Two superb new compilations showcasing nineteenth-century illustrations of ancient Roman ruins, Houses and Monuments of Pompeii: The Work of Fausto and Felice Niccolini (Los Angeles: J. Paul Getty Museum Publications, 2002; $75) and Ruins of Ancient Rome: Drawings of the French Architects Who Won the Prix de Rome 1786-1924 (Los Angeles: J. Paul Getty Museum Publications, 2002; $75), both recently translated from Italian, offer the opportunity to experience ruins before Mussolini, severe deterioration, and modern development took their toll.
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Archaeologist Kenneth Tankersley's In Search of Ice Age Americans (Salt Lake City: Gibbs Smith, 2002: $24.95) is a highly readable personal take on the latest developments in Paleoindian archaeology. Tankersley covers all the basics, but even the most knowledgeable readers will be fascinated by his encounters with some of the biggest names in the field. He is at his best when discussing his involvement in exposing fake Paleoindian spear points, and beautiful color illustrations of bona fide artifacts make for an especially attractive volume.
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Maria Giulia Amadasi Guzzo and Eugenia Equini Schneider's Petra (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2002; $45) is a handsomely illustrated popular overview of the famed Nabatean site. While the book focuses mainly on Petra's magnificent architecture, the authors have also included a useful introduction to the culture and history of the Nabateans.
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