Living Ancient Egyypt: Books of Genuine Information and Best Fiction
Explore the rich world of Ancient Egypt with our curated list of genuine history and gripping fiction. From Barbara Mertz's classic guides and Joyce Tyldesley's biographies to thrilling mysteries by P.C. Doherty and epic novels by Pauline Gedge, discover the best books on pharaohs, myths, and tombs.
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Ancient Egypt
by David P. Silverman
In "Ancient Egypt, " eminent Egyptologist 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. 200+ color photos, maps, and charts.
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Red Land, Black Land
by Barbara Mertz
A fascinating, erudite, and witty glimpse of the human side of ancient Egypt—this acclaimed classic work is now revised and updated for a new generation Displaying the unparalleled descriptive power, unerring eye for fascinating detail, keen insight, and trenchant wit that have made the novels she writes (as Elizabeth Peters and Barbara Michaels) perennial New York Times bestsellers, internationally renowned Egyptologist Barbara Mertz brings a long-buried civilization to vivid life. In Red Land, Black Land, she transports us back thousands of years and immerses us in the sights, aromas, and sounds of day-to-day living in the legendary desert realm that was ancient Egypt. Who were these people whose civilization has inspired myriad films, books, artwork, myths, and dreams, and who built astonishing monuments that still stagger the imagination five thousand years later? What did average Egyptians eat, drink, wear, gossip about, and aspire to? What were their amusements, their beliefs, their attitudes concerning religion, childrearing, nudity, premarital sex? Mertz ushers us into their homes, workplaces, temples, and palaces to give us an intimate view of the everyday worlds of the royal and commoner alike. We observe priests and painters, scribes and pyramid builders, slaves, housewives, and queens—and receive fascinating tips on how to perform tasks essential to ancient Egyptian living, from mummification to making papyrus. An eye-opening and endlessly entertaining companion volume to Temples, Tombs, and Hieroglyphs, Mertz's extraordinary history of ancient Egypt, Red Land, Black Land offers readers a brilliant display of rich description and fascinating edification. It brings us closer than ever before to the people of a great lost culture that was so different from—yet so surprisingly similar to—our own.
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Temples, Tombs, and Hieroglyphs
by Barbara Mertz
An eye-opening, edifying, and endlessly entertaining tour through an astonishing bygone world—the acclaimed classic history of ancient Egypt, now newly revised and updated Writing as Elizabeth Peters, world-renowned Egyptologist Barbara Mertz is the author of the phenomenally popular New York Times bestselling mystery series featuring archaeologist Amelia Peabody. In Temples, Tombs, and Hieroglyphs, Dr. Mertz explores the breathtaking reality behind her fiction by casting a dazzling light on a remarkable civilization that, even after thousands of years, still stirs the human imagination and inspires awe with its marvelous mysteries and amazing accomplishments. A fascinating chronicle of an extraordinary epoch—from the first Stone Age settlements through the reign of Cleopatra and the Roman invasions—Temples, Tombs, and Hieroglyphs brings ancient Egypt to life as never before. Lavishly illustrated with pictures, maps, photographs, and charts, it offers tantalizing glimpses into Egyptian society and everyday life; amazing stories of the pharaohs and the rise and fall of great dynasties; religion and culture; folklore and fairy tales; stories of the explorers, scientists, and unmitigated scoundrels who sought to unravel or exploit the ageless mysteries; and breathtaking insights into the magnificent architectural wonders that rose up from the desert sands. Revised and updated to include the results of the most recent historical research and archaeological finds, Dr. Mertz's book is unhampered by stuffy prose and dry academic formality. Instead, it is a vibrant, colorful, and fun excursion for anyone who's ever fantasized about exploring the Valley of the Kings, viewing up close the treasures of the temple of Queen Hatshepsut, or sailing down the Nile on Cleopatra's royal barge.
