Introduces the history of Asia and presents alphabetical entries that cover topics such as archaeological sites, economic development, political institutions, religion, trade, and warfare.
Beginning with an informative introduction that gives an overview of the major stands of Asian civilization from 5,000 B.C.E. to 1,100 C.E., this alphabetically arranged encyclopedia presents clear information on a wide variety of archaeological sites, significant persons, dynasties, and religious and other cultural practices. More than 900 articles cover Central and East Asia, the Southeastern Asian islands, the Indian subcontinent, and Japan and Korea. The entries are written clearly, though without much verve, and include cross-references in small capitals within the body. Entries for people begin with an italicized summary of the person's status and importance. Some articles include see also references at the end, with longer treatments generally terminating with lists of sources (usually two to six) for further reading. Weighting on the entries is appropriate, with shorter treatments for less significant people, places, or concepts (e.g., Chongdi, a Han emperor who ruled briefly) and more in-depth coverage for topics like Buddhism or Harappa (a great city of the Indus Valley Civilization).
More than 50 well-placed black-and-white photographs enhance the presentation. Five maps at the beginning of the volume show the locations of archaeological sites throughout Asia and the Indian subcontinent. All are in black and white, with the elevations indicated only in grey scale, making them a little harder to read than color maps would be. However, they still serve quite ably in terms of locating sites from the text entries. A three-page chronology and extensive bibliography follow the body of the work, as does an accurate index, with main headings indicated by boldface numbers and illustrations by italics.
Introduces the history of Asia and presents alphabetical entries that cover topics such as archaeological sites, economic development, political institutions, religion, trade, and warfare.
From School Library Journal
Grade 10 Up–This detailed volume "concentrates on civilizations that arose east of the Caspian Sea," from modern Afghanistan and the Aral Sea south to India and Sri Lanka and east to Japan, Korea, and the islands of Southeast Asia. The years covered range from 3000 B.C.E. through the 15th century. Entries vary in length from a paragraph to several pages, with the longer presentations followed by short lists for further reading; the appendix contains a comprehensive bibliography. Topics include dynasties, cultures, archaeological sites, artifacts, religions, temples, palaces, agricultural and economic development, trade, and individuals. The text, though dry, is thorough and up to date, incorporating descriptive material and, where relevant, the various interpretations of an item's or site's significance. There are occasional misspellings and an infrequent gaffe–the second ancient city on the site of Taxila was about one quarter square mile in size, not 72,000 square miles–but the material, with its many cross-references, is generally accurate. The sparsely scattered, black-and-white photographs are sometimes fuzzy with inadequate captions: the portion of the Great Wall pictured actually dates from the 15th-century Ming Dynasty, and the Kot Diji fort from the 18th century. The volume's five maps are insufficient and difficult to use. Nonetheless, the text makes this a valuable resource for libraries supporting an Asian history curriculum. –Diane S. Marton, Arlington County Library, VA
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
From Booklist
Beginning with an informative introduction that gives an overview of the major stands of Asian civilization from 5,000 B.C.E. to 1,100 C.E., this alphabetically arranged encyclopedia presents clear information on a wide variety of archaeological sites, significant persons, dynasties, and religious and other cultural practices. More than 900 articles cover Central and East Asia, the Southeastern Asian islands, the Indian subcontinent, and Japan and Korea. The entries are written clearly, though without much verve, and include cross-references in small capitals within the body. Entries for people begin with an italicized summary of the person's status and importance. Some articles include see also references at the end, with longer treatments generally terminating with lists of sources (usually two to six) for further reading. Weighting on the entries is appropriate, with shorter treatments for less significant people, places, or concepts (e.g., Chongdi, a Han emperor who ruled briefly) and more in-depth coverage for topics like Buddhism or Harappa (a great city of the Indus Valley Civilization).
More than 50 well-placed black-and-white photographs enhance the presentation. Five maps at the beginning of the volume show the locations of archaeological sites throughout Asia and the Indian subcontinent. All are in black and white, with the elevations indicated only in grey scale, making them a little harder to read than color maps would be. However, they still serve quite ably in terms of locating sites from the text entries. A three-page chronology and extensive bibliography follow the body of the work, as does an accurate index, with main headings indicated by boldface numbers and illustrations by italics.
A sound companion to Asian History on File (Facts On File, 1995), this is a good beginning point for research, especially in regard to archaeological excavations. Suitable for most public and academic library collections and for those high schools with a focus on world or ancient history. Ann Welton
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
About the Author
Charles F. Higham is professor of anthropology at the University of Otago in New Zealand.