Product Description

The ancient Egyptians created some of the world's most beautiful art and architecture. To this day, this ancient civilization--which produced the great pyramids, the riddle of the Sphinx, and the riches of Tutankhamun--exerts a strong hold on our imaginations.
Now, in Ancient Egypt, eminent Egyptologist David P. Silverman and a team of leading scholars explore the cultural wealth of this civilization in a series of intriguing and authoritative essays based on the latest theories and discoveries. Illustrated with more than 200 superb color photographs, maps, and charts, this book illuminates the vivid and powerful symbolic images of this fascinating culture--from pyramids and temples to priests and rituals; from hieroglyphic writing to daily life by the Nile; and from temple carvings to the cult of the dead. Correcting the popular misconception of the Egyptians as a death-obsessed people, the book uses the most recent historical research and archaeological finds to illuminate the routines of daily life in royal, elite, priestly circles, as well as at lower levels of society. We learn, for example, that despite the monochromatic appearance of most temple ruins today, in ancient times they would have been colorful, even gleaming structures; that the title "Pharaoh" derives from the Egyptian phrase per aa, which means "great house" and was originally a reference to the royal palace; that temples employed all manner of part-time and full-time personnel, from farmers and carpenters to scribes, jewelers, and keepers of livestock; and that Egyptian law viewed women as equal to men, and they could, in some cases, wield considerable influence.
The ancient Egyptians created some of the world's most beautiful art and architecture. To this day, this ancient civilization--which produced the great pyramids, the riddle of the Sphinx, and the riches of Tutankhamun--exerts a strong hold on our imaginations.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #39542 in Books
• Published on: 2003-06-05
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 256 pages

From Booklist
Twelve contributing scholars have joined Silverman in writing this lavishly illustrated book that contains 200 color photographs, maps, and charts. Their essays cover such broad subjects as history, geography, legends, archaeology, religion, economy, art, architecture, and language. There are pieces on international trade and travel, farming, hunting, fishing, mining, capital cities, palaces, fortresses, gender and society, mathematics, medicine, magic, the pharaohs, the cosmos, the cult of the dead, ritual games, the pyramids, tombs, temples, the solar cycle, and hieroglyphs. The writing is based on the latest historical research and archaeological finds, offering readers a penetrating look at the daily life of both royalty and commoner. George Cohen

Midwest Book Review
Blend 200 newly-commissioned color art pieces and photos of architecture and tombs with the latest Egyptology scholarship and a focus on historical themes and you have a coverage by an Egyptologist and a team of scholars which competes well with any on the market. Essays on the latest discoveries provide central keys to understanding new development in Egyptology.

Card catalog description
In Ancient Egypt, eminent Egyptologist David P. Silverman and a team of leading scholars explore the cultural wealth of this civilization in a series of intriguing and authoritative essays based on the latest theories and discoveries. Illustrated with more than 200 superb color photographs, maps, and charts, Ancient Egypt illuminates the vivid and powerful symbolic images of this fascinating culture - from pyramids and temples to priests and ritual; from hieroglyphic writing to daily life by the Nile; and from temple carvings to the famous cult of the dead. The book uses the most recent historical research and archaeological finds to illuminate the routines of daily life in royal, elite, and priestly circles, as well as at lower levels of society. Lavishly illustrated with beautiful color artwork, Ancient Egypt is an authoritative and accessible guide to the many dimensions of the ancient Egyptian world.

Customer Reviews

Very thorough book on ancient Egypt, NOT a coffee table book
First of all, David Silverman is the editor and not the author, as the Amazon advertisement above leads you to believe. 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. The chapter headings include "The Celestial Realm", "Egyptian Art", "Women in Egypt" and others. Aside from the wealth of knowledge, each chapter has beautful illustrations, photographs of the best of the artwork, statuary, jewelry, etc to illustrate what is being discussed. This may be the one book on ancient Egypt to have if you have to have just one. Chapter 2 even covers the history with a good overview, difficult when your're talking about 4000 or so years! NOT just a pretty coffee table book of the typical type, with more photographs than writing, and no explanation of what you're seeing.

Egypt book
the picture you present shows that the book is covered. I wouldn't have bought it as a gift if I knew it was not covered, and I don't remember it saying that it was not, so I was very dissappointed in this book. I felt silly giving that as a mothers day gift.

Love This Book
I absolutely love Ancient Egypt and all the books I've gotten before this were okay, but this book just blew me away.