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The Realm of the Pharaohs
by Zahi A. Hawass
In this superbly illustrated volume, distinguished Egyptologist Zahi Hawass guides readers through the architectural landscape of ancient Egypt, from the houses and palaces of the living to the temples of the gods to the tombs of the dead. Hundreds of photographs and a compelling text unveil the mysteries of pharaonic Egypt as unearthed through major excavations, revealing fresh insight into how the ancient Egyptians lived, how they prepared for death, and how they perceived their own place within the universe. The Realm of the Pharaohs takes readers on a tour of the most important sites of ancient Egypt from the Pyramids at Giza to Abu Simbel to the Valley of the Kings. It recounts the history of the most famous kings and queens and shares details of the everyday lives of the people. Presented in a handsome slipcase, this book is made all the more compelling by the inclusion of the author's personal archaeological adventures. Hawass shares details of his distinguished career and reveals his own sense of awe of the magic and mystery of the pharaohs. Through his narrative, accompanied by a wealth of outstanding photographs, readers will learn little-known facts about the lives of the people and royalty of Ancient Egypt, as well as live vicariously through the anecdotes of one of Egypt's preeminent Egyptologists.
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The Egyptian Book of the Dead
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For millennia, the culture and philosophy of the ancient Egyptians have fascinated artists, historians, and spiritual seekers throughout the world. Now, with this deluxe edition, the legendary 3,500-year-old Papyrus of Anithe most beautiful of the ornately illustrated Egyptian funerary scrolls ever discoveredhas been restored in its original sequences of text and artwork, using the latest advances in computer-imaging technology. Four exquisitely illustrated gatefold spreads and an acclaimed translation by two noted Egyptologists showcase the Papyrus's elaborately bordered images and convey its intended sense of motion and meaning in a way that other books on the subject cannot begin to match. For both lay readers and scholars interested in a wide range of topicsfrom mysticism and philosophy to anthropology and astronomythis sumptuous and accessible new volume will be an essential acquisition.
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The Horus Road
by Pauline Gedge
In the last volume of the trilogy, the youngest son of Sequenenra Tao assumes command of the natives armies to avenge the deaths of his father and bother and bring about the downfall of the foreign rulers, the Hyksos, whose alien dynasty has ruled Egypt for two hundred years.
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Judgement of the Pharaoh
by Joyce A. Tyldesley
In the popular imagination Ancient Egypt is seen as an idyllic place where, for 300 years, wise Pharaohs governed a peaceful and plentiful kingdom. Historians, although sceptical of the truth of this image, have always struggled to penetrate it to discover the realities of life for ordinary Egyptians. That is until now.
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Osiris
by Bojana Mojsov
Bojana Mojsov tells the story of the cult of Osiris from beginning to end, sketching its development throughout 3,000 years of Egyptian history. Draws together the numerous records about Osiris from the third millennium B.C. to the Roman conquest of Egypt. Demonstrates that the cult of Osiris was the most popular and enduring of the ancient religions. Shows how the cult provided direct antecedents for many ideas, traits and customs in Christianity, including the concept of the trinity, baptism in the sacred river, and the sacrament of the Eucharist. Reveals the cult’s influence on other western mystical traditions and groups, such as the Alchemists, Rosicrucians and Freemasons. Written for a general, as well as a scholarly audience.
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Hatchepsut
by Joyce Tyldesley
Queen - or, as she would prefer to be remembered King - Hatchepsut was an astonishing woman. Brilliantly defying tradition she became the female embodiment of a male role, dressing in men's clothes and even wearing a false beard. Forgotten until Egptologists deciphered hieroglyphics in the 1820's, she has since been subject to intense speculation about her actions and motivations. Combining archaeological and historical evidence from a wide range of sources, Joyce Tyldesley's dazzling piece of detection strips away the myths and misconceptions and finally restores the female pharaoh to her rightful place.
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The Mask of Ra
by P. C. Doherty
When Pharaoh Tuthmosis II falls dead before the sun god, Amun-Ra, his widow and the Chief Judge must find a killer covering his tracks with the hot desert sands of ancient Egypt. Martin's Press.
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A Face Turned Backward
by Lauren Haney
The many and mighty deities of Egypt must be given their due. All commerce is conducted under the watchful eyes of the functionaries of the great Queen Maatkare Hatshepsut. Death faces any and all who could rob the royal hose of Kemet of its rightful share. Lieutenant Bak, commander of the Medjay police, willingly accepts his assignment to search all Nile River traffic for contraband -- for rumors are rife of valuable elephant tusks passing unlawfully from the south to the north. But greed has spawned death, hideous and unexpected, and someone who would become rich illegally is dealing in far more than precious ivory. Whoever threatens to expose a lethal cache of secrets will not live to see a new dawn -- and loyal Bak could be the next, as he heads relentlessly toward a grim confrontation, a shocking revelation, and very possible doom in the realm of the dead.
