Ancestory

This is a wonderfully illustrated non-fiction book that brings to life the history of ancient civilisations and cultures through rock art. Not only do cave drawings (or ‘time capsules’ as they are referred to by the author Hannah Salyer) depict how life could have been many, many years ago, Salyer also explores with the reader whether the drawings could have been used for other reasons – for example, to map the stars, tell ancient stories, share important information or show drawings of animals now long extinct.

There are many interesting facts to discover, including the materials that would have been used to create ancient drawings and also the differing locations these have been found in. In particular, the reference to drawings like these being still prominent today in some cultures or disappearing due to climate change or vandalism is pivotal and tells the ultimate message by the author: we must work together to protect these important pieces of early history and knowledge.

This book is a must when launching into the theme of prehistory, with links to the Stone Age and Iron Age topics, or used as the beginning of an experiment linking to rocks in science. Furthermore, it could be used within art for pupils to replicate their own rock art drawings.