Synopses & Reviews
In the peaceful stillness of the museum, I looked down through a window into a room below my feet. There lay a woman, face-up, draped in white silk. She appeared to be sleeping. But this woman had been "sleeping" for more than two thousand years. I had seen mummies before, but those were dry, skin-covered skeletons--not like this soft-fleshed body. I could not stop staring at her, Lady Dai from the Mawangdui tombs.
Synopsis
Unearth the mysteries of the Mawangdui tombs and take a sneak peek at life in Han dynasty China This middle-grade chapter book unearths one of China's top archaeological finds of the last century. Miniature servants, mysterious silk paintings, scrolls of long-lost secrets, and the best preserved mummy in the world (the body of Lady Dai) are just some of the artifacts that shed light upon life in China 2200 years ago. Illustrations include archival photographs as well as gorgeously rendered illustrations of Lady Dai's life.
Back matter includes historical notes on the Qin and Han Dynasties, a time line, glossary, author's note, bibliography, quotation sources, and an index.
About the Author
SG
Table of Contents
Introduction: Face-to-Face with Lady Dai…..4; Chapter 1: Excavation of a Time Capsule…..6; Chapter 2: The Mysterious Cadaver…..18; Chapter 3: A House Underground…..26; Chapter 4: All the Comforts of Home…..34; Chapter 5: Lady Dai's Silk Treasures…..44; Chapter 6: Library of Silk and Bamboo.....52; Conclusion: Time Capsule of Mawangdui.....62; Historical Note: Legacy of the Qin and Han Dynasties.....64; Time Line of the Qin and Early Han Dynasties.....72; Glossary.....74; Author's Note.....76; Sources of Quotations.....77; Selected Bibliography.....78; Index.....80