Guides to the ancient world
Which part of the globe saw the first written words? Which culture made the first hot chocolate? And who invaded Leicester with war elephants? Find out more in our illustrated history of the ancient world in seven parts, free with the Guardian and Observer
The story of Mother India
Archaeological finds from India give us glimpses of a culture uniquely at ease with itself
China: Enduring empire
The laws and customs of the ancient world still shape the best and worst of China today
Mesopotamia: Birthplace of civilisation
We look to Greece and Rome for the roots of the modern world. But, as Michael Wood reminds us, civilised life in Iraq began 4,000 years earlier
The Americas: The old New World
The tragic demise of the Americas' native civilisations has too long distracted from its impressive cultural feats
Rome: Emperors and poets
Rome had an undeniable talent for warfare and a taste for excess, but that shouldn't obscure its cultural achievements
Greece: Birthplace of the modern world?
It had paid-up intellectuals and progressive politics, yet ancient Greece was less civil than we are inclined to remember
Egypt: A life before the afterlife
Gloomy tombs and morbid mummies? Everyday Egypt was much more than that
