In Eyewitness to Discovery, Brian M. Fagan gathers together 55 vivid accounts of the world's greatest archaeological discoveries, from the tomb of Tutankhamun and the Aegean Marbles to Otzi the Iceman and Macchu Picchu, told by the people who discovered them.

The selections chronicle the development of the field, from the early 1700s when archaeology was little more than a lighthearted treasure hunt, to the late twentieth century when discoveries often come not only from spectacular excavations, but also from the screens of computers or from the analysis of pollen grains invisible to the naked eye. Fagan provides engaging, informative introductions to each selection, as well as an introduction to the volume that lays out the history of archaeology.

1. But the heart of the book is the excitement of the discoveries themselves.