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Discovered by chance by farmers in 1974, the mausoleum of the first emperor of China contained one of the wonders of the world: the Terracotta Army. Based on unique access to leading Chinese archaeologists, this book sets the clay warriors in the context of Chinese society 2,200 years ago, describes the latest discoveries at the vast and only partly excavated site, and hints at what may still be uncovered – including the imperial tomb itself.

Off-mint

Ranging from the prehistory of Newcastle to Warkworth castle, the Percy family’s tower house built in the 14th century, this volume of 15 essays explores the remarkably rich material legacy of the Middle Ages in north-east England. Among the significant sites discussed are Hexham Priory, the castle keep in Newcastle upon Tyne, Tynemouth priory and Alnwick castle.

Bequeathed to the city of Baltimore ‘for the benefit of the people’, the major collection of Greek art assembled by Henry Walters (1848–1931) is rich in small-scale works. This volume presents the collection’s highlights in chronological order, from a Cycladic female idol (c.2500 BCE) to jewellery and cast bronze statuettes of the Hellenistic age. Each period is introduced by an essay tracing the development of artistic themes and techniques; an appendix provides an overview of Greek pottery.

Described by its excavator as ‘the epitome of serenity and symmetry’, the brightly coloured plaster bust of Queen Nefertiti from Tell el-Amarna is one of the most famous examples of Egyptian art. These 29 essays set Nefertiti within the historical context of the Amarna period, assess the bust’s cultural impact in the 20th century and describe other artefacts found in the same location. More than 200 items are illustrated, including many unfinished carvings that offer glimpses into an ancient sculptor’s workshop.

The objects made during the Predynastic and Early Dynastic periods (c.4400–2649 BCE) provide the best means of examining how the ancient civilization in the Nile Valley gave rise to Pharaonic Egypt. Discussing 183 items, from a bowl inscribed for King Djet (c.3050 BCE) to the stela of King Raneb (c.2880 BCE), this volume reflects on the early Egyptians’ representations of people, animals and the landscape, and their reasons for making these objects.

Ancient Greek sculptors established the foundation of a new art form in which human bodies were realistically and dynamically portrayed. This book brings together more than 60 examples now in museums around the world; they range from early kouros statues (c.600 BCE) to a Roman-period portrait bust, and from delicate grave-markers to the friezes of Athens’ Acropolis and the great altar of Pergamon. Each item is discussed in the accompanying text and illustrated in multiple photographs that highlight significant details.

With introductions to the buildings, instructions for making the models of them and the press-out pieces, this book features five structures from different architectural eras and elements. The Colosseum epitomizes the great monuments of ancient Rome; the Eiffel Tower represents the Industrial Revolution; architectural vision is celebrated by Sydney Opera House, engineering prowess by the CNN Tower; and the One World Trade Center, standing on the site of the Twin Towers, is an eloquent symbol of American defiance.

The miniaturist art of gem engraving is the least familiar of the major arts of ancient Greece, yet we know it to have been practised by the greatest artists, and its masterpieces can challenge many better-known works of sculpture and painting. John Boardman presents a comprehensive, well-illustrated account of gem engraving in the Greek lands, examining the gems’ subject matter and iconography, the materials and technology used in creating them, and their relation to contemporary artistic works in other media. Slightly off-mint.