Beneath the Sands of Egypt: Adventures of an Unconventional Archaeologis t

Description

Ancient Egypt, with its spectacular temples and tombs, its history, gods, and legends, has enticed the human imagination for centuries. This fascination-and the irresistible drive to unearth the buried secrets of a lost civilization-have been the life work of archaeologist Donald P. Ryan. Beneath the Sands of Egypt is the gripping first-person account of a real-life "Indiana Jones" as he recalls a career spent delving into the remains of Egypt's past-including his headline-making rediscovery of a lost tomb in the Valley of the Kings containing the mummy of the famous female pharaoh Hatshepsut. Infused with the irrepressible curiosity and the incomparable wonder of discovery that have fueled Ryan's lifelong journey, Beneath the Sands of Egypt is the extraordinary story of a man who has always embraced adventure whenever-and wherever-he finds it.

Donald P. Ryan, Ph.D., is a specialist in Egyptian archaeology, Polynesian archaeology, and ancient languages and scripts. He is best known for his research in Egypt, including excavations in the Valley of the Kings, where he has discovered lost tombs and controversial mummies. The author of several books and numerous articles on archaeological subjects, he is a Fellow of the Explorers Club and the Royal Geographical Society and worked closely with world-renowned Norwegian explorer Thor Heyerdahl.

"Don Ryan is a rare bird - a field archaeologist who can write with verve and immediacy. I heartily recommend his book to all Egyptology buffs." -- Barbara Mertz ( a.k.a. Elizabeth Peters), author of Temples Tombs, and Hieroglyphs and Red Land, Black Land "This wonderful adventure story should be must reading for anyone aspiring to become an archaeologist, but even those of us who harbor no such dreams will be aching to get a little dirt under our fingernails." -- Booklist (starred review) "An enthusiastically written book for readers from YA to armchair adventure lovers who dream of being archaeologists or Egyptologists." -- Library Journal "Ryan's observations are intimate, frank, and perceptive, and his spirited adventures in underappreciated avenues of exploration are a boon for armchair and budding archaeologists." -- Publishers Weekly "Any writer who can make you interested in old rope is worth reading." -- St. Paul Pioneer Press "An entertaining, illuminating adventure story by a modern-day explorer." -- Kirkus Reviews