Description
Written from an economic and socialist perspective, this take on the emergence and evolution of civilisation in the Old World is refreshingly different. First published in 1942, it shows its age in its apparently (to contemporary ears) judgmental use of such terms as ‘Savagery’ and ‘Barbarism’ to define, not only stages in cultural development in the past, but present day societies sharing similar traits. Gordon Childe is not afraid to say what he believes in a way that will no doubt send current political correctors into fits of righteous outrage. Yet his condemnation of slavery, which he shows underpinned so many ancient societies and their artistic achievements, whilst stifling their economic development, strikes a chord with modern concerns. A masterly synthesis, this eclectic survey is a hugely interesting and accessible read, and is still relevant to our understanding of the past.
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