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Warrior Pharaoh
by Richard Gabriel
Warrior Pharaoh is a work of historical fiction that tells the story of the life and deeds of Pharaoh Thutmose II (1480–1426 B.C.) of Egypt, one of the greatest political and military leaders of the ancient world. Written by one of America’s premier military historians, the attention to historical detail is exceeded only by the story’s fast pace and riveting adventure as the author tells the tale of Thutmose’s early life, rise to power, defeat of his enemies, and rule over Egypt in the 15 century B.C. The portrayal of life, love and war in ancient Egypt offers a historical tale of human adventure from which the reader will learn much about how best, from the personal perspectives of those who lived and made it.
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Chronicle of a Pharaoh
by Joann Fletcher
Taking an eye-opening new approach to Egyptian history, Chronicle of a Pharaoh presents a unique and intimate portrait of Amenhotep III, the man and self-proclaimed god who presided over the zenith of Egypt's greatness. Through an unprecedented wealth of details--from the day-to-day running of a huge empire to his clothes, cats, and bedroom habits--the private and public faces of a pharaoh are vividly brought to life as never before. Joann Fletcher explores Amenhotep's private and public life in a compelling year-by-year account, drawing on firsthand and previously unpublished material. Among the many subjects covered are his daily schedule, such as bedchamber ceremonies and meetings with ministers; his relations with rulers of other ancient superpowers, recorded in a lively correspondence covering topics from new wives to the price of silver; his family life, including the remarkable role of his wife, Queen Tiy; the superlative art of the reign; and his monumental construction projects--among them the great temple of Luxor. Amenhotep III also established the cult of Aten, the sun disk, and after Amenhotep's death his son, the rebel pharaoh Akhenaten, became fanatically obsessed with the god. Illustrated with spectacular full-color photographs, maps, and artifacts, many of which are published here for the first time, Chronicle of a Pharaoh provides the full context for understanding the monarch who presided over the magnificent flowering of Egyptian civilization.
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Ancient Egypt
by Carl Nicholas Reeves
Reveals the history of ancient Egypt through the great archaeological discoveries, from the pre-dynastic period to the Graeco-Roman era.
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The Royal Tombs of Egypt
by Zahi A. Hawass
The Valley of the Kings is famous throughout the world as the burial place of the great New Kingdom pharaohs. Many of the royal tombs contain astonishing wall paintings of the king with various gods and goddesses, as well as papyri, mummies, decorated coffins and other artifacts. Here now is the first ever book to reproduce the wall paintings and murals in full. Beautifully illustrated in colour throughout, this volume allows the reader to join the pharaohs of the New Kingdom on their journey to immortality.
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Egyptian Mythology
by Geraldine Pinch
Spanning ancient Egyptian culture--from 3200 BC to AD 400--Pinch opens a door to this hidden world and casts light on the nature of myths and how they relate to the evolution of Egyptian culture. She includes a timeline covering the seven stages in the mythical history of Egypt and outlining the major events of each stage. A substantial A to Z section covers the principal themes and concepts of Egyptian mythology as well as the most important deities, demons, and other characters. This is an ideal introduction for students interested in learning about Egyptian myths, and the culture that created them.
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Akhenaten
by Nicholas Reeves
A lavishly illustrated portrait of ancient Egypt's heretic pharaoh sheds new light on the turbulent events of Akhenaten's reign; his efforts to impose upon his kingdom the worship of a single god; the political, cultural, social, and artistic facets of the Amarna era; and the mysteries of Akhenaten, the fate of his wife Nefertiti, and the death of his heir, Tutankhamun. 12,000 first printing.
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Nefertiti
by Joyce A. Tyldesley
A biography of Queen Nefertiti, who ruled ancient Egypt during the 14th century B.C.
