, where relevant, the various interpretations of an item's or site's significance. There are occasional misspellings and an infrequent gaffe–the second ancient city on the site of Taxila was about one quarter square mile in size, not 72,000 square miles–but the material, with its many cross-references, is generally accurate.The sparsely scattered, black-and-white photographs are sometimes fuzzy with inadequate captions: the portion of the Great Wall pictured actually dates from the 15th-century Ming Dynasty, and the Kot Diji fort from the 18th century. The volume's five maps are insufficient and difficult to use. Nonetheless, the text makes this a valuable resource for libraries supporting an Asian history curriculum.