The Middle East was the "cradle of civilization". Throughout thousand years unique cultures aroused and blossomed here, religious cults and mystical knowledge bewitched and ignited the imagination of the West.
        For hundreds of years the Middle East had been the embodiment of real multicultural ideal, the thesaurus of spiritual and philosophical knowledge. Mystical religions of antiquity and middle ages co-existed in harmony. They conveyed their ideas and viewing of the world from one to another in this gigantic melting-pot of human spirit. It was from this fathomless source that European philosophy, theology and learning got strength which paved the way to freedom and liberal values.
        Unfortunately, the last century had its devastating influence on the world’s civilization oasis, and each decade, even every year the winds of change dry up this recently lively and mosaic world.
        The society built on unbridled consumption and hedonism on the one side, and militant religious fundamentalism on the other side dismantled cultures, that had grown into this soil and borne fruit of knowledge and belief during millennia. Spirituality created by Judaism, Christianity and Islam dried up and shrank like pebble-leather. Unique Christian churches, like the Assyrian Church of the East, have disappeared; the ancient Jewish movements going back to the Temple traditions have thinned to a handful of followers; Sufi mysticism with its spellbinding depth and charming Islamic culture is disappearing from the region. Copts in Egypt, Maronites in Lebanon and Druze whose mystical philosophy is about one hundred years old are compelled to struggle for their survival.
        The Holy Land is the only place in the Middle East where it is still possible to find this unique constellation of antiquities. It was the cradle of the three monotheistic religions doomed to the eternal conflict with no hope for peace.
        This book is about the ancient and almost forgotten forms of the three monotheistic religions: Christianity, Judaism and Islam. All of them are still alive. They fill us with breath of history, and, moreover, open to us the more spacious world, than the one we exist in. However, in several dozen of years they may completely disappear from the Middle East's palette.
        The book includes articles written as the result of my meetings and conversations with the representatives of ancient religious movements, studying of historical and modern materials, and impressions of religious and spiritual practices which I have observed.
        It is neither a scientific research, nor a textbook on religions. There are lots of published materials on this topic. Besides, it wasn’t my objective.
        My purpose was absolutely different: to open the doors to the past, restore the connection of times, find a road to mutual understanding and co-existing which once used to be something natural, and then ceased to be. I tried to reflect the voluminosity and brightness of the world which nowadays is reduced to one-dimensional platitude. I wanted to induce people to understand themselves, to distinguish their past and their roots, because without it we will not be able to find answers to questions of our alarming present. It’s impossible to solve the conflict between civilizations without understanding the initial nature and spiritual deepness of these civilizations. You can’t achieve peace by calling for peace.
        As the heroes of ancient legends had to find the hidden treasures of antiquity and touch them to find their second life, so we should touch our heritage to make peace with ourselves and others.
        It is not for nothing that this book is called "The Box of Antiquities". To some it may seem unnecessary and senseless, but to others it can help to find their way to the future. A lot depends on our will. But it is necessary to remember: the culture that has appeared out of emptiness is doomed to return to nowhere.