For information on Ancient Egyptian Religion visit the Religion LibGuide Egyptian Pantheon
For Ancient Egyptian Art, visit the Art & Art History LibGuide for Egyptian Art
Ancient Egyptian Literature by
Poetry, stories, hymns, prayers, and wisdom texts found exquisite written expression in ancient Egypt while their literary counterparts were still being recited around hearth fires in ancient Greece and Israel. Yet, because of its very antiquity and the centuries during which the language was forgotten, ancient Egyptian literature is a newly discovered country for modern readers.
This anthology offers an extensive sampling of all the major genres of ancient Egyptian literature. It includes all the texts from John Foster's previous book Echoes of Egyptian Voices, along with selections from his Love Songs of the New Kingdom and Hymns, Prayers, and Songs: An Anthology of Ancient Egyptian Lyric Poetry, as well as previously unpublished translations of four longer and two short poems. Foster's translations capture the poetical beauty of the Egyptian language and the spirit that impelled each piece's composition, making these ancient masterworks sing for modern readers. An introduction to ancient Egyptian literature and its translation, as well as brief information about the authorship and date of each selection, completes the volume.
Ancient Egypt: Life, Myth and Art by
A fabulous marriage of text and images encompassing all areas of Egypt's rich culture. Ancient Egypt is a richly illustrated introduction to this extraordinary culture, ranging from breathtaking pyramids and monumental temples to wall paintings, magnificently sculpted statues of kings, queens and deities, and royal jewelry of exquisite intricacy. The book covers themes that have long preoccupied the popular imagination, including: the enigmas of the pyramids and the Sphinx; the pharaohs, incarnations of the mighty god Horus, son of Isis and Osiris; the religious mysteries of the great temples of Karnak, Luxor and elsewhere; and the secrets of the hieroglyphs, which remained undeciphered for fourteen hundred years. These major themes, and many more, are interpreted visually through iconography, pattern, motif and symbolism.
Ancient Egyptian Civilization by 
Antiquity Imagined by
Outsiders have long attributed to the Middle East, and especially to ancient Egypt, meanings that go way beyond the rational and observable. The region has been seen as the source of civilization, religion, the sciences and the arts; but also of mystical knowledge and outlandish theories, whether about the Lost City of Atlantis or visits by alien beings. In his exploration of how its past has been creatively interpreted by later ages, Robin Derricourt surveys the various claims that have been made for Egypt - particularly the idea that it harbours an esoteric wisdom vital to the world’s survival. He looks at ‘alternative’ interpretations of the pyramids, from maps of space and time to landing markers for UFOs; at images of the Egyptian mummy and at the popular mythology of the ‘pharaoh’s curse’; and at imperialist ideas of racial superiority that credited Egypt with spreading innovations and inventions as far as the Americas, Australia and China. Including arcane ideas about the Lost Ten Tribes of biblical Israel, the author enlarges his focus to include the Levant. His book is the first to show in depth how ancient Egypt and the surrounding lands have so continuously and seductively tantalised the Western imagination.
The Civilization of Ancient Egypt by
A leading historian and bestselling author re-creates the growth, decline, and legacy of 3,000 Years of Egyptian civilization with an authoritative text splendidly illustrated with 150 illustrations in full color.
Ancient Egypt, with its legacy of pyramids, pharaohs and sphinxes, is a land of power and mystery to the modern world. In The Civilization of Ancient Egypt Paul Johnson explores the growth and decline of a culture that survived for 3,000 years and maintained a purity of style that rivals all others. Johnson's study looks in detail at the state, religion, culture and geographical setting and how they combined in this unusually enduring civilization. From the beginning of Egyptian culture to the rediscovery of the pharaohs, the book covers the totalitarian theocracy, the empire of the Nile, the structure of dynastic Egypt, the dynastic way of death, hieroglyphs, the anatomy of perspective art and, finally, the decline and fall of the pharaohs, Johnson seeks, through an exciting combination of images and analysis, to discover the causes behind the collapse of this, great civilization while celebrating the extra-ordinary legacy it has left behind.
