Palaces of Stone

Palaces of Stone

Author: Mike Main

Publisher: Penguin Random House South Africa

Published: 2021-04-01

Total Pages: 226

ISBN-13: 1775846156

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Across the face of southern Africa are more than 460 remarkable stone palaces – some small, others rambling, but many are astonishing. All are the legacy of kingdoms past. Some, such as Great Zimbabwe, Khami in Botswana and Mapungubwe in South Africa, are famous world heritage sites, but the majority are unknown to the general public, unsung and unappreciated. Palaces of Stone brings to life the history of various early African societies, from AD 900 to approximately 1850. By exploring a selection of known and unknown sites, the authors uncover the emergence of ancient civilisations and reconstruct the meaning of the ruins they left behind. Woven into the narrative are stories of powerful political states; ¬ ourishing local economies; long-distance trade; and the destruction wrought by colonialism and modern-day treasure hunters. This book will appeal to anyone interested in Africa’s ancient heritage. Sales points: Uncovers a little-known but rich period in the history and heritage of Africa. Covers sites in South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe and Mozambique. Features photographs, maps and diagrams of archaeological sites. Would appeal to anyone interested in the history and culture of Africa.


Stone Palaces

Stone Palaces

Author: Geoffrey Childs

Publisher:

Published: 2000

Total Pages: 232

ISBN-13:

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Geof Childs has infused each story in Stone Palaces with the select disquiet that comes from seeking adventure in the mountains and in life. Or, as he describes it, the clarity that comes from moments of doubt in the company of good friends en route to someplace, something, or someone that matters.


The 50 Greatest Castles and Palaces of the World

The 50 Greatest Castles and Palaces of the World

Author: Gilly Pickup

Publisher: Icon Books

Published: 2019-03-07

Total Pages: 279

ISBN-13: 1785784587

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Castles and palaces around the world are structures of grandeur, might and beauty. From the flamboyance of Germany's fairy tale-Neuschwanstein Castle to the gothic, Dracula-inspiring Bran Castle, perched high in the craggy peaks of Romania's Carpathian Mountains; Tokyo's Imperial Palace, previously home to samurai warriors to Ireland's Blarney Castle, where 'the gift of the gab' will be granted to any who kiss its stone, the world's castles and palaces are steeped in history and stories to tell. Travel writer and journalist Gilly Pickup shares these stories, providing a tour of 50 of the world's greatest castles and palaces, filled with humour, interesting facts and tips on how best to visit them.


Princess Academy: Palace of Stone

Princess Academy: Palace of Stone

Author: Shannon Hale

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing USA

Published: 2015-02-24

Total Pages: 355

ISBN-13: 1619632578

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Miri returns to Asland and calls upon all of her knowledge of rhetoric and other useful lessons learned at the Princess Academy when she and the other girls face strong opposition while working for a new, fair charter.


The Palaces of Crete

The Palaces of Crete

Author: James Walter Graham

Publisher: Princeton University Press

Published: 2017-03-14

Total Pages: 386

ISBN-13: 1400886708

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

A desire to recreate Minoan palaces, villas, and houses of the Late Bronze Age inspired the author of this book to undertake an eight year research program that has radically modified our conception of the appearance of Cretan dwellings. He not only interprets the use of the rooms that partially survive but reconstructs the guest suites and banquet halls of the vanished upper storeys. Written both as a preparation for a visit to Crete and as an actual guide to the sites," the book is prefaced with an account of the island's geography, history, and culture in antiquity, and packed with illustrations including photographs, plans, reconstructions, and a map of the island showing the sites. Originally published in 1987. The Princeton Legacy Library uses the latest print-on-demand technology to again make available previously out-of-print books from the distinguished backlist of Princeton University Press. These paperback editions preserve the original texts of these important books while presenting them in durable paperback editions. The goal of the Princeton Legacy Library is to vastly increase access to the rich scholarly heritage found in the thousands of books published by Princeton University Press since its founding in 1905. Originally published in 1962. The Princeton Legacy Library uses the latest print-on-demand technology to again make available previously out-of-print books from the distinguished backlist of Princeton University Press. These editions preserve the original texts of these important books while presenting them in durable paperback and hardcover editions. The goal of the Princeton Legacy Library is to vastly increase access to the rich scholarly heritage found in the thousands of books published by Princeton University Press since its founding in 1905.


Palaces of Reason

Palaces of Reason

Author: Robin L. Thomas

Publisher: Penn State Press

Published: 2023-11-09

Total Pages: 211

ISBN-13: 0271096608

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Palaces of Reason traces the fascinating history of three royal residences built outside of Naples in the eighteenth century at Capodimonte, Portici, and Caserta. Commissioned by King Charles of Bourbon and Queen Maria Amalia of Saxony, who reigned over the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, these buildings were far more than residences for the monarchs. They were designed to help reshape the economic and cultural fortunes of the realm. The palaces at Capodimonte, Portici, and Caserta are among the most complex architectural commissions of the eighteenth century. Considering the architecture and decoration of these complexes within their political, cultural, and economic contexts, Robin L. Thomas argues that Enlightenment ideas spurred their construction and influenced their decoration. These modes of thinking saw the palaces as more than just centers of royal pleasure or muscular assertions of the crown’s power. Indeed, writers and royal ministers viewed them as active agents in improving the cultural, political, social, and economic health of the kingdom. By casting the palaces within this narrative, Thomas counters the assumption that they were imitations of Versailles and the swan songs of absolutism, while expanding our understanding of the eighteenth-century European palace more broadly. Original and convincing, Thomas’s book will be of interest to historians of art and architectural history and eighteenth-century studies.


Forts & Palaces of India

Forts & Palaces of India

Author: Bindu Manchanda

Publisher: Roli Books Private Limited

Published: 2006

Total Pages: 204

ISBN-13: 9788174363817

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

The book explores the romance of India's forts and palaces - their past glory, wars and warriors, and unparalleled architecture. The book brings alive the magic of those monuments with a rare combination of prose and inimitable photographs. Master builders, dynasties, armories, underground stepwells, concrete labyrinths - they all come to life in the pages of this masterful tome.


Palaces and Power in the Americas

Palaces and Power in the Americas

Author: Jessica Joyce Christie

Publisher: University of Texas Press

Published: 2010-01-01

Total Pages: 429

ISBN-13: 0292782616

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Ancient American palaces still captivate those who stand before them. Even in their fallen and ruined condition, the palaces project such power that, according to the editors of this new collection, it must have been deliberately drawn into their formal designs, spatial layouts, and choice of locations. Such messages separated palaces from other elite architecture and reinforced the power and privilege of those residing in them. Indeed, as Christie and Sarro write, "the relation between political power and architecture is a pervasive and intriguing theme in the Americas." Given the variety of cultures, time periods, and geographical locations examined within, the editors of this book have grouped the articles into four sections. The first looks at palaces in cultures where they have not previously been identified, including the Huaca of Moche Site, the Wari of Peru, and Chaco Canyon in the U.S. Southwest. The second section discusses palaces as "stage sets" that express power, such as those found among the Maya, among the Coast Salish of the Pacific Northwest, and at El Tajín on the Mexican Gulf Coast. The third part of the volume presents cases in which differences in elite residences imply differences in social status, with examples from Pasado de la Amada, the Valley of Oaxaca, Teotihuacan, and the Aztecs. The final section compares architectural strategies between cultures; the models here are Farfán, Peru, under both the Chimú and the Inka, and the separate states of the Maya and the Inka. Such scope, and the quality of the scholarship, make Palaces and Power in the Americas a must-have work on the subject.