Includes bibliographical references (p. 388-391) and indexes.

Early days and the primitive -- II The arts of urban life -- The Common Record -- China to Egypt -- The Classical Conundrum -- Persia to Rome -- Old and New Worlds -- The New World -- III The northern and nomadic and 'interfaces' -- The Interface Phenomenon -- The Northern and Nomadic -- Asia -- Europe -- North America IV THE TROPICAL ARTS South America Africa Australasia EPILOGUE FURTHER READING MAPS GENERAL INDEX INDEX OF PLACES.

"Richly illustrated and clearly captioned, the book covers the full range of ancient art produced across the globe, from China to Egypt, through classical Greece to South America, Africa, Australasia and Oceania, and serves to illustrate the many similarities and diffences to be observed over the millenia in which artists were required to serve man and his gods more completely than they have ever done since."--BOOK JACKET.