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Over 800 colour photographs
Over 1700 illustrations
Over 500 artworks
Over 119 projects

• Over 3000 amazing photographs, illustrations, cross-sections, diagrams, artworks, maps, fact boxes and pictorial timelines



• Over 120 hands-on step-by-step practical projects bring history to life - children can make artefacts, clothing, games and models of ancient ships and buildings, and place all these items in historical context



• Compare and contrast the lives, behaviour and development of peoples and communities in many different lands and cultures



• Subjects covered in detail include inventions, exploration, discoveries, wars, empires, farming, family life, food, costume, art and comparative religion



• Great civilisations studied in depth are: Stone Age * Mesopotamia * Ancient Egypt * Ancient Greece * The Roman Empire * The Celts * The Vikings * The Aztecs and Maya * The Incas * Ancient Japan * The Chinese Empire * Ancient India * The Arctic World * North American Indians



• A fascinating and exciting world history book perfect for home study and school projects for children 8-12 years old



• Every young historian will return to this exciting book time and time again

Journey through more than 100,000 years of history to find out what the past was like for real people - for young and old, rich and poor. Discover how and why some societies developed into great civilizations or mighty empires, while others held on to a primitive tribal existence.

This magnificent illustrated encyclopedia explores every aspect of human history from the growth of farming, work and trade through science, crafts and technology to the importance of art, culture and entertainment.

Over 3000 photographs, illustrations, fact boxes and maps help reveal in extraordinary detail how people lived in the past: their homes, their families, their religious beliefs, and the extraordinary importance of the gods in shaping cultures.

The great civilisations of the past are compared and contrasted, from the ancient Egyptians to the Greeks, from historic China to Japan, to demonstrate and illuminate the unique part each has played in the development of life as we know it today. Discover why some civilizations like the Romans, the Aztecs and the Vikings chose constantly to go to war, conquering and plundering new peoples, while other communities evolved superior skills in diplomacy, negotiation, food-production, philosophy, science and the arts.

Over 120 step-by-step projects actively involve the young reader in recreating the past as they build a pyramid, cook a meal from history or dress-up in ancient armour and costume. Actually making models and items gives the reader a closer study of art, architecture, fashion and transport, and a more intense understanding of the way ancient lives were shaped.

This is a comprehensive, authoritative and visually stimulating encyclopedia and activity book. It is perfect as a home study aid or class textbook, and will be an invaluable addition to any school or general library.

About the Authors

Charlotte Hurdman - Author

Charlotte Hurdman has written many children's information books. As an author and editor with a particular interest in history, she has contributed to a number of hightly acclaimed books on the subject. She lives in Yorkshire with her husband and three young sons.

Fiona Macdonald - Author

Fiona MacDonald, is a highly experienced children's author, specialising in history. She has written or contributed to a number of books, including a book on the art of keeping clean, which won the Times Educational Supplement's Senior Information Book award of the year.

John Haywood - Author

Dr John Haywood is an honorary research Fellow at Lancaster University and a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society of Great Britain. He has written and contributed to many history books.

Philip Steele - Author

Philip Steele is a highly experienced children's book writer. He is the author of Find Out About Ancient Egypt (Southwater), Find Out About the Incas (Southwater) and Find Out About the Vikings (Southwater),and the co-author of Raiders of the North, Swords and Samurai, Sungods and Sacrifice and Gods and Gladiators (all Southwater). Philip Steele's other published works include: I Wonder Why Pyramids Were Built (Kingfisher); A City Through Time (Dorling Kindersley); My Best Book Of Mummies (Kingfisher); The Incas and Machu Picchu (Prentice Hall); I Wonder Why Castles Had Moats (Kingfisher); The Egyptians and the Valley of the Kings (Prentice Hall); and Thor Heyerdhal and the Kon-Tiki Voyage (Prentice Hall).

Richard Tames - Author

Richard Tames, is the author of over 100 books for children, including Ancient Olympics. He specialises in writing history books and biographies and is a Blue Badge Tourist Guide.