The Western Humanities（西文人文读本注释版）

　　Chronologically organized， The Western Humanities presents thecultural achievements of western civilization—art， music， history，literature， theater， film and the other arts—within theirhistorical context. By examining the historical and materialconditions that influenced the form and content of the arts andliterature， the authors provide students a deeper understanding ofthe meaning of cultural works and a broader basis for appreciatingthe humanities. Hundreds of illustrations appear throughout thetext， "Slices of Life" boxes bring to life the events of the day，and brief sections at the end of each chapter describe the culturallegacy of the era discussed.

　　Roy T. Matthews，F. DeWitt Platt本书作者是美国大学西方人文史专业的教授，书中把整个西方历史从人文成就的角度进行了重新梳理和展示。书中将西方的经济、社会、政治、军事的历史与文学艺术、科学、哲学、宗教等知识的发展融会贯通，从宏观和微观角度对西方人文史进行立体的把握。书中着重于两大范畴的文化表达：一是思想观念范畴，如哲学、历史、宗教、科学等等；二是文化作品范畴，如艺术、音乐、戏剧、文学和电影等等。作者是把西方人文历史放到国际互动的大背景下进行介绍和评价，细致入微地介绍了西方文明的起源、发展、演变，以及在这个过程中对其他地区人文成就的吸收与融合。

PREFACE
INTRODUCTION：
Why Study Cultural History?
A HUMANITIES PRIMER：
How to Understand the Arts
1
PREHISTORY AND
NEAR EASTERN
CIVILIZATIONS
PREHISTORY AND EARLY CULTURES
Paleolithic Period
Neolithic Period
Technology in Early Cultures
Stone Age Technology Bronze Age Technology
Iron Age Technology
THE CIVILIZATIONS OF THE TIGRIS AND
EUPHRATES RIVER VALLEY： MESOPOTAMIA
The Sumerian， Akkadian， and Babylonian Kingdoms
The Cradle of Civilization
Writing Religion
ENCOUNTER The Phoenicians and the Alphabet
Literature Law
SLICE OF LIFE “A Sumerian Father Lectures His Son”
Anonymous， from clay tablets
Science， Mathematics， and Medicine Art and
Architecture
THE CIVILIZATION OF THE NILE RIVER VALLEY：
EGYPT
Continuity and Change over Three Thousand Years
A Quest for Eternal Cultural Values
Religion Writing and Literature Science and Medicine
SLICE OF LIFE Life's Instruction Book for Egyptians
Anonymous， from A Papyrus Text
Architecture ~ Sculpture， Painting， and Minor
Arts
HEIRS TO THE MESOPOTAMIAN AND EGYPTIAN
EMPIRES
The Hittites
The Assyrians
The Medes
The Persians
THE LEGACY OF EARLY NEAR EASTERN
CIVILIZATIONS
KEY CULTURAL TERMS
SUGGESTIONS FOR FURTHER READING

2
AEGEAN CIVILIZATIONS
The Minoans， the Mycenaeans，
and the Greeks of the Archaic
Age
PRELUDE： MINOAN CIVILIZATION，
3000-1100 B.C.E.
BEGINNINGS： MYCENAEAN CWILIZATION，
1900-1100 KC.E.
Technology in Minoan Crete and Mycenae
INTERLUDE： THE DARK AGES， 1100-800 B.C.E.
THE ARCHAIC AGE， 800-479 B.C.E.
Political， Economic， and Social Structures
The Greek PolLs： Sparta and Athens
Technology in Archaic Greece
The Persian Wars
THE EMERGENCE OF GREEK GENIUS： THE
MASTERY OF FORM
Religion
Literature
Epic Poetry Lyric Poetry
ENCOUNTER Near Eastern Art and Greek Pottery
Philosophy， Science， and Medicine
Natural Philosophy
SLICE OF LIFE The Worlds of Women and Men in Ancient
Greece Sappho， “He Seems to Be a God” and Alcaeus，
“Longing for Home”
Medicine
Architecture
Sculpture
THE LEGACY OF ARCHAIC GREEK
CWILIZATION
……