Treasures Under the Sand by Alan Honour {Book Review}

Treasures Under the Sand: Leonard Woolley’s Finds at Ur by Alan Honour is a classic Young Adult (YA) biography of the pioneering archaeologist Sir Leonard Woolley. Published in 1968, the book focuses on Woolley’s famous excavations at Ur, highlighting his contributions to turning archaeology from a “haphazard treasure hunt” into a scientific discipline.  This is a wonderful book for young historians with a particular interest in ancient history and the development of archeology as a science. However, while Treasures Under the Sun is a solid, informative starting point, it may be out of date for those seeking the latest scholarship on Leonard Woolley and his work.

Do check out my MEGA Mesopotamia Unit Study post to find out just where the seven cities fit into the history of Mesopotamia. This huge post has lots of printable, videos and science experiments. It also stacks of suggestions for easy hands on activities you can do with your children! I am always adding new stuff to this post so do go and check it out.

Key strengths of Treasures Under the Sand

The book centers on the career of Leonard Woolley (1880–1960), a renowned British archaeologist and is generally regarded as a well-told biography that is accessible and engaging for younger readers.

A central theme is Woolley’s groundbreaking excavation of the ancient Mesopotamian city of Ur in modern-day Iraq during the 1920s. At Ur, he uncovered a royal cemetery and ziggurat, which provided crucial evidence about the origins of civilization.

A “science, not a treasure hunt”: Honour’s book presents Woolley’s efforts to transform archaeology from a disorganized search for artifacts into a methodical, scientific field. It provides a good introduction to the scientific method for young adults.

The book highlights Wooley’s motivation. It focuses on how his faith drove his desire to discover the city, biblically identified as Ur of the Chaldees.

It highlights Woolley’s time with T.E. Lawrence and describes how war affected his archaeological work.

Limitations of Treasures Under the Sand

As an older title, the book may reflect the archaeological understanding and writing style of the 1960s, rather than incorporating modern perspectives on the field. 

The book’s style and length means it is a simplified, non-fiction account intended to introduce young readers to archaeology and the discoveries made at Ur.

How I Used this Book as a Homeschooler

I read this out to my older children during morning meeting. They were seven and eight at the time. Given the topic, and the age of the book, they did well listening. I don’t think they would have enjoyed it had they needed to read it themselves. I say that, not because it is badly written, just that it is a bit old fashioned.

The content, for me, was fascinating. And given the questions the children asked, it was obvious they found the content interesting

Other Books by Alan Honour

Further Book Reviews Related to the Mesopotamia Unit Study

Ancient Mesopotamia by Virginia Schomp {Book Review}

DK Eyewitness: Mesopotamia {Book Review}

The Seven Great Cities of Mesopotamia {Book Review}

The Lifeboat That Saved The World {Book Review}

Lugalbanda {Book Review}

The Golden Bull {Book Review}

Murder in Mesopotamia {Book Review}

For more ideas about studying Mesopotamia, head on over to my Mega Ancient Mesopotamia Unit Study post. This contains lots of recommended resources and free notepages. Oh, and some stem ideas for including science in your history unit studies.

For all my other history lessons, and more unit study ideas, head over to my History page