Paul Johnson on Ancient Egypt and the Egyptians
"Egypt was not only the first state, it was the first country.... The durability of the state which thus evolved was ensured by the overwhelming simplicity and power of its central institution, the theocratic monarchy."
"The Egyptians did not share the Babylonian passion for astrology, but they used the stars as one of many guides to behavior. No Egyptian believed in a free exercise of will in important decisions: he always looked for an omen or a prophecy or an oracle."
"The development of hieroglyphics mirrors and epitomizes the history of Egyptian civilization. . . . No one outside Egypt understood it and even within Egypt it was the exclusive working tool of the ruling and priestly classes. The great mass of Egyptians were condemned to illiteracy by the complexities (and also the beauties) of the Egyptian written language."
"The affection the Egyptians were not. ashamed to display towards their children was related to the high status women enjoyed in Egyptian society."
"If we can understand Egyptian art we can go a long way towards grasping the very spirit and outlook on life, of this gifted people, so remote in time. The dynamic of their civilization seems to have been a passionate love of order (maat to them), by which they sought to give to human activities and creations the same regularity as their landscape, their great river, their sun-cycle and their immutable seasons."
The Complete Idiot's Guide to Ancient Egypt by
Surveys the history and culture of ancient Egypt, including archaeological discoveries, mythology, architecture, and religion.
Daily Life of the Ancient Egyptians by
Through reconstructions based on the hieroglyphic inscriptions, paintings from tombs, and scenes from temple walls, readers can examine social and material existence in one of the world's oldest civilizations.
Death and the Afterlife in Ancient Egypt by
Of all the ancient peoples, the Egyptians are perhaps best known for the fascinating ways in which they grappled with the mysteries of death and the afterlife. This beautifully illustrated book draws on the British Museum's world-famous collection of mummies and other funerary evidence to offer an accessible account of Egyptian beliefs in an afterlife and examine the ways in which Egyptian society responded materially to the challenges these beliefs imposed.
The author describes in detail the numerous provisions made for the dead and the intricate rituals carried out on their behalf. He considers embalming, coffins and sarcophagi, shabti figures, magic and ritual, and amulets and papyri, as well as the mummification of sacred animals, which were buried by the millions in vast labyrinthine catacombs.
The text also reflects recent developments in the interpretation of Egyptian burial practices, and incorporates the results of much new scientific research. Newly acquired information derives from a range of sophisticated applications, such as the use of noninvasive imaging techniques to look inside the wrappings of a mummy, and the chemical analysis of materials used in the embalming process. Authoritative, concise, and lucidly written, Death and the Afterlife in Ancient Egypt illuminates aspects of this complex, vibrant culture that still perplex us more than 3,000 years later.
Encyclopedia of Ancient Egypt by
Ranging from Egypt's predynastic cultures to the suicides of Cleopatra and Marc Antony in 30 BCE, Encyclopedia of Ancient Egypt, Third Edition includes more than 2,300 detailed entries, each thoroughly reviewed and updated to reflect recent advances in scholarship.
In addition to the latest discoveries and excavations, new front and back matter items have been added to this comprehensive resource, including an appendix on the study of ancient Egypt, a glossary, a historical overview section, and a geographical overview section.
Handbook to Life in Ancient Egypt by
Written by a noted Egyptologist, Handbook to Life in Ancient Egypt, Revised Edition explores 5,000 years of this mysterious and fascinating civilization. Containing the most up-to-date information and organized thematically, it combines historical and archaeological information in a highly accessible format. This volume is the only book that explores all aspects of life in ancient Egypt, from predynastic times to the Old, Middle, and New Kingdoms to the Ptolemaic and Roman eras.
Handbook to Life in Ancient Egypt by
Written by a noted Egyptologist, Handbook to Life in Ancient Egypt explores 5,000 years of this mysterious civilization. Organized thematically, it combines historical and archaeological information in a highly accessible format and is the only book that examines all aspects of life in ancient Egypt throughout all historical periods. Coverage includes historical background, geography, society and government, religion of the living, funerary beliefs and customs, architecture and building, written evidence, the Army and Navy, foreign trade and transport, economy and industry, and everyday life.
