The Phoenicians

"The ancient Phoenician civilization is still shrouded in mystery. Its people left few written records, but they are known to have been some of the greatest traders in history and expert navigators - skills which brought them riches that were legendary. Excavations have yielded countless treasures of gold, silver, obsidian, gold breastplates, sarcophagi - all examples of the most remarkable craftmanship, and representative of a most advanced culture." "The Phoenician civilization reached its peak around 1000 B.C. Its colonies stretched from the Eastern coast of the Mediterranean to Spain, encompassing Sicily, Cyprus, Sardinia and extensive territories in North Africa. Its accomplishments were manifold and long-lasting; amongst others, the Phoenicians created those letters from which the Greek alphabet is derived, and were perhaps the first to develop the techniques that enabled glass-blowing." "This detailed study reveals both the complexities and the wonders of this fascinating culture: it is an invaluable compendium filled with beautiful illustrations on the extraordinary history, culture, craft and identity of this most interesting of peoples - the Phoenicians."--Publisher description.