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The Tropical Turn

Agricultural Innovation in the Ancient Middle East and the Mediterranean
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
The Tropical Turn by Sureshkumar Muthukumaran explores the significant influence of tropical commodities and the environmental transformations they drove throughout history. The book delves into how these resources shaped economic developments and societal changes, offering a comprehensive analysis of their impact on human civilizations. It presents a nuanced understanding of how climate and ecology intertwined with historical progress.
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Format: Paperback / softback
$6699
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might enjoy this book if you are fascinated by the historical interplay of trade, culture, and ecology, and how the ancient world was shaped by tropical commodities such as spices and gems. It provides a deep dive into the influence of these goods on global connections and cultural exchanges across continents, making it an intriguing read for enthusiasts of history and military strategy with a focus on the less-explored aspects of ancient economies.

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The Tropical Turn

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

This book chronicles the earliest histories of familiar tropical Asian crops in the ancient Middle East and the Mediterranean, from rice and cotton to citruses and cucumbers. Drawing on archaeological materials and textual sources in over seven ancient languages, The Tropical Turn unravels the breathtaking anthropogenic peregrinations of these familiar crops from their homelands in tropical and subtropical Asia to the Middle East and the Mediterranean, showing the significant impact South Asia had on the ecologies, dietary habits, and cultural identities of peoples across the ancient world.

In the process, Sureshkumar Muthukumaran offers a fresh narrative history of human connectivity across Afro-Eurasia from the Bronze Age to the late centuries BCE.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

The Tropical Turn by Sureshkumar Muthukumaran is praised for its impressive use of archaeological data and diverse textual sources, offering an inspiring exploration of historical East-West connections. The book is commended for its thorough overview of palaeobotanical and textual research regarding plant diffusion, appealing to both experts and general readers interested in agriculture and archaeology.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780520390843

Publisher: University of California Press

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 14 March 2023

Country: United States

Imprint: University of California Press

Illustration: 27 b-w illustrations, 10 maps

Audience: Professional and scholarly

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 25.0mm

Width: 152.0mm

Height: 229.0mm

Weight: 454g

Pages: 320

About the Author

Sureshkumar Muthukumaran is a historian of the ancient world. He is a Lecturer in History at the National University of SingaporeΒ and has previously taught atΒ University College London and Yale-NUS College.

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