Contains the Essay volume and the Exhibition Catalogue volume, both wonderfully illustrated throughout, mostly in colour.

Over several millennia, early agricultural villages gave rise to tribal kingdoms and monarchies, replacing smaller, more egalitarian social structures with complex state organizations led by royal individuals invested with power. Several hundred objects and artifacts in the exhibition are portrayed in the catalog, accompanied by introductory text and detailed entries for each item. The spectacular and highly detailed color photographs introduce us to the gold and silver ornaments, bronze and iron weaponry, rich metal hoards and magnificent ceremonial vessels that are masterpieces from this period of history. Many of them have never left their countries of origin, making the two volumes documenting them an opportunity not to miss.

In the essay volume scholars synthesize archaeological data and present artifacts from the most important museum collections across south-eastern Europe to illustrate the evolution of political hierarchy, power and status in this region, from the Neolithic to the Iron age. The catalogue volume accompanies an international exhibition, "First Kings of Europe"