Books

Ancient Egypt has been a subject of great interest and study in the field of Egyptology. There are numerous books available that delve into various aspects of ancient Egyptian history, culture, religion, art, and architecture. These books provide valuable insights into the civilization that thrived along the Nile River thousands of years ago.

The Oxford History of Ancient Egypt, by Ian Shaw

The Oxford History of Ancient Egypt

The Oxford History of Ancient Egypt uniquely covers 700,000 years of ancient Egypt, from c. 700,000 BC to AD 311. Following the story from the Egyptians’ prehistoric origins to their conquest by the Persians, Greeks, and Romans, this book resurrects a fascinating society replete with remarkable historical information.

The Nubian Pharaohs of Egypt: Their Lives and Afterlives

The Nubian Pharaohs of Egypt: Their Lives and Afterlives

“This authoritative yet accessible book tells the story of these Nubian pharaohs of Egypt, from the origins of their kingdom of Kush, through their time as rulers of Egypt, to their heritage in the heart of Sudan―and their rediscovery in modern times. The region of Nubia―now spanning the modern border between Egypt and Sudan―was long...

Nubian Gold: Ancient Jewelry from Sudan and Egypt

Nubian Gold: Ancient Jewelry from Sudan and Egypt

“The sumptuousness and grandeur of Nubian gold jewelry analyzed and illustrated for the first time. The fabled land of Nubia, whose very name means ‘gold,’ was famous in ancient times for its supplies of precious metal, exotic material, and intricate craftsmanship. Many of the adornments made in Nubia are masterpieces of the jeweler’s art—marvels of...

Ramesses the Great: Egypt's King of Kings

Ramesses the Great: Egypt’s King of Kings

The life, dramatic reign, and enduring legacy of the pharaoh Ramesses the Great, with lessons for the present, from internationally acclaimed Egyptologist Toby Wilkinson “The author succeeds in bringing this distant age to life through telling detail and insightful analysis. . . . Whenever he can, the author takes advantage of opportunities to peer beneath...

Amarna: A Guide to the Ancient City of Akhetaten

Amarna: A Guide to the Ancient City of Akhetaten

“An illustrated cultural guide to the archaeological site of Amarna, the best-preserved pharaonic city in Egypt. Around three thousand years ago, the pharaoh Akhenaten turned his back on Amun, and most of the great gods of Egypt. Abandoning Thebes, he quickly built a grand new city in Middle Egypt, Akhetaten―Horizon of the Aten―devoted exclusively to...

How to Survive in Ancient Egypt

How to Survive in Ancient Egypt

“Focusing on Thebes in 1360 BCE, How to Survive in Ancient Egypt is the ultimate guide to living in ancient Egypt including all of the religious beliefs and sites to see. Imagine you were transported back in time to Ancient Egypt and you had to start a new life there. How would you fit in?...

Birds of ancient egypt

The Birds of Ancient Egypt

“Animals of all kinds are amply illustrated in ancient Egypt, none more so than birds, in both secular and religious contexts and in hieroglyphic scripts. A great variety of bird species has for millennia made twice yearly migrations passing over Egypt, which is also an important overwintering area for many. These migrant birds, together with...

Cleopatra: A Biography (Women in Antiquity)

Cleopatra: A Biography (Women in Antiquity)

“Few personalities from classical antiquity are more familiar yet more poorly grasped than Cleopatra VII (69–30 B.C.), queen of Egypt. The subject of a vast repertory of post-antique popular culture and also a significant figure in literature, art, and music, Cleopatra herself is surprisingly little known and generally misunderstood. Even in the years immediately after...

Writings from Ancient Egypt

Writings from Ancient Egypt

“Preserved carved in stone or inked on papyri, hieroglyphic writings from ancient Egypt give a unique insight into an awe-inspiring but also deeply mysterious culture. The fascination that Ancient Egypt holds in our minds has many sources, but at the heart of it lie hieroglyphics. This extraordinary writing system was for many years seen as...

Painted limestone relief of a royal couple in the Amarna style; figures have variously been attributed as Akhenaten and Nefertiti, Smenkhkare and Meritaten, or Tutankhamun and Ankhesenamun. Neues Museum, Berline. ÄM 15000

Top Recommended Reading for the Amarna Period

The Amarna Period was not only a religious but also an artistic one. The art of this era is recognizable by its unmistakable sinuous shapes and the singular expressiveness of faces and gestures, which end up surviving, albeit in a less marked manner, in the following epoch. It lasted less than twenty years: with the...