Introduction -- Australia's first peoples were conservationists -- Women and children painted the Chauvet Cave -- Gender equality blossomed in Çatalhöyük -- Mohenjo-daro was a sustainable city -- Women warriors thrived in Ancient China -- Black pharaohs ruled Ancient Egypt -- Women triumphed at the Ancient Olympic Games -- Ashoka was a great and compassionate king -- Ancient Makah lived in harmony with nature -- Indigenous peoples lived in cosmopolitan cities -- The Vikings were also peaceful traders -- Great Zimbabwe defied colonial ideology -- Ancestors of the Inuit had an equal society -- Machu Picchu was built on migration -- Ask an archaeologist -- Glossary

"Rediscover the ancient world as you've never seen it before and meet: The women and children who painted the world's oldest-known cave art Black pharaohs, forgotten from Ancient Egypt's history; the Indus civilization who built a sustainable city; female warriors who led battles in Ancient China; workers who migrated to Machu Picchu; peaceful Viking traders; the African engineers behind Great Zimbabwe; Indigenous peoples of North America who built cosmopolitan cities and lived in harmony with nature and more . . . Archaeologist and broadcaster Raksha Dave casts a spotlight on forgotten histories and misrepresented stories using 50 objects unearthed during archaeological digs to show how we discover more about ancient civilizations. This groundbreaking book offers a fresh perspective on our past to inspire you to build a better future"--