Book description
The extraordinary history of Ancient Egyptian civilization - from
its earliest origins to the creation of its greatest monument - from
specialist John Romer
This exceptional book draws on a lifetime of research and
thought to recreate the previously untold story of how a civilization
which began with handfuls of semi-itinerant fishermen settled, spread
and created a rich, vivid, strange civilization that had its first
culmination in the pharaoh Khufu building the Great Pyramid.
The book immerses the reader in the fascinating world of
archaeological evidence, the process by which this long vanished world
has gradually re-emerged and the rapidly changing interpretations
which these breathtaking but entirely enigmatic remains have been
subjected to. Whether he is writing about the smallest necklace bead
or the most elaborate royal tomb, John Romer conveys to the reader a
remarkable sense of how to understand a people so like ourselves and
yet in so many ways eerily different.
Reviews:
'Scholarly, passionate and exquisitely written ... a stunning,
clear-sighted history of Ancient Egypt' James McConnachie,
Sunday Times
'It is not easy to enliven prehistory while simultaneously
respecting limited archaeological evidence and avoiding novelistic
pitfalls. But Romer manages it ... After a long wait, we have an
up-to-date, stimulating account of the birth of what may turn out to
be the world's oldest civilization' Andrew Robinson, Nature
'His physical descriptions are superb ... a book to be read
and thought about' John Ray, Financial Times
'Romer carries the reader along effortlessly on a lengthy,
complex yet immensely satisfying journey' Joyce Tyldesley, BBC History
About the author:
John Romer has been working in Egypt since 1966 on
archaeological digs in many key sites, including the Valley of the
Kings and Karnak. He led the Brooklyn Museum expedition to excavate
the tomb of Ramesses XI. He wrote and presented a number of television
series, including The Seven Wonders of the World, Romer's
Egypt, Ancient Lives and Testament. His major books
include The Great Pyramid: Ancient Egypt Revisited and
Valley of the Kings. He lives in Italy.
John Romer has been working in Egypt since 1966 on archaeological
digs in many of the key sites, including the Valley of the Kings and
Karnak. He led the Brooklyn Museum expedition to excavate the tomb of Rames
s
es XI. He wrote and presented a number of television series, including
The Seven Wonders of the World, Romer's Egypt, Ancient Lives
and
Testament.
His major books include
The Great Pyramid: Ancient Egypt Revisited
and
Valley of the Kings
. He lives in Italy.
