and the conquest of Egypt by Alexander the Great in 332 B.C.E., after which Egypt became part of the Hellenistic world. It was a time when Libyans, Kushites, Persians, and Greeks ascended to the throne more frequently than did indigenous kings. The history of this phase of pharaonic Egypt, marked by rapid changes in rule, has been relatively neglected until now.Egypt had become increasingly involved in the affairs of its Near Eastern neighbors (Assyria, Babylon, and Persia) and of the Mediterranean world. These many cultures greatly enriched and influenced pharaonic traditions. At the same time, Egyptian civilization extended far beyond the borders of Egypt itself. One of the most important cultural products of this period is the Old Testament, called here "an inestimable source of information on daily life in pharaonic Egypt". Mysliwiec perceives in recent archaeological discoveries clear evidence that the First Millennium B.C.E. was witness to more than a slow, progressive dying out of the pharaonic past; new and creative elements profoundly altered the culture of Ancient Egypt.Originally published in Polish, The Twilight of Ancient Egypt appeared in 1998 in a German edition. The Cornell edition has been updated by the author and also contains previously unpublished photographs of recently discovered treasures.

    But if we are to understand these societies, we need to look beyond recent times to the history of the region. For civilization in East Asia is nearly 4,000 years old, and its origins lie deep in the prehistoric past. This book is a synthesis of East Asian archaeology and early history. Drawing on new evidence, it charts the developments that culminated in the emergence of the region as a coherent entity, with a shared religion (Buddhism), state philosophy (Confucianism) and bureaucratic structure. The narrative begins over a million years ago, when early humans first colonized the Far East, and continues through the growth of fishing and farming societies at the end of the Ice Age to the rise of social elites during the Bronze Age, and the emergence of civilization in Shang, Zhou and Han China. Korea and Japan, though greatly influenced by the immense mainland empire, took their own paths towards civilization, first apparent in early states - Korea's Koguryo, Shilla and Paekche and Japan's Yamato - that emerged in the 4th century AD. Copious photographs and drawings - from vibrant Jomon ceramics to the first Chinese Emperor's terracotta army - complement the text.

    Abundantly illustrated in full color, the series places readers at the cutting edge of modern archaeological thinking.Summarizing the archaeological debate over when the New World was first peopled, Meltzer describes discoveries at controversial sites and the development of Native American cultures until the arrival of Europeans.