Red Land, Black Land by
Internationally renowned Egyptologist Barbara Mertz transports us back thousands of years and immerses us in the sights and sounds of day-to-day life in a vanished desert culture.
Their civilization has inspired myriad films, books, pieces of art, myths, and dreams, and they built grand monuments that still stagger the imagination five thousand years later. But who were these people? Mertz ushers us into their homes, workplaces, temples, and palaces to give us an intimate view of the everyday worlds of royals and commoners alike.
Displaying the unparalleled descriptive power, unerring eye for detail, keen insight, and trenchant wit that have made the novels she writes (as Elizabeth Peters and Barbara Michaels) perennial New York Times best-sellers, Barbara Mertz brings a buried civilization to vivid life, taking us closer than ever before to the people of a great lost culture so different from--yet so surprisingly similar to--our own.
The Twilight of Ancient Egypt by
Surveys the period of Old Testament history, a turbulent time in Ancient Egyptian culture that has been relatively neglected until now.
Egypt by
This is a sweeping, colorful, and concise narrative history of Egypt from the beginning of human settlement in the Nile River valley 5000 years ago to the present day. Accessible, authoritative, and richly illustrated, this is an ideal introduction and guide to Egypt's long, brilliant, and complex history for general readers, tourists, and anyone else who wants a better understanding of this vibrant and fascinating country, one that has played a central role in world history for millennia--and that continues to do so today. Respected historian Robert Tignor, who has lived in Egypt at different times over the course of five decades, covers all the major eras of the country's ancient, modern, and recent history. A cradle of civilization, ancient Egypt developed a unique and influential culture that featured a centralized monarchy, sophisticated art and technology, and monumental architecture in the form of pyramids and temples. But the great age of the pharaohs is just the beginning of the story and Egypt: A Short History also gives a rich account of the tumultuous history that followed--from Greek and Roman conquests, the rise of Christianity, Arab-Muslim triumph, and Egypt's incorporation into powerful Islamic empires to Napoleon's 1798 invasion, the country's absorption into the British Empire, and modern, postcolonial Egypt under Nasser, Sadat, and Mubarak. This book provides an indispensable key to Egypt in all its layers--ancient and modern, Greek and Roman, and Christian and Islamic. In a new afterword the author analyzes the recent unrest in Egypt and weighs in on what the country might look like after Mubarak.
Cleopatra by
Cleopatra is often portrayed as a woman ruled by emotion rather than reason; a queen hurtling towards inevitable self-destruction. But these tales of seduction, intrigue, and suicide by asp have obfuscated Cleopatra's true political genius. Stripping away our preconceptions, many of them as old as Egypt's Roman conquerors, Egyptologist Joyce Tyldesley offers a magnificent biography of a most extraordinary queen.--From publisher description.
Cleopatra of Egypt by
Fabled for her sexual allure and cunning intelligence, Cleopatra VII of Egypt has fascinated generations of admirers and detractors since her tumultuous life ended in suicide in 30 B.C. The last of the Ptolemaic monarchs who had ruled Egypt for three centuries, Cleopatra created her own mythology. She became an icon in her own lifetime and a legend after her death.
This lavishly illustrated catalogue coincides with a major international exhibition celebrating images of Cleopatra. It explores how she was depicted during her own era, in works ranging from coins to life-size sculpture. Exciting new discoveries are featured--including seven Egyptian-style statues believed to represent Cleopatra, and two portraits probably commissioned while she was living in Rome with Julius Caesar. The book also examines interpretations of Cleopatra from the Renaissance to modern times, as seen in paintings, ceramics, jewelry, plays, operas, and film. In addition, recent archaeological finds from Alexandria (Cleopatra's capital) and from Rome illustrate aspects of life in Cleopatra's day.
