What did English archaeologist Howard Carter say and how did he feel when opening the door to Tutankhamun's tomb for the first time? Which of Homer's footsteps did the German Heinrich Schliemann follow when making the dreams of every scholar come true by identifying the ruins of Troy? This book, which includes period photographs of the great dig sites and the objects found there, recalls the events surrounding the most important archaeological discoveries of all time, from the sands of Egypt and the forests of Central America to the ancient cities of the Mediterranean and the palaces of the Middle East. This is an enthralling work that accompanies the reader through stories of great archaeologists, and some regular people who, thanks to their intuition, tenacity or good fortune, have revealed some of the great wonders of antiquity to the world. ILLUSTRATIONS: 258 colour photographs