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Chronicle of the Queens of Egypt
by Joyce Tyldesley
The definitive book that recounts the full history of the colorful queens of Egypt. This fascinating saga spans 3,000 years of Egyptian queenship from Early Dynastic times until the suicide of Cleopatra in 30 BC. Starting with the unique role enjoyed by Egypt's women in the ancient world, the book goes on to present a biographical portrait of every queen, supplemented by a wealth of pictorial detail, datafiles, genealogical trees, timelines, and special features—from Childbirth to Wigs—highlighting different aspects of Egyptian culture. The queen of Egypt was, first and foremost, a supportive wife and mother, but in times of dynastic crisis she was expected to act as her husband's deputy. The queen might be required to marshal troops, or to rule on behalf of an infant son. She might even be called upon to rule in her own right in the absence of a suitable king. The female pharaohs Hatshepsut and Tawosret, the sun queens Tiy and Nefertiti, the seductive Nefertari and Cleopatra: many of Egypt's queens have left an indelible mark on their country's history. And what of Egypt's lesser queens, the numerous wives and daughters maintained in pampered seclusion in the harem palaces? These women are generally forgotten, their graves lost in the desert sands. But the anonymous ladies occasionally stepped from the security of the harem to influence the royal succession, and their stories too are told.
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Amenhotep, Son of Hapu
by Blake A. Willey
One of the most realistic, fictional accounts of ancient Egyptian life ever penned, Scribes Ascent is the first novel in the Amenhotep, Son of Hapu: A Tale of Egypt series. As Egypts foremost Ă©minent grise, Amenhotep narrates in Scribes Ascent his rise from a miserable provincial backwater to a position second only to Pharaohs in power. The story unfolds as Egypt is on the verge of a cultural and religious upheaval that threatens everything the aged scribe cherishes. Tenaciously devoted to tradition, betrayed by his family, and with a new king, his one-time pupil, plotting to destroy him, Amenhotep now understands he played a pivotal role in triggering the coming catastrophe, an era later called the Amarna Revolution. To avoid everlasting damnation, Amenhotep begins to plead his case: that his single purpose in life was to preserve the established orderthe perfection of things at the beginningagainst change, confusion, and chaos.
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The Twelfth Transforming
by Pauline Gedge
The reign of Pharaoh Akhenaton is troubled by a struggle for power involving the pharaoh's proud mother, his uncle, the leader of Egypt's army, and the beautiful Nefertiti.
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Nefertiti
by Nick Drake
She is Nefertiti—beautiful and revered. With her husband, Akhenaten, she rules over Egypt, the most affluent, formidable, sophisticated empire in the ancient world. But an epic power struggle is afoot, brought on by the royal couple's inauguration of an enlightened new religion and the construction of a magnificent new capital. The priests are stunned by the abrupt forfeiture of their traditional wealth and influence; the people resent the loss of their gods—and the army is enraged by the growing turbulence around them. Then, just days before the festival that will celebrate the new capital, Nefertiti vanishes. Rahotep, the youngest chief detective in the Thebes division, has earned a reputation for his unorthodox yet effective methods. Entrusted by great Akhenaten himself with a most secret investigation, Rahotep has but ten days to find the missing Queen. If he succeeds, he will bask in the warmth of Akhenaten's favor. But if Rahotep fails, he and his entire family will die.
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I Found Out I'm Dying
by R Sporty King
Discusses life in ancient Egypt, with an overview and timeline of the years between 3050 and 30 B.C., and looks at agriculture, belief systems, art, health, the role of women and children, rulers, war, and other aspects of life along the Nile.
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The Year of the Cobra
by P. C. Doherty
At the end of THE SEASON OF THE HYAENA, the previous book in this trilogy, Mahu had just been recalled to court because the young Pharaoh, Tutankhamun, was suffering from a serious mental illness. THE YEAR OF THE COBRA now resumes Mahu's tale: Tutankhamun is unwell, but there is no heir apparent. Egypt's enemies, the Hittites, are advancing through Canaan, and Ay - First Minister of Akenhaten, father of Nefertiti, brother of Queen Tiye - still plots, like the spider he is. The web is woven, the traps set...
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Akhenaten and Tutankhamun
by David P. Silverman
The Amarna Period, named after the site of an innovative capital city that was the center of the new religion, included the reigns of heretic Pharaoh Akhenaten and his presumed son, the boy king Tutankhamun.
