Books of Wonder

Ancestory: The Mystery and Majesty of Ancient Cave Art

Ancestory: The Mystery and Majesty of Ancient Cave Art - Main image
$13.79 $19.99 In stock

Category: Picture Books

Order Now to Receive:

- A personalized copy of Ancestory

This striking nonfiction picture book investigates who created ancient wall art that’s been discovered around the world, and why—the exact answers may be out-of-reach, but the investigation is half the fun. Complete with extensive backmatter, including a bonus double fold-out gatefold, Ancestory is perfect company for pictorial nonfiction by Jason Chin and Candace Fleming.

Around the world, our ancient ancestors’ mysterious art is left behind on cave walls, in rain forests, and with ink made from charcoal and crushed clay. These people told their stories in magnificent drawings that still speak to us today, echoing across generations.

In her own stunning artwork that features the deserts of North America to the caves of Papua New Guinea, Hannah Salyer showcases ancient rock paintings, drawings, and etchings and invites us to add to the ongoing story—our ancestory.

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Customer Reviews (5.0 / 5 · 5 reviews)

Julian ★★★★★

My 7-year-old keeps asking to look at the cave art photos again and again, especially the hand stencils. The personalization on the inside cover made it feel like a special gift for our family.

Sophia ★★★★★

I was blown away by how much this book makes ancient cave art feel personal and immediate. The detailed explanations about why these early artists chose specific cave walls really changed how I see the drawings. Definitely a book I will look through many times.

Joseph ★★★★★

The photographs of handprints in caves are so crisp you can almost feel the stone, and my kid asked to flip back to the "spotted horses" page three times. It really sparks that wonder about ancient people.