In October 1936, the British Resident Frederick Chapman, or “Freddie” as he was known by his close associates, received an invitation to a game of soccer from a team calling themselves Lhasa United. The British Diplomatic Mission in Lhasa, unable to resist such a summons, hastily cobbled together a team of four British officials, four of their Sikkimese clerks, and a few of their …
Bagan, the ancient Buddhist capital in central Myanmar (Burma) that thrived from 850-1300, is one of the most magnificent and inspiring sites in Southeast Asia. It is yours to uncover.
The temples of Thailand — overflowing with golden Buddhas, soaring spires and glistening surfaces of infinite complexity — stir the spirit, inviting contemplation and wonder. This Approach Guide reveals the country’s best art and architecture from its three great historical capitals: Sukhothai (1238-1368), Ayutthaya (1350-1767), and Bangkok (1782-present). It is yours to discover.
A fantastic collection of royal tombs sits solemnly along the banks of the Perfume river, upstream of Hue to the southwest. They were built by the Nguyen dynasty — which ruled over a unified Vietnam from 1802-1945 — to maintain their legacy for ages to come. Named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1993, the tombs inspire with their perfectly-integrated natural surroundings, captivating dragon…
With insightful profiles for 23 of Angkor's top temples and nearly 200 high-resolution images, this is the definitive travel guide to Angkor, Cambodia's premier World Heritage destination. Angkor — the capital of the Khmer empire that thrived for 500 years from 802-1327 — is one of the most magnificent sites in Southeast Asia. The ancient city’s temples inspire with their innovative ar…
The final decades of the 18th century became a crucial period for the differ-ent fields of natural history and related disciplines of ethnology and archaeol-ogy, as academic subjects in light of the advancement of Linnaean systematic classification in botany and zoology.5 The perception and systematization of the natural world went through a paradigmatic shift as a result. Collections and the p…
Our histories of global exploration and encounter in the long eigh-teenth century are often drawn from the scientific voyages of discovery and their richly illustrated books, like John Ross’s A Voyage of Discovery(1819). Ross voyaged in the Enlightenment tradition of Bougainville and Cook, who had returned to Europe in ships laden with knowledge in the form …
This carefully crafted study presents the fascinating story of the development and establishment of India’s culture and civilization from early pre-history through to the early second millennium. Encompassing topics such as the Harappan Civilization, the rise of Hindu culture, the influx of Islam in the eighth and the eleventh/twelfth centuries and key empires, states and dynasties, India:…
Japan is a country of contradictions and extremes. It is a country of age-old practices and cutting edge technology, strong martial traditions and refined artistic accomplishments. Few countries have been the subject of so much attention yet remain so elusive. Japan is an island nation defined by its close proximity to, yet isolation from the Asian mainland. Throughout history, ideas adopted fr…
Libraries and research institutions around the world hold countless manuscripts and early printed books.1 Some of the most prestigious and beautiful reading rooms are dedicated to these rare materials. Even smaller institutions often have their own division and sometimes a separate reading room or area for these holdings. While these smaller institutions often only have one reading roo…