Hatchepsut by
Egypt?s Queen?or, as she would prefer to be remembered, King?Hatchepsut ruled over an age of peace, prosperity, and remarkable architectural achievement (c. 1490 b.c.). Had she been born a man, her reign would almost certainly have been remembered for its stable government, successful trade missions, and the construction of one of the most beautiful structures in the world?the Deir el-Bahri temple at Luxor. After her death, however, her name and image were viciously attacked, her monuments destroyed or usurped, her place in history systematically obliterated. At last, in this dazzling work of archaeological and historical sleuthing, Joyce Tyldesley rescues this intriguing figure from more than two thousand years of oblivion and finally restores the female pharaoh to her rightful prominence as the first woman in recorded history to rule a nation.
Hatshepsut, Queen of Sheba by
Over the centuries the figure of the Queen of Sheba has loomed large in poetry and romance. The mysterious Queen, who is said to have visited Solomon in Jerusalem, has cast her spell over poets, painters and storytellers of many lands. The people of Ethiopia have always claimed her as her own, and to this day boast that her son Menelik ? fruit of the union between the Queen and Solomon ? stole the Ark of the Covenant from the Temple in Jerusalem after Solomon?s death. For all that, historians have been more sanguine, and increasingly over the past century the academic community has veered towards consigning both royal characters to the fairyland of myth and romance. In 1952, however, Immanuel Velikovsky made an astonishing claim: He announced that not only did the Queen of Sheba exist, but that she left numerous portraits of herself as well as an account of her famous journey to Israel. The Queen of Sheba, Velikovsky announced, was none other than Hatshepsut, the female ?pharaoh? of Egypt, who built a beautiful temple outside Thebes on the walls of which she immortalized the most important event of her life: an expedition to the Land of Punt. Punt, said Velikovsky, was one and the same as Israel. In this volume historian Emmet Scott brings forward dramatic new evidence in support of Velikovsky. He finds, among other things, that:- Ancient Israel, just like Punt, was a renowned source of frankincense. - Egyptian documents, generally ignored in academic circles, unequivocally place Punt in the region of Syria/Palestine. - The goddess Hathor was known as the 'Lady of Punt,' but she was also known as the 'Lady of Byblos'.- The Egyptians claimed to be of Puntite origin, but Jewish and Phoenician legends claimed that the Egyptians came from their part of the world, and the Phoenicians named Misor - almost certainly the same as Osiris - as the Phoenician hero who founded the Nile Kingdom. This, and a wealth of additional evidence, has, Scott argues, shifted the burden of proof onto Velikovsky's critics; and the identification of Hatshepsut with the Queen of Sheba will eventually compel the rewriting of all the history books. Joyce Tyldesley's 'Hatchepsut' deals with the same character, but from an entirely conventional viewpoint. She never even raises the possibility that the accepted chronology of Hatshepsut's life may be wrong. In his 'Ages in Chaos,' however, Immanuel Velikovsky did raise this possibility, and was the first to suggest that Hatshepsut be identified with the Queen of Sheba. Velikovsky's work remains extremely popular, and the present book aims to take his ideas forward, exploring new evidence that has come to light since his death. This new evidence,Scott argues, puts the equation of Hatshepsut with the Queen of Sheba virtually beyond doubt.
Nefertiti by
In the tradition of her intriguing Hatchepsut, Joyce Tyldesley rescues another female ruler from the shadows of history c. 1350 B.C.: Queen Nefertiti (literally "a beautiful woman has come"). We know her from the exquisite painted bust in the Berlin Museum, discovered in 1912, which has made her ancient Egypt's most recognizable queen and a symbol of her country's history. Until now, however, she has remained largely unknown and unrecognized for her contributions to Egyptian society. Wife of Akhenaten, the monotheistic pharaoh, adored by her family, blessed by the sun god, and worshiped by her people, Nefertiti suddenly and completely vanished from the record. Was she banished by her husband or raised to rule as his equal? Did she reign, under another name, in her own right? Could she have been the eminence grise behind the young Tutankhamen, her son-in-law?
Pharaohs of the Sun: Akhenaten, Nefertiti, Tutankhamen by
The fascinating Amarna Period of ancient Egypt comes to life through more than 250 beautiful works of sculpture, architectural elements, ceramic ware, jewelry, clothing, tools, and furniture from renowned international collections. Essays by leading Egyptian scholars describe this time of unprecedented change in art and architecture, technology, the role of women, and religion.