Early globalization on display in history of Eurasian civilization
Farmers, nomads, traders made their mark on growing human interconnectedness
By Bruce Bower
By Steppe, Desert, and Ocean
Barry Cunliffe
Oxford Univ, $29.95
Today’s globalized, interconnected, in-your-face world has a complex backstory. In By Steppe, Desert, and Ocean, archaeologist Barry Cunliffe unravels events in Eurasia between 12,000 and 700 years ago, a pivotal stretch of time that witnessed a transformation of the first farmers into seagoing traders who created the first global networks.
It’s a fascinating tale of survival, ingenuity, power, greed, cooperation and brutality. Scheming characters on the TV show Empire have nothing on the Mongol empire, a band of nomadic horsemen that conquered much of Eurasia during the 1200s. This empire’s ruling family held its vast domain together for three generations before internal rivalries tore the realm apart.