ANCIENT EGYPT: GENERAL HISTORY

EGYPT: THE WORLD OF THE PHARAOHS by Regine Schultz and Matthias Seidel. A good comprehensive general reference book on Ancient Egypt, covering the pre-dynastic and early dynastic periods right through to the Greco-Roman period. Richly embellished with over 800 colour photos, this book has great visual impact. International academic contributors give a broad spectrum on subjects including religion, political administration, architecture and art.

THE BRITISH MUSEUM DICTIONARY OF ANCIENT EGYPT by Ian Shaw and Paul Nicholson. The A-Z of everything and anything to do with ancient Egypt. An absolute must for all enthusiasts. 420 photos and illustrations, 70 maps, plans and line drawings.

THE OXFORD HISTORY OF ANCIENT EGYPT edited by Ian Shaw. A comprehensive and detailed synopsis of the history of ancient Egypt, outlining the principal sequence of political events, the rise and fall of the dynasties, cultural and social patterns, art and literature.

ANCIENT EGYPT: THE GREAT DISCOVERIES by Nicholas Reeves. Yet another excellent book by Nicholas Reeves, which acts as a sort of "discovery chronology", listing all the major discoveries of Ancient Egypt in chronological order, from the time of Napoleon through to the present day. An excellent source for reference.

THE PENGUIN HISTORICAL ATLAS OF ANCIENT EGYPT by Bill Manley. This historical atlas of ancient Egypt charts the progress of this civilization from early times, through the expansion of the empire, the construction of the pyramids, the decline culminating in the Persian occupation, to the rise of the Ptolemys and the absorption into the Roman Empire.

ANCIENT EGYPT by David P Silverman. Another superb introduction to this subject, providing a comprehensive discussion of the key themes in Egyptian history over 3000 years.

THE EGYPTIANS (ancient people and places) by Cyrail Aldred, Aidan Dodson. Significant recent finds are investigated and much fresh thinking on the first unification of Egypt, early kings, and the third intermediate period. Revised dating and expanded bibliography throughout to accord with the most up-to-date scholarship, and a complete chronology and list of kings.

THE CAIRO MUSEUM - MASTERPIECES OF EGYPTIAN ART Francesco Tiraditti (editor) and Mohammed Saleh. This work is a showcase for the treasures of the Egyptian Museum in Cairo. Following the chronological layout of the museum, the books tours the collections held in each hall, with accompanying text by international Egyptologists.

THE COMPLETE VALLEY OF THE KINGS by Nicholas Reeves and Richard Wilkinson. An excellent account of the Valley of the Kings, bringing together its art, archaeology and history in one complete volume with every aspect of the Valley and its tombs covered.

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ANCIENT EGYPT : PHARAOHS

CHRONICLE OF THE  PHARAOHS by Peter Clayton. A "cannot do without" guide to the ancient history of the pharaohs and their chronology. Gives you all essential information to start the discovery of this fascinating past.

RAMESSES: EGYPT'S GREATEST PHARAOH by Joyce Tyledesley. For anyone who is interested in this great pharaoh, his reign, and everyday life of the time.

THE PRIVATE LIVES OF THE PHARAOHS by Joyce Tyledesley. How were the pyramids built? What were two unborn children doing in Tutankhamun's tomb? What was the blue lotus depicted in many tombs - a drug, a perfume? Accompanying a Channel4 documentary series, this volume shows how modern scientific techniques can be used to answer questions about the lives of the ancient pharaohs.

CLEOPATRA OF EGYPT - from history to myth edited by Susan Walker and Peter Higgs. The last of the Ptolemies who had ruled Egypt for 300 years, Cleopatra created her own mythology, becoming an icon in her own lifetime and even more so after her fabled death by suicide. This lavishly illustrated book, which accompanies the exhibition at the British Museum, sheds new light on one of history's most enigmatic and intriguing figures.

AKHENATEN - King of Egypt by Cyril Aldred. Recent archaeological studies form the basis of this work on the fourteenth-century B.C. civilization dominated by the infamous "Amarna" pharaoh Akhenaten.

AKHENATEN - EGYPT'S FALSE PROPHET by Nicholas Reeves. One of the most compelling and controversial figures in Egyptian history, Akhenaten has capture the imagination like no other pharaoh. Nicholas Reeves gives a different perspective to the events of Akhenaten's 17 year reign, suggesting that he used religion for political ends in an attempt to concentrate power into his own hands.

HATCHEPSUT: THE FEMALE PHARAOH by Joyce Tyldesley. Hatshepsut's existence was unknown until the 1820's. This book combines historical and archaeological evidence in an attempt to create an accurate portrayal of the woman who was "king of Egypt".

NEFERTITI by Joyce Tyldesley. Nefertiti, wife of Akhenaten, adored by her family and worshipped by her people. Her image and her name were celebrated throughout Egypt. However, no record survives to detail her death, there is no monument to her, and her body has never been found. Nefertiti disappeared from the royal family, vanishing so suddenly that it was as if she had never existed.

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ANCIENT EGYPT: TUTANKHAMUN

THE TOMB OF TUT.ANKH.AMEN: The Burial Chamber by Howard Carter. Originally published in 1927 as the second volume of Carter's trilogy, it records in detail, the work of the 2nd and 3rd seasons at the tomb: the opening of the four protective shrines; the discovery within of Tutankhamun's sarcophagus; the extraction of the king's three coffins (the innermost of solid gold) and the final examination of the pharoah's splendid mummy.

