The Experience of Ancient Egypt

Hardback

Main Details

Title The Experience of Ancient Egypt
Authors and Contributors      By (author) Rosalie David
SeriesExperience of Archaeology
Physical Properties
Format:Hardback
Pages:216
Dimensions(mm): Height 234,Width 156
Category/GenreWorld history
African history
History of specific subjects
Egyptian archaeology and Egyptology
ISBN/Barcode 9780415032636
ClassificationsDewey:932
Audience
Undergraduate
Postgraduate, Research & Scholarly
Illustrations 14 line figures, 25 b&w photos

Publishing Details

Publisher Taylor & Francis Ltd
Imprint Routledge
Publication Date 20 January 2000
Publication Country United Kingdom

Description

Our knowledge of the civilization of ancient Egypt is based on a rich legacy of great monuments, a wealth of artefacts, a strong literature and extensive, well-preserved human remains. With such a range and variety of evidence, generations of Egyptologists have tried to tell the story of this great civilization with certainty. However, as evidence is often partial or contradictory, even the experts can only draw imprecise conclusions. Providing a complete history of Egyptology, this text shows how, since Classical times, our understanding of Ancient Egypt has shifted and changed. It examines in detail issues of religion, of beliefs and practices surrounding death, of everyday life and of literature. Rosalie David goes on to explain how Egyptologists have reached this sophisticated level of understanding, by telling the history of their discipline. She traces Egyptology from its classical roots, through the painstaking process of deciphering Egyptian hieroglyphs in the 18th and 19th centuries, to up-to-date bio-medical and archaeological techniques in the late 1990s, never forgetting how time has proved that it is impossible to deliver the absolute about ancient Egypt.

Reviews

'This is a fascinating story, which the interested reader would otherwise have to piece together from a range of publications.' - History Today'For a serious introduction to all aspects of Egyptology, the reader can now turn to R. David, The Experience of Ancient Egypt where the material is presented in a digestible but comprehensive way.' - Egyptian Archaeology