THIRST: WATER AND POWER IN THE ANCIENT WORLD

Book ID/图书代码： 10010011B49757

English Summary/英文概要： While civilisations throughout time have varied in their beliefs, knowledge, technology, diet and so forth, the need to drink is a universal, making water the great common denominator. Moreover, the rise and fall of societies and civilisation has always depended on their ability to harness and manage water, and it has often been one of the great drivers of historical change, leading to some of the most remarkable engineering projects of the ancient world.

Renowned archaeologist and pre-historian Steven Mithen will examine the history of water in the ancient world, using examples from a five year archaeological research project in the Jordan Valley to discover exactly what happened to water in the ancient world, and how its domestication changed society and civilisation at all levels. From the first flushing toilets in the Minoan centre of Knossos on Crete, to the viaducts of Petra, from the fountains of Jerash in what is now Jordan, to the bath houses of the Greeks and the Romans, water and its management has been the constant factor in an ever-evolving world.

Chinese Summary/中文概要： 水是瀕臨枯竭的資源之一，由於人口增長，巨型城市化，氣候變遷。科學家們預計到2050年，淡水短缺問題將影響全球人口的75％。歷史學者Steven Mithen以人類運用及管理水的過往，揭示當前人類將面臨的水資源危機。從新石器革命以來，人們已經認識到水作為經濟動力的來源，並巧妙操控著水資源，歷史上更有許多壯觀浩大的水利工程管理，如蘇美人Sumerians因為掌握的運河建設和灌溉，而創造出第一個文明；納巴泰人Nabataean在Petra的沙漠城市裡創造出水天堂；高棉人Khmer在吳哥窟建造一個從外太空也能看到的內陸海。

而為了解決現代水危機，從美國西南部到中國，作者也引藉過去前人的治水經驗，提供古人的智慧給世人，當中他最推崇便是戰國時代著名的水利工程專家李冰，他名言：『與大自然合作，不要對抗大自然』(Vincent)

Awards/获奖情况：

About the Author/作者介绍： Steven Mithen is Dean of Science and Professor of Archaeology at the University of Reading and in 2004 he was elected as a Fellow of the British Academy.

Format:HARDCOVER ILLUSTRATED

Rights Status/版权销售情况：Simplified Chinese/简体中文：AVAILABLE(到期可授)

Complex/Traditional Chinese/繁体中文：AVAILABLE

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