If it is the recession that has cut down on extravagant Christmas dinners this year, then in 1940 it was the world war that resulted in inexpensive and ingenious Christmas celebrations. That year many families in Britain spent the festive period in air-raid shelters with makeshift decorations. Very short Christmas trees were in demand; the turkey was unaffordable even as cakes and puddings were made without dry fruits and marzipan. History buffs will relish reading many such vivid tales from the past on www.bbc.co.uk / history.

Explore the history of the Egyptians or the Greeks and the Romans with this BBC website. Unravel important dates and events from ancient times or get inspired by reading about historical figures here. There are also links to British history, the world wars, games and activities as well as a daily historical timeline.

The site design is neat and simple, making it easy to navigate through all the sections. There are no unwanted pop-ups and information overload to confuse readers. You can either start surfing the links on BBC history as per the area of your interest or let the site lead you. The first section is ancient history. There are nine sub-sections under this. Read the ancient history of the Egyptians, Greeks, Romans, Vikings and Anglo-Saxons.

There is also a section on archaeology and the British pre-history. In the section on archaeology students of history will enjoy discovering techniques used to study archaeological sites, learn about fascinating archaeological finds and controversies surrounding them. Don’t miss the animated reconstructions and the quiz at the end of the section to find your own archaeological quotient.

Most lovers of history are fascinated with the tales of mummies and pharaohs of Egypt. So, in the segment on Egypt read about the Egyptian civilisation, see visuals of pyramids, learn about Egyptology, mummification, their dynasties and Gods. From Egypt go to Greece to know about ancient Olympics, Alexander the Great and Plato’s Atlantis. The Roman empire laid the foundations for much of Europe today. Learn about Roman emperors, their religious beliefs, the gladiators and Roman art in the section on the Romans.

In subsequent categories, learn about the Vikings and the Anglo-Saxons who ruled England for 600 years. In addition, there are two segments on British history. In the ancient history category, you can read about British pre-history with focus on the cultures that thrived in Britain before the arrival of the Romans. The other section on the homepage covers the history of Britain from the Middle Ages to the making of modern Britain.

The world wars are well documented on the website with articles on causes, events and after-effects of both the wars. From Napoleon Bonaparte to William Shakespeare you can also read about several illustrious historical figures here. The site will help you make your own family tree as well.

The section most young readers are going to enjoy is the history for kids. It comes with a wide selection of historical games and activities that will not only keep readers entertained but also give them information about historical events and facts as well.

For readers who want a general overview of international history and ancient civilisations, the site offers several answers. Although the write-ups are not extensive, they do give readers a sound perspective on several historical events. Each article has links to related books and websites for further reference. As all the articles are written by subject experts, you can refer to them for homework help with citations. Students always grasp faster when information is coupled with visuals. Several articles on the site come with info graphics.

The fun resources on the site make it an exciting learning experience for history buffs where you learn about mummification in an embalming game or about how people lived in the Indus valley civilisation from the character Professor Indus. The games and activities will certainly keep you hooked.

However, the site offers little about Indian history. Although there is a segment on ancient India it is very concise and does not offer much information. Even the page on Greek history can do with a lot more information

Tessy Koshy
tessy_koshy@yahoo.com

Fast Facts

WHAT IS IT?

A BBC website that helps one to explore the history of Egyptians, Greeks, Romans and the British

ADDRESS

www.bbc.uk / history

DOWNSIDE

The site offers little about Indian history