THE COMPLETE TUTANKHAMUN by Nicholas Reeves. Excellent reference with extensive details of the wonderful treasures found in this infamous tomb. Also covers the run up to and the actual discovery of the tomb. 519 photographs and illustrations.

THE DISCOVERY OF THE TOMB OF TUTANKHAMUN by Howard Carter. The events and consequences of the fascinating discovery of Tutankhamen's tomb are traced in the discoverer's words.

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ANCIENT EGYPT: TEMPLES

THE COMPLETE TEMPLES OF ANCIENT EGYPT by Richard Wilkinson. Offering a unique view into the lives and minds of the ancient Egyptians, Wilkinson reveals the fascinating depth of knowledge that now exists about the nature and symbolism of Egypt's eternal stone symbols, and how much more there still is to learn.

THEBES IN EGYPT: A Guide to the Tombs and Temples of Ancient Luxor by Nigel & Helen Strudwick. Ancient Thebes (modern Luxor) has more ancient monuments per square miles than any other site in Egypt. This book presents a context and overview of ancient Thebes.

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ANCIENT EGYPT: MUMMIES 

EGYPTIAN MUMMIES by Carol Andrews. Why did the Egyptians try to preserve their dead for eternity? How did they achieve it? A fully illustrated account of how mummies were made, the religious beliefs which lay behind the practice, and the ornate coffins and elaborate tombs which housed the bodies and the "treasures" which accompanied them.

VALLEY OF THE GOLDEN MUMMIES by Zahi Hawass. A few years ago in an oasis in the middle of the desert a spectacular discovery was made: a group of intact Egyptian tombs containing at least 60 gilded mummies, perhaps even hundreds more. Zahi Hawass, the well known Director of the Giza pyramids, reveals his first hand experiences at this unprecedented site, liberally illustrated with photographs taken during the excavation.

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ANCIENT EGYPT: PYRAMIDS

THE COMPLETE PYRAMIDS by Mark Lehrer. This is, without a doubt, probably the best laymen's guide to the pyramids currently around. Mark Lehrer has excavated extensively at Giza, and his book is an excellent source of reference for these amazing unique monuments.

THE PYRAMIDS: Their Archaeology and History by Miroslav Verner, Steven Rendall (translator). This text presents a contemporary account of the knowledge we have about the pyramids. It recounts the history of ancient Egyptian culture before and during the period of the pyramids, as well as the exciting history of modern research, which began when Napoleon's troops conquered Egypt 200 years ago.

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ANCIENT EGYPT: HIEROGLYPHS

HOW TO READ EGYPTIAN HIEROGLYPHS by Mark Collier, Bill Manly and Richard Parkinson. Published by the British Museum Press 1998. This is a first rate introduction to the study of Egyptian hieroglyphs. It introduces the reader systematically and at a measured pace to the major signs, and has clearly written grammatical explanations.

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ANCIENT EGYPT: GODS AND RELIGION

AN ILLUSTRATED DICTIONARY OF THE GODS & SYMBOLS OF ANCIENT EGYPT by Manfred Lurker, Peter Clayton (editor). A compact guide to the gods and symbols of ancient Egypt, their interpretation, their significance and their cults. It answers questions such as why the jackal represents Anubis, the embalmer god, and why the dung beetle represents the sun god Khepri.

THE GODS OF ANCIENT EGYPT by Barbara Watterson (editor). Recounts in good detail the sometimes racy, and amusing mythological tales associated with the major cult deities, together with the significance of the religious artifacts of Ancient Egypt, from the smallest amulet to the greatest temple.

A DICTIONARY OF EGYPTIAN GODS AND GODDESSES by George Hart. All those interested in Ancient Egyptian mythology may value this comprehensive handbook which details the major gods and goddesses and presents a broad survey of many others.

THE EGYPTIAN BOOK OF THE DEAD by Raymond Oliver Faulkner (editor).  This volume integrates text translation and full colour photographs of the Papyrus of Ani (commonly referred to as the Egyptian Book of the Dead), an almost 3,500 year old scroll of ancient Egyptian spiritual and philosophic teachings.

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ANCIENT EGYPT: DAVID ROBERTS 

YESTERDAY AND TODAY: THE HOLY LAND – Lithographs and diaries by David Roberts (123 lithographs). Full reproductions of the six volumes of the folio editions of David Roberts’s sketches from his travels in 1838 through The Holy Land published by F.G Moon between 1842-1849. Includes contemporary photographs to compare the sketch with the present day, and  entries from his diary.

YESTERDAY AND TODAY: EGYPT – Lithographs and diaries by David Roberts (124 lithographs). Full reproductions of the six volumes of the folio editions of David Roberts’s sketches from his travels in 1838 through Egypt published by F.G Moon between 1842-1849. Includes contemporary photographs to compare the sketch with the present day, and  entries from his diary.

DAVID ROBERTS: TRAVELS IN EGYPT AND THE HOLY LAND by Debra Mancoff. Mancoff (writer, curator and lecturer) presents six essays and 64 colour reproductions of Roberts' paintings that focus on scenes from an arduous 1838 trip made to the Near East, with the goal of bringing home a clear and accurate visual record of the region.