In part two of an extended four part series of eipisodes on the game Civilization, the Burning Archive examines three types of environment adapted by people for civilization - deserts of ice, uncultivable grasslands and tropical lowlands. These three environments were traditionally seen as hostile or incompatible with the kind of Civilization descended from the cradle of civilization, but are shown in Felipe Fernandez-Armesto Civilizations to have housed remarkable culture of the Saami, the Scythians and the City of Benin. For more details see www.theburningarchive.com

Credit: Opening music of Civilization IV