Cyril Aldred, The Egyptians (1998). A brief account from a widely recognized expert.

Jonathan M. Kenoyer, Ancient Cities of the Indus Valley Civilization (1998). A thorough and beautifully illustrated study by a leading archeologist of the area.

Samuel Noah Kramer, History Begins at Sumer (1981). A classic account of Sumerian civilization, filled with wonderful stories and anecdotes.

David B. O’Connor, Ancient Nubia: Egypt’s Rival in Africa (1994). An overview of this ancient African civilization, with lovely illustrations based on a museum exhibit.

Christopher A. Pool, Olmec Archeology and Early Mesoamerica (2007). A scholarly and up-to-date account of the earliest civilization in Mesoamerica.

Robert Thorp, China in the Early Bronze Age: Shang Civilization (2006). An accessible and scholarly account of early Chinese civilization informed by recent archeological discoveries.

The British Museum, “Ancient Egypt,” http://www.ancientegypt.co.uk/menu.html. An interactive exploration of Egyptian civilization.

“The Indus Civilization,” http://www.harappa.com/har/har0.html. Hundreds of vivid pictures and several brief essays on the Indus Valley civilization.