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X Marks the Spot

The gripping true story behind the world's most extraordinary archaeological discoveries

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X Marks the Spot

By: Michael Scott
Narrated by: Michael Scott
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Ancient shipwrecks in crystal seas, mythical princesses preserved in ice and astonishing lost rituals - this is the story of archaeology as you've never seen it before . . .

'If you love Indiana Jones, this is the real thing' - DAN SNOW

Professor Michael Scott uncovers the true stories behind history's most monumental discoveries, unearthing traps, curses and buried treasure along the way. Full of extraordinary characters - from glory hunters to forgotten heroes - X Marks the Spot explores our love affair with the past.

We uncover why different periods and places have caught our attention and imaginations at different times. We meet the characters, some celebrated and some forgotten, who found world-famous discoveries like the Rosetta Stone, the Terracotta Warriors and Machu Picchu. We investigate ancient human footprints, stunning shipwrecks, mythical princesses and surprising rituals as keyholes to the wonders of past civilisations. And we unravel how archaeological finds have often become emblems of modern fascinations and dilemmas.

Crossing millions of years, trekking from the jungles of South America to the frozen highlands of Central Asia, X Marks the Spot reveals how much the discovery of our past is intertwined with the concerns of our present and why X never, ever marks the spot.

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Praise for X Marks the Spot:

'An essential read for anyone with even a fleeting interest in exploring the past . . . I couldn't put it down' - JANINA RAMIREZ

'Alive with the spirit of adventure' - SIR RANULPH FIENNES

'Pick up Michael Scott's fabulous, learned, smart and never-dusty new book immediately. It's wonderful' - NATALIE HAYNES

'This is a thrilling investigation of humankind's obsession with the physical remains of its past' - SUZANNAH LIPSCOMB

'Vivid, pacy and full of fascinating detail, X Marks the Spot is a riveting adventure through time' - ALICE LOXTON
©2023 Michael Scott (P)2023 Hodder & Stoughton Limited©2023 Michael Scott Ancient Archaeology World Discovery
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Critic reviews

If you love Indiana Jones, this is the real thing. Michael Scott celebrates the fusion of scholarship and adventure in a book full of both. (DAN SNOW)
Through eight of history's most audacious acts of discovery, Michael Scott tells us the story of archaeology itself. This is a thrilling investigation of humankind's obsession with the physical remains of its past. (SUZANNAH LIPSCOMB)
A fascinating book; both as a greatest hits compendium of archaeological breakthroughs, and as a subtle examination of how "discovery" has evolved. In tracing Archaeology's journey, Professor Michael Scott shows that "discovery" often required more than just courage, persistence, and talent, but also geopolitical pressure, local knowledge, dubious ethical choices, and pure blind luck! (GREG JENNER)
Do you wish you knew more about some of the most fascinating archaeological discoveries made around the world? Then pick up Michael Scott's fabulous, learned, smart and never-dusty new book immediately. It's wonderful. (NATALIE HAYNES)
Michael Scott tells these stories in an affable, scholarly and accessible way with an expert eye, giving us incisive portraits of the fascinating, often difficult and driven characters who expanded the frontiers of knowledge, whilst also examining their actions in light of our modern values and debates about restitution, display and ongoing scholarly investigation (MICHAEL WOOD)
An essential read for anyone with even a fleeting interest in exploring the past. Michael weaves a world around each discovery, which tells us as much about modern attitudes as it does about the ancient civilisations unearthed. I couldn't put it down! (JANINA RAMIREZ)
Alive with the spirit of adventure, X Marks the Spot captures pioneering moments in history and takes readers to the thrilling peaks of discovery. (Sir Ranulph Fiennes)
Vivid, pacey and full of fascinating detail, X Marks the Spot is a riveting adventure through time, propelled by Michael Scott's excellent scholarship and accessible writing style. (ALICE LOXTON)
Scott has written a book that should be on the shelves of every aspiring young archaeologist. Across eight discoveries, he lays out in great detail their importance in understanding our history ... With X Marks the Spot, we're now fortunate to have a book to inspire the next generation.
Endlessly fascinating and thought-provoking, this book is as satisfying a find as any of the archaeological discoveries that it charts. Highly recommended. (TRACY BORMAN)
Michael Scott deftly captures the trials and triumphs of archaeology, from the privations of life on a dig to the thrill of discovery. Wide-ranging in time and space, X Marks the Spot is a fascinating mix of history, biography and - above all - adventure. (TOBY WILKINSON, author of A World Beneath the Sands)
All stars
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I absolutely loved listening to this, only downside is it's made me really want to visit all the sites!

Brilliant

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Prof Michael Scott brings his own usual, enthusiastic dulcet tones to this wonderful collection of 8 stories about important archaeological finds. They are all fascinating and gripping and, as is always the case with Proff Scott, told in language which makes the subject really interesting and understandable for those of us who are not great scholars! I enjoyed it very much and highly recommend it - a “must listen” in my opinion

Wonderful Listen, Gripping and Educational

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This was really entertaining and informative. It was read beautifully by the author. I wish i could hear more!

So glad I got the audiobook

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A truly fantastic read, with a very diverse and interesting selection of archaeological "discoveries." Really appreciated the rich levels of detail when creating the context of each discovery.

Was very hard to put down.

A really engaging account of archaeology

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This is an excellent book that kept me engaged throughout. Some stories were known to me although, after listening, not necessarily accurately, others were new to me . I found the content , style and pace of the book enabled me to visualize the worlds and people that were being described and left me sorry that it had finished when I came to the epilogue. I hope Professor Scott returns with more stories very soon.

Fascinating stories wonderfully described

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