Northern Africa is dominated by the Sahara Desert, stretching across the continent from the Atlantic Ocean to the Red Sea. This book is about the people who lived around the edges of the Desert and the different ways in which they responded to its challenges, establishing networks of communication across its expanse. But the Sahara has not always been a desert. From about 9000 BC the region began to enjoy a warm, humid period allowing vegetation to flourish and wild animals to move in. Humans soon followed practising pastoral economies but with the onset of harsher conditions once more around 3000 BC the desert reclaimed its own. Since then fluctuations in climate have continued to affect the lives of people living around the desert fringes. The communities occupying the North African Coast and in the Nile Valley have come under the influence of the states dominating the Near East and the Mediterranean but those living in in the Sahel to the south of the desert have developed their own distinctive cultures. The book tells the story of the growing links between the two worlds, showing that Africa played a crucial part in the development of the Old World before it was drawn into the story of the New World.

About the Author
Barry Cunliffe taught archaeology in the Universities of Bristol and Southampton and was Professor of European Archaeology at the University of Oxford from 1972 to 2008, thereafter becoming Emeritus Professor. He has excavated widely in Britain (Fishbourne, Bath, Danebury, Hengistbury Head, Brading) and in the Channel Islands, Brittany, and Spain, and has been President of the Council for British Archaeology and of the Society of Antiquaries, a Governor of the Museum of London, and a Trustee of the British Museum. He was a Commissioner of English Heritage from 2005 to 2013. His many publications include The Ancient Celts (1997, second edition 2018), Facing the Ocean (2001), The Druids: A Very Short Introduction (2010), Britain Begins (2012), By Steppe, Desert, and Ocean (2015), and The Scythians (2019) all published by Oxford University Press. He received a knighthood in 2006.

Reviews
A marvellously rich book in which the Sahara holds centre stage...Cunliffe has once again magisterially filled a major gap in the literature with this surprisingly rich history of the far from empty Sahara and the vibrant cultures of the lands surrounding it. * David Abulafia, Literary Review *
Facing the Sea of Sand covers a huge amount of ground, yet the clarity of the writing and the array of accompanying maps, graphs, illustrations and photographs ensure that it doesn't feel overwhelming. * Shafik Meghji, Geographical *
Professor Sir Barry Cunliffe is an historian of the grand scale...a fascinating account of one of our planet's most hostile places. * Anthony Sattin, Engelsberg Ideas *
Distilling an extraordinary amount of Saharan research into a readable narrative is an accomplishment in itself. Successfully placing it into a continental and global context is genius...A masterpiece of African scholarship featuring stunning full-color photography and edifying maps. * Jessica A. Bushore, Library Journal *
Barry Cunliffe's words are delivered with great panache, and the images and maps make the book accessible to the widest possible audience. * Arpan Banerjee, Times Literary Supplement *
A masterful account of the desert and the peoples both to the north and to the south. * Andrew Selkirk, Current World Archaeology *



Book Information
ISBN 9780192858887
Author Barry Cunliffe
Format Hardback
Page Count 416
Imprint Oxford University Press
Publisher Oxford University Press
Weight(grams) 1106g
Dimensions(mm) 252mm * 195mm * 25mm