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Amarna Sunset
by Aidan Dodson
This new study, drawing on the latest research, tells the story of the decline and fall of the pharaoh Akhenaten's religious revolution in the fourteenth century bc. Beginning at the regime's high-point in his Year 12, it traces the subsequent collapse that saw the deaths of many of the king's loved ones, his attempts to guarantee the revolution through co-rulers, and the last frenzied assault on the god Amun. The book then outlines the events of the subsequent five decades that saw the extinction of the royal line, an attempt to place a foreigner on Egypt's throne, and the accession of three army officers in turn. Among its conclusions are that the mother of Tutankhamun was none other than Nefertiti, and that the queen was joint-pharaoh in turn with both her husband Akhenaten and her son. As such, she was herself instrumental in beginning the return to orthodoxy, undoing her erstwhile husband's life-work before her own mysterious disappearance.
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The Mysterious Death of Tutankhamun
by P. C. Doherty
Based on the original two-part Discovery Channel program, this fascinating book delves deeply into the mysteries surrounding the death of King Tutankhamun, the boy-king who came to the throne during aperiod of intense religious dissent and who died mysteriously at the age of eighteen. Reprint.
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The Complete Tutankhamun
by Nicholas Reeves
The tomb of Tutankhamun, with its treasures, has exerted a hold over the popular imagination ever since its discovery in 1922. This book is a detailed and comprehensive account of this great archaeological discovery. The story of the boy-king, buried in splendour at the height of Egyptian civilization; the determined quest for his tomb by Howard Carter and Lord Carnarvon; the unforeseen riches eventually revealed - these are important events in the history of archaeology. However, despite the publicity at the time of the discovery and since - made more intriguing by the linking of Carnarvon's early death with the legend of the pharoah's curse - it remains a story only partly told. Carter never produced a complete account of his excavations. The Tutankhamun exhibitions of the 1960's and 1970's generated a spate of books but none added significantly to what Carter had already published about the tomb. This book is a revealing account of the subject.
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The Oxford History of Ancient Egypt
by Ian Shaw
The Oxford History of Ancient Egypt describes the emergence and development of the distinctive civilization of the ancient Egyptians, from their prehistoric origins to their conquest by the Persians, Greeks, and Romans. Included are the most detailed examinations of the three so-called 'intermediate periods' in Egyptian history, which were previously regarded as 'dark ages' but are now beginning to be better understood.
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Year of the Hyenas
by Brad Geagley
In this evocative murder mystery set in ancient Egypt, an empire's sumptuous glory and intrigue blend seamlessly with timeless themes of greed, ambition, and crimes of passion.
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Religion in Ancient Egypt
by John Baines
Lectures given at a symposium held in 1987, sponsored by Fordham University.
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Ramesses
by Joyce Tyldesley
Everyone has heard of Ramesses the Great - but what is the truth behind the legend? Joyce Tyldesley's lively book explores the life and times of Egypt's greatest king. Ramesses II was the archetypal Egyptian pharoah: a mighty warrior, an extravagant builder and the father of scores of children. His momuments and image were to be found in every corner of the Egyptian empire. This is his amazing story.
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Scroll of Saqqara
by Pauline Gedge
Prince Khaemwaset is a powerful man. The son of Ramses II and a revered physician, his wisdom is respected throughout Egypt. But Khaemwaset harbours a strong and secret desire--to find the mysterious Scroll of Thoth and receive the power to raise the dead. When Khaemwaset hears of the discovery of a hidden tomb on the plain of Saqqara, he is quick to break its seal and take its secrets--secrets that he soon learns he should never have disturbed. Richly detailed with the exotic realities of Ancient Egypt, Scroll of Saqqara is a compelling tale of power, lust, and obsession.
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He Shall Thunder in the Sky:
by Elizabeth Peters
Intrepid archaeologist/sleuth Amelia Peabody and her family, back in Egypt in 1914 for another season of archaeological excavation, become caught up in the political turmoil sweeping the country, and when an exquisite artifact from a Giza dig is found where it ought not be, Amelia realizes her villainous arch-nemesis Sethos is at work.