It is sometimes said that death is the last taboo, but it was not always so. For centuries, religious establishments constructed decorated ossuaries and charnel houses that stand as masterpieces of art created from human bone. These unique structures have been pushed into the footnotes of history; they were part of a dialogue with death that is now silent. The sites in this specially photographed and brilliantly original study range from the Monastery...

"Have you ever heard of people saving the bones of their ancestors? That's what happens in ossuaries and charnel houses. You might be wondering why people would do this, and there are several fascinating reasons you need to read to believe. Inside this creepy volume, readers will find amazing photographs of charnel houses and ossuaries, including the dark passages of the Paris catacombs and the ornately decorated Sedlec Ossuary. Photographs are paired...

"Mummies, grave-robbing ghouls, hopping vampires, and evil monks beset a young archaeologist, in this fast-paced Indiana Jones-style adventure. Saqqara, Egypt, 1888, and in the booby-trapped tomb of an ancient sorcerer, Rom, a young Egyptologist, makes the discovery of a lifetime: five coffins and an eerie, oversized sarcophagus. But the expedition seems cursed, for after unearthing the mummies, all but Rom die horribly. He faithfully returns to America...

To coincide with the 400th anniversary of William Shakespeare's death, University of Cambridge historian Dr. Helen Castor and a team of archaeologists embark on the first-ever scientific investigation of Shakespeare's grave.

"A debut, rip-roaring archeological thriller about the search for the lost tomb of Alexander the Great "--Provided by the publisher.

"In 1939, a team of workers beneath the Vatican unearthed an early Christian grave. This surprising discovery launched a secret quest that would last decades -- a quest to discover the long-lost burial place of the apostle Peter. From earliest times, Christian tradition held that Peter -- a lowly fisherman from Galilee, whom Christ made leader of his Church -- was executed in Rome by Emperor Nero and buried on Vatican Hill. But his tomb had been lost...

In 1922 archaeologist Howard Carter discovered the tomb of Tutankhamun. Learn about the treasures within the tomb of the pharaoh, from objects of beauty to practical items that were provided for the king's journey to the underworld.

"Clive Cussler, "The Grand Master of Adventure," sends his intrepid heroes Dirk Pitt and Al Giordino on their wildest, boldest mission into the ancient world, unlocking extraordinary secrets and solving hideous crimes. Another fabulous read from the most beloved series from the #1 New York Times-bestselling author. The murders of a team of United Nations scientists in El Salvador. A deadly collision in the waterways off the city of Detroit. An attack...