Brimming with detailed maps, floor plans, reproductions of remarkable works of art, aerial photographs, and panoramic views, this exceptional volume traces more than six millennia of ancient Italian history. Researched and written by an editorial board of archaeologists supervised by one of today's foremost archaeologists and art historians, this volume represents years of intensive research and fieldwork. Encompassing such renowned sites as Rome, Pompeii, and Tarquinia, as well as lesser-known but equally significant gems, this book transports readers back in time to the very beginning of Italy's known roots. The in-depth text describes the civilizations of the Celts, Etruscans, Italic peoples, Phoenicians, Greeks, Carthaginians, and the Romans, accompanied by hundreds of specially commissioned photographs that reveal, in great detail, the impressive contributions of these peoples to Italy's rich cultural heritage. From the rock carvings of the Camuni people found in Val Camonica that date as far back as the Late Paleolithic era to the ruins of Herculaneum, long preserved under the volcanic flow from Mt. Vesuvius, this compelling volume brings to life the diverse cultures of ancient Italian civilization.