Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1609770 in Books
• Published on: 2003-06-05
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 256 pages

Customer Reviews

The introduction to ancient Egypt
Many people are fascinated by the history of Egypt, however there are a vast array of titles available. This book stands head and shoulders above the rest as an ideal introduction. It covers all the main aspects of ancient Egypt such as mythology, gods, ceremony and architecture. The text itself is clear and well organised and is supplemented well by diagrams and beautiful photographs. The index is large, enabling easy referencing and the book is organised into well defined areas meaning you can simply dip into it. Overall it is simply a superb introduction to the subject.

If you can buy only one book on history of ancient Egypt this is it!
This is a very thorough book, delving deep into the entire histoy of Egypt, starting with their earliest history as a nation, and going through all of the aspects of their history up through the Roman conquest.

It covers all the various dynasties, has an overview of the entire history (4000+ years of it) and sections on religious belief, the importance of the belief in the afterlife, their language, written (hieroglyphs and demotic (demotic is more like short hand and almost looks like our cursive writing...much easier and simpler than hieroglyphs!) Mathematics, astronomy, medicine, the building of the pyramids--- every aspect is thoroughly discussed by an expert in the field of Egyptology.

Each chapter (there are 15) is written by a different specialist in the field of Egyptology. Their credentials are listed in the dust jacket cover. They hold many different titles, are professors, university and museum curators, and all are experts in their given field. (Such as Dr Ian Shaw, editor of the Oxford History of Ancint Egypt who wrote the chapter called "The Settled World".) Or Dr Zahi Hawass, the head of the Cairo Museum and of Egyptian antiquities in Egypt, who wrote the chapter on the Pyramids.

The chapter headings include "The Celestial Realm", "Egyptian Art", "Women in Egypt", "Egypt and the World Beyond", and many more. Aside from the wealth of written knowledge, every single page has two or more lovely illustrations and photographs of the best of the artwork, tomb painting, statuary, jewelry, etc to illustrate what is being discussed.

This may be the one book on ancient Egypt to have if you can only have just one.

This book is NOT just a pretty coffee table book of the typical type, with more photographs than writing, and litle or no explanation of what you're seeing.

Professor Silverman as well as being the editor is also one of contributors, and wrote the chapters on "Belief and Ritual" and "Signs, Symbols and Language".

I can't recommend this book more highly. Highly accessable and readable. There is a glossary at the end and a good index. Useful for the interested amateur like myself, or someone already involved in the study of ancient Egypt.

Also see other books written or edited by Prof. Silverman, including "Akhenaten and Tutankhamun: Revolution and Restoration", and book on Pharoah Tutankhamun.