Lamberg-Karlovsky is a recognized expert on ancient civilizations of the Middle East, conducted field work in Iran, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Oman; Sablov is an expert in the archeology of Mexico and Central America, the head of excavations in the Mayan culture zone. This predetermined both the geographical and chronological scope of the book. Based on the latest scientific data and the personal experience of the authors, it provides a broad and objective picture of the development of the most important civilizations of the ancient world in two independent and far distant centers of high culture in the Old and New Worlds in time and space. CONTENTS: About the authors 5 Preface 8 CHAPTER 1. History of historyReview of historical worldviews 14Ancient ideas about the past 15Historical views of the classical era 17Linear concept of history in Augustine the Blessed 20The origin and development of scientific views 22Historical thought in the 20th century 28Archaeological evidence 35Anthropological ideas of recent decades 42CHAPTER 2. The emergence of agricultural communities: Middle Eastern evidence 50 “Neolithic revolution” 50The original era cultivation 60Sedentary farming 69Jericho - a settlement in an oasis 73Chatal Huyuk and the Anatolian Neolithic 82The spread of Neolithic traditions 91Mesopotamian plains 92Umm-Dabaghiya culture 93Hassoun culture 97Samarra culture 99Halaf culture 102Ubaid culture 10 8Summary 115CHAPTER 3. The beginning of civilization: Egypt, Sumer, Indus Valley 118Ecological basis: contrasts and analogies 118Egyptian civilization 124Sumerian civilization 139Indus civilization 179Summary 194CHAPTER 4. Civilization of ancient Mesoamerica 200Geography and climate 201Beginning of agriculture 202Cultures of ancient Mesoamerica 221Olmec 222Maya 240Teotihuacan 2 56Toltecs 265Aztecs 272Spanish Conquest 282Summary 283CHAPTER 5. General considerations and outlines for the future 290Evolution of civilizations of the Old and New Worlds: analogies and contrasts 291How they develop civilization 299System approach 299Bibliography 306Notes (Ya. Y. Merpert, V., I. Gulyaev) 314Afterword (Y. Y. Merpert, Y. Ya. Gulyaev) 318 Index of geographical and ethnic names 353 Index of names 361