Lost Worlds of South America

By: Edwin Barnhart, The Great Courses

Narrated by: Edwin Barnhart

Buried by the centuries on soaring mountain slopes and beneath arid deserts and lush jungles of South America, the remains of extraordinary, majestic civilizations - many unknown until recent decades - are now coming to light and raising tantalizing questions about what else may be awaiting discovery.

Take an adventurous trek to these wilds of South America and the great civilizations of the ancients. In 24 eye-opening lectures, you'll take an in-depth look at the emerging finds and archaeological knowledge of more than 12 seminal civilizations, giving you rich insight into the creative vision and monumental achievements of these wellsprings of human life.

The ancient South Americans show us striking models of how societies can function and organize themselves. The technologies and social structures seen here were wholly invented, using no preexisting models, as these dynamic peoples struggled to tame their environment and carve out societies and empires.

Recently unearthed marvels include elaborately prepared and adorned mummies that predate Egypt's by 2000 years; imposing palaces, solar observatories, and dramatically decorated pyramids; stunning art objects in gold, turquoise, lapis lazuli, and ceramic; and evidence of huge urban civilizations in the Amazon.

In their amazing sophistication and scale, the sites reveal some of the most remarkable ancient artifacts found anywhere in the world. The breathtaking valleys, mountains, and deserts you will study in this course reveal wonders that rival anything we know of the ancient world. Travel with us to a lost and splendorous past - a fountainhead of civilization that speaks unforgettably of human striving, vision, and the indomitable will to endure.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your My Library section along with the audio.

©2012 The Teaching Company, LLC (P)2012 The Great Courses

Excellent content and performance

If you could sum up Lost Worlds of South America in three words, what would they be?

Informational, interesting, great series

What other book might you compare Lost Worlds of South America to and why?

History related books

Which character – as performed by Professor Edwin Barnhart – was your favorite?

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Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Not really because there was lot of information to digest. Better to take in couple of lectures at a time.

Fast paced, easy to follow and informative!

Very well told! Only wished it had included indigenous groups outside of Peru and the Amazon.

inLove

I absolutely LOVE this great course audio book. The narration is engaging and the information is easy to understand and relate too. I am so inspired and have learned so much about the cultures of south America that are under represented in history books. This is my favorite great course ever! Cannot wait to listen to more by the same author, Edwin Barnhart. :)

Interesting, but...

Interesting topic, informative
Not nearly enough on the Amazon
Marred by language usage errors and idiosyncratic word forms

I thought I knew South American Ancient Cultures!

This is a wonderful lecture series. It's easy to follow and opens a world of amazing ancient cultures. If you have any interest in the pre-Columbian history of the Western Hemisphere, this is a must.

Fascinating look at pre-Columbian civilizations

The ancient communities and civilizations of South America were as impressive as those of Egypt and Rome. Early farming techniques employed impressive irrigation systems, and we have them to thank for corn and potatoes. It’s hard to imagine that there are still undiscovered communities living by the old ways in the Amazonian forests.

Great stuff.

Very engaging and current. Highly recommended as a broad introduction to the archaeology and history of the region.

Lost worlds

I enjoyed these lectures very much. Easy to understand and informative. I’m getting the next one by same author.

One of my favorites!

I'm a big fan of the great courses, and this was one of my favorites. Very interesting and often overlooked subject matter, great professor, overall very informative and enjoyable.

Fascinating!!

I think I’ve listened to this lecture series at least half a dozen times. Edwin Barnhart is a phenomenal presenting expert, and I would absolutely recommend this course to anyone with a fascination for cultural history!