Digging Deep: How Science Unearths Puzzles from the Past

Modern technology has the capacity to rewrite history as new advances reveal answers to puzzles that have confounded archaeologists and scientists for years. Such is the premise of this fascinating book as it delves into several recent discoveries that have dispelled myths and brought new facts to light. Despite its rather uninviting cover, Digging Deep: How Science Unearths Puzzles from the Past is a treasure trove of information, not only about the six featured discoveries, whose stories are absorbing in themselves, but also about the various scientific experts- from forensic chemists and facial reconstruction artists to marine archaeologists and plant poison researchers- and their tools of the trade which have revealed specific, detailed information. Some of these tools include sonar, laser scanners, satellites, lidar (light detection and ranging) and ROVs (Remotely Operated Vehicles used in underwater exploration). Another is the Accelerator Mass Spectrometry (AMS) test which can accurately date objects as old as 55,000 years without damaging them.

The six subjects in the book are both varied and engaging: Ötzi the Iceman, a victim of murder 5,300 years ago, his body perfectly preserved in glacial ice in the Alps; the discovery that humans in hunter-gatherer societies had been using sophisticated, poison hunting weapons more than 20,000 years earlier than previously thought; the detection of lost cities, overgrown by vegetation, in Cambodia which pre-date Angkor and were densely populated, thriving communities with sophisticated technology; Sir John Franklin’s doomed Arctic expedition caused by a series of misfortunes; the discovery of the makeshift burial site of King Richard III and his subsequent interment in a proper coffin and grave; and paintings, between 33,500 and 37,000 years old, twice as old as those found in the famed Lascaux Caves, discovered in France in what is now known as the Chauvet Cave.

Scandiffio’s writing style captures the imagination and draws readers in, often making them feel as if they were present at the awe-inspiring moments of discovery. In describing some of the paintings lit by flashlights in the Chauvet Cave, she writes:

Their beams lit up a wall at the far end of the chamber, revealing a sight that left everyone breathless. Covering more than 10 m (33 feet) was a magnificent scene in black charcoal. Their lights danced over a herd of running horses, their heads lifelike with wide eyes and open muzzles. Nearby, two rhinos faced each other, locking horns in a fight. A bison with many legs seemed to depict running. The animals appeared to ripple over the wall’s contours, creating an uncanny effect of depth and movement.

Sidebars, text boxes and quotes provide additional information, while maps, colour photographs, drawings and timelines both enhance the text and provide the reader with a greater understanding of the featured topics. A table of contents, an index and a list of resources for further study are included.

Interesting, educational and highly intriguing, Digging Deep is an enjoyable and captivating read.