Archaeology From Space by Sarah Parcak

Goodreads synopsis: National Geographic Explorer and TED Prize-winner Dr. Sarah Parcak welcomes you to the exciting new world of space archaeology, a growing field that is sparking extraordinary discoveries from ancient civilizations across the globe.

In Archaeology from Space, Sarah Parcak shows the evolution, major discoveries, and future potential of the young field of satellite archaeology. From surprise advancements after the declassification of spy photography, to a new map of the mythical Egyptian city of Tanis, she shares her field’s biggest discoveries, revealing why space archaeology is not only exciting, but urgently essential to the preservation of the world’s ancient treasures.

Parcak has worked in twelve countries and four continents, using multispectral and high-resolution satellite imagery to identify thousands of previously unknown settlements, roads, fortresses, palaces, tombs, and even potential pyramids. From there, her stories take us back in time and across borders, into the day-to-day lives of ancient humans whose traits and genes we share. And she shows us that if we heed the lessons of the past, we can shape a vibrant future.

My rating: 3 stars.

Content warnings: PG. A few swears, mentions of historical violence.

Thoughts: If I had understood more than half of it, I probably would have rated it higher. But as it was, it was still enjoyable.

I did think it was going to be a little more about, well. Space archaeology. Though I'm not sure if that would have made it more or less difficult to read. It was more of an archaeology overview, with a mention of space archaeology in a couple points. Or maybe I was missing something.

But Parcak's passion and love for what she does shines through everything. I don't know if I would have made it through the book if not for her excitement over what she was writing about, and that shone through every page. If for nothing else, reading the prologue and first chapter might be worth it just to feel that excitement for something.

It was difficult to understand sometimes, just because it got kinda technical, but if you know more than I do about archaeology it's probably a pretty great read.