Discover the First Stories of Humanity — Through the Eyes of Children
A children’s series that follows two kids and a golden bird to the real excavation sites of the Iranian Plateau — written by the archaeologist who worked them.
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- books published so far
- 7 of 18
- books published so far
- the age of the object in Book One
- 5,200 yrs
- the age of the object in Book One
- read-aloud and early reader
- Ages 3–12
- read-aloud and early reader
- excavations visited to date
- 6 sites
- excavations visited to date
Each book lands at a different excavation.
Shahr-e Sukhteh, Susa, Shahdad, Tepe Sarab. Real places, real finds, mapped in the back of every book.
- 1
The First Animation of the Ancient World
Shahr-e Sukhteh
- 2
The Ancient Flute of Stone Hill
Tepe Sang-e Chakhmagh
- 3
The Toy That Waited
Susa
- 4
The Journey to the Ancient City of Shahdad
Shahdad
- 5
The Oldest Venus: A Magical Journey to Sarab
Tepe Sarab
- 6
The Girl Who Had Two Languages
Susa
- 7
The Ancient Orchestra of Madaktu
Madaktu
The site
The page
Nothing in these books was invented.
The world’s oldest known animation is five painted panels around a 5,200-year-old clay goblet from Shahr-e Sukhteh. Spin it and a goat leaps up to eat from a tree. That object is why Book One exists — and the illustration beside it was drawn from the excavation photographs.
The archaeology behind every bookFor parents
A bedtime story that survives the “but is it real?” question. Every book ends with a photograph of the object the story was built around.
Start with Book One →For educators
Made for early-elementary social studies. Free worksheets, discussion questions and a site map for every title.
Get the classroom pack →For libraries & shops
Culturally specific, curriculum-adjacent, and rare on US shelves. Wholesale and bulk pricing direct from the publisher.
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“I spent my career on these sites. My grandchildren asked what I actually found there. The books are my answer.”
Dr. Bahram Ghadiri Khamjani — archaeologist and author. Published by the Foundation for Persian Archaeological Studies.