Secrets of the Sky Caves: Danger and Discovery on Nepal's Mustang Cliffs

by Sandra K. Athans Narrated by Intuitive

Overview

What's more dangerous than scaling Mount Everest? For mountaineer Pete Athans, the answer lies in the ancient kingdom of Mustang, a remote part of the Asian nation of Nepal. Long-abandoned caves built high into steep cliffs contain amazing treasures-and pose incredible dangers. Reaching these "sky caves" safely takes guts, smarts, and luck. And then there's the question of what to do with a two-thousand-year-old human skull. . .

From 2007 to 2012, Pete explored Mustang's sky caves with a team that included scientists, mountain climbers, and even two children. They found mummies, murals, manuscripts, and other priceless artifacts. Follow Pete on his dangerous trips to the sky caves and discover the secrets the caves revealed.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

"Mountain climbers, scientists and scholars use their special skills to unearth the mysteries of a cave city in the Himalayas.

In a remote area of the world, mountain climbers scaling Mt. Everest come across an incredible man-made cave village hidden away in the mountain range. The cave dwellings, part of the former kingdom of Mustang (now part of Nepal), were once part of a thriving community. The climbers received permission from the Nepalese government to study the caves, and the team grew to include those with the skills to interpret the remains, artifacts and other findings. This volume describes the projects that answered many of the questions raised by the discovery of the caves and in doing so demonstrates the special qualities of each of the specialties involved—not the least of which is mountaineering. The author's brother was one of the original climbers, lending authenticity to the account. The text, which provides a solid history of the region, is supplemented by many photographs of the explorers as well as the items from the excavation. There is rich backmatter: a roster of those involved, a timeline, source notes, glossary, selected bibliography, suggestions for further exploration, photo credits and an index.

Though it's too bad the voices of the Nepalese scholars involved are not heard, overall, it's a satisfying exploration." —Kirkus Reviews

Kirkus Reviews

2014-02-12
Mountain climbers, scientists and scholars use their special skills to unearth the mysteries of a cave city in the Himalayas. In a remote area of the world, mountain climbers scaling Mt. Everest come across an incredible man-made cave village hidden away in the mountain range. The cave dwellings, part of the former kingdom of Mustang (now part of Nepal), were once part of a thriving community. The climbers received permission from the Nepalese government to study the caves, and the team grew to include those with the skills to interpret the remains, artifacts and other findings. This volume describes the projects that answered many of the questions raised by the discovery of the caves and in doing so demonstrates the special qualities of each of the specialties involved—not the least of which is mountaineering. The author's brother was one of the original climbers, lending authenticity to the account. The text, which provides a solid history of the region, is supplemented by many photographs of the explorers as well as the items from the excavation. There is rich backmatter: a roster of those involved, a timeline, source notes, glossary, selected bibliography, suggestions for further exploration, photo credits and an index. Though it's too bad the voices of the Nepalese scholars involved are not heard, overall, it's a satisfying exploration. (Nonfiction. 9-14)

Product Details

BN ID:	2940172201981
Publisher:	Lerner Publishing Group
Publication date:	01/01/2017
Series:	Nonfiction - Grades 4-8
Edition description:	Unabridged
Age Range:	8 - 11 Years

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