Field guide (PDF)
Lost Civilisations Field Guide
A guide to 30 lost cities and civilisations: what was found, what is known, what is still argued about, and which parts are myth.
- One spread per place. A plain-English summary, a clear location map, and a box that sorts "what the evidence says" from "what the legend says".
- Myths labelled as myths. Atlantis is treated as what it is: a story told by Plato. Fringe claims are shown as claims, with the evidence against them.
- Sources you can check. Every fact points to a real, published source in the endnotes, and every place ends with something good to read next.
The Ruin & Myth Complete Set
Available once the audio is narrated.
- The Lost Civilisations Field Guide (PDF, US Letter and A4)
- The Field Guide Audio Tour (30 narrated site tours, MP3)
- The Atlas Prints, only in this set: 12 printable public-domain maps from the 1850s to the 1870s, each marked with the guide's sites, plus a 60-question quiz sheet with answers (PDF, A4 and US Letter)
Audio narrated with an AI voice.
Written with AI assistance and edited by Lamp & Leaf Press.
Prices in US dollars. At checkout, Stripe can show the amount in your own currency; its conversion rate includes a 2–4% fee.
What's inside
- 30 places, from Göbekli Tepe and Çatalhöyük to Angkor, Great Zimbabwe and Machu Picchu, plus Atlantis as the one "myth entry".
- A world map and a Mediterranean and Near East map with all 30 places numbered.
- For each place: where it is, its dates, how to say its name, a short summary, a location map, the evidence-and-legend box, a visiting note, books to read next, and lined space for your own field notes.
- Endnotes: the published sources behind every fact (UNESCO World Heritage records, excavation reports, scholarly books and journal articles).
- 72 pages (US Letter) / 71 pages (A4), printer-friendly light pages.
The 30 places: Göbekli Tepe, Jericho, Çatalhöyük, Caral, Ur, Mohenjo-daro, Knossos, Akrotiri, Atlantis (myth), Helike, Hattusa, Mycenae, Troy, Amarna, Nineveh, Babylon, Persepolis, Carthage, Meroë, Pompeii, Teotihuacan, Aksum, Tikal, Palenque, Chaco Canyon, Angkor, Cahokia, Nan Madol, Great Zimbabwe, Machu Picchu.
Who it's for
- People who love documentaries about ancient places and want something to keep beside them.
- Readers who want the wonder without being misled: what we actually know, and what is a story.
- Travellers planning a visit to a famous site, as a first orientation.
Who it's not for
- Anyone looking for proof of ancient aliens or a lost super-civilisation. This guide follows the evidence.
- Specialists: it is an introduction, not a scholarly reference.
Questions
Is this a printed book?
No. It is a PDF you download straight away, in US Letter and A4. You can read it on screen or print it at home.
Where do the facts come from?
From published sources: UNESCO World Heritage records, excavation reports and books and articles by archaeologists and historians. Each fact is tied to a numbered source in the endnotes.
Was AI used?
Yes. The guide was written with AI assistance and edited by Lamp & Leaf Press. Every fact is tied to a published source you can check. The guide contains no AI-generated images: the cover is a public-domain painting by Thomas Cole (1836), and the maps were drawn for the guide from public-domain Natural Earth data.
Are the visiting notes up to date?
They were written in October 2026 as general orientation. Opening times, tickets and safety change, so always check the site's official information and your government's travel advice before you go.
Can I get a refund?
Because this is an instant download, there are no refunds once your download starts. If a file doesn't arrive or doesn't work, email us and we'll fix it, or refund you if we can't. This doesn't affect your legal rights.
Your right of withdrawal (EU digital content)
This is digital content delivered immediately. At checkout you agree that delivery starts straight away and confirm that you therefore lose your statutory 14-day right of withdrawal once the download begins.
Is there an audio version?
Yes, the Field Guide Audio Tour, as an add-on at checkout or in the Complete Set (available once the audio is narrated). Audio narrated with an AI voice.
Ruin & Myth is a Lamp & Leaf Press brand. Lost cities. Old myths. What the evidence says.