Egypt (Sbs TV Tie-in) - Softcover

Davies

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0714119342 ISBN 13: 9780714119342

Publisher: British Museum Press, 1999

This exciting and accessible book makes it clear that new discoveries are continually emerging from a land where one might assume that the treasure trove of archaeological finds have long been exhausted. Plentiful illustrations accompany a text that illuminates old questions and addresses issues such as: Is the Egyptian hieroglyphic system older than the Mesopotamian script? Did Egyptian pharaohs order the robbing of their ancestors' tombs? How is scientific research on ancient mummies contributing to modern medicine?

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Review:

This handsomely produced and illustrated history of ancient Egypt refutes the popular notion that there is little left of archaeological interest to be discovered in the region. In fact, it explains, there are new and important archaeological discoveries being made all the time, both in the field and, increasingly, in the laboratory. Such is the weight of new information that even professional Egyptologists are having difficulty keeping up, and some of the by-products of their research are proving to be of direct benefit to us today (for instance techniques developed to electronically scan mummified corpses have helped advance medical practice). Although aimed at the general reader--the book is the accompaniment to a television series--there is little evidence of any dumbing down. Vivian Davies, keeper of Egyptian Antiquities at the British Museum, and Renee Friedman, who has excavated in Egypt for over twenty years, present a vast range of detailed scientific and historical data. Focusing on some of the key archaeological sites along the Nile, it is hugely to their credit that the book remains both accessible and relevant, with their text richly accompanied by some wonderfully striking photographs and inventive use of computer graphics. -- Nick Wroe

Synopsis:

Generations of historians, archaeologists and writers have been captivated by ancient Egypt, a civilization that lasted an astonishing 3000 years. Its story is more enthralling and rewarding than any work of fiction, for it is a celebration of human ingenuity, creativity, strategy in adversity and universal human cares and worries. Yet, one of the most common misconceptions about ancient Egypt is that there is little left to be discovered. Nothing could be further from the truth. Archaeologists are making important discoveries on a regular basis, though news of them often takes many years to reach the public domain. This book tells the story of some of the major aspects of ancient Egypt, rewritten in the light of the most recent discoveries and with the benefit of unprecedented access to key archaeological sites in egypt and the Sudan and to the experts working there.

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