Pyramids, mummies, King Tut, Cleopatra, and of course the mysterious “code” of Egyptian hieroglyphs. These are the icons embedded in Western popular culture, the first to spring to mind when the topic of ancient Egypt arises. And why not? Try to find another civilization with the megalomania to match the pyramids of 4,500 years ago. Or one that has found such an impressive way to conquer death and decay magically by preserving the human form over millennia. Has any archaeological discovery topped the 1922 find of Tutankhamun’s tomb in the Valley of the Kings? The multitalented Cleopatra, who navigated treacherous political waters and won the love of two Roman leaders, never ceases to fascinate us. And finally, the Egyptians’ use of birds, objects, and striding human figures to represent verbs, nouns, and adjectives—the building blocks of a full-fledged grammatical language—surely comprises one of the most intriguing examples of art as writing, and writing as art.
Bust of Nefertiti
The elegant bust of Nefertiti, wife of the pharaoh Akhenaten, is one of the most iconic sculptures of ancient Egypt (see here).
But ancient Egypt, and the scholarly discipline of Egyptology, have so much more to offer beyond the headline icons listed above. The questions we explore are as endless as they are fascinating. How did the Nile Valley become home to one of the most sophisticated and durable complex societies in human history? Where did this pharaonic state, with its all-important concept of kingship, and a labyrinthine administration that would bring a smile to any modern bureaucrat’s lips, come from? Why did illiterate peasants in distant villages—who would never see the pharaoh or the capital—buy in to the system? What role did the geography and climate play in defining Egypt’s relationship with her neighbors to the south, west, and northeast? How did the writing system evolve, from tags and simple identifiers to didactic treatises on social behavior, philosophical musings on the nature of existence, biographical inscriptions, mortuary spells, gynecological texts, and court trial records of captured tomb robbers? What drove a nation to construct a temple complex that is larger than the Vatican, each king striving to outshine his predecessor with pylons, columned halls, and sacred spaces? When and why did the Egyptians create their unique blend of frontal and profile perspectives, combining the best of all vantage points and leading to an art style that is instantly recognizable, from Horus and Hapi to Heston and Hollywood? These are just a few of the many topics that you will find in this book, summarized and described in accessible overviews by distinguished Egyptologists from around the world. As we learn ever more about ancient life along the Nile, today the field of Egyptology includes methodologies from anthropology, archaeology, history, biology philology, linguistics, geology, statistics, art history, digital humanities, and social studies, to name just a few.
The Pyramids of Giza
These colossal structures are testament to the technological brilliance of the ancient Egyptians. The pyramid on the right—the Great Pyramid of Giza—is the only surviving Wonder of the Ancient World (see here).
Modern approaches to ancient Egyptian civilization tend to divide elements of the culture into categories that the ancients would not have recognized. For example, we might distinguish between magic and science, between church and state, but the Egyptians wove such concepts into a seamless world view. Nevertheless, this book presents seven chapters, each full of information on such specific themes. We begin with Land & People, covering the Nile, surrounding landscape and peoples, kingship and the succession of royal dynasties. We then move into Architecture & Sites, summarizing the various forms of Egyptian construction, and highlighting some of the most important sites and structures. Because the history of Egyptian archaeology is as fascinating as the finds themselves, our next chapter covers some of the Great Discoveries, including hidden mummies of pharaohs we never expected to meet in person, golden treasures, artistic masterpieces, an international correspondence archive, a mysterious royal tomb, and thousands of statues from a single temple pit. From here, we shift the focus to many aspects of Egyptian society, professional life, and thought. Science, Medicine & Technology takes us into the realm of the technicians, while Thought & Belief reveals Egyptian religion and the mortuary realm. Sculpture, painting, and the world of letters are the subject of Art & Culture, while our final chapter looks at Life & Society, from family roles and relations to food preparation and bureaucratic administration. Sprinkled throughout the chapters are special two-page “biographies” that illuminate the lives and careers of some of ancient Egypt’s most intriguing individuals.
Pottery vessels
The ancient Egyptians excelled at many crafts, producing fine ceramics and pottery for everyday use as well as for ceremonial purposes.
Sites of ancient Egypt
This map shows some of the most significant ancient sites and modern cities (the country borders are modern).
Throughout the volume, you will find each subject contained on a single left-hand page, with selected imagery on the right-hand page. The main entry, the 30-second history, provides the most in-depth treatment of the topic. In the margin at left, the 3-second survey encapsulates the topic in a single sentence and, farther below, the 3-minute excavation elaborates on the theme, with additional evidence, or a sidebar anecdote or specific example. To the right, Related histories cross-reference to other topics in the book, while 3-second biographies list relevant individuals, ancient or modern, with significant connections to the theme under discussion. There is a Resources section at the back of the book providing some excellent suggestions for further reading, as well as a number of Egyptological web sites on a wide variety of topics. Taken together, the volume aims to provide glimpses into the rich cultural legacy of the ancient Egyptians, while presenting the equally remarkable development of the field of Egyptology.
Mask of Tutankhamun
One of the greatest archaeological discoveries from ancient Egypt was the tomb of Tutankhamun (see here).
Only a small selection of ancient Egypt’s rulers is listed here. All dates are approximate until 664 BCE.
PREDYNASTIC PERIOD 4500–3100 BCE
Narmer 2960
EARLY DYNASTIC PERIOD 2960–2649 BCE
Dynasty 1 2960–2770
Djer 2926–2880
Djet 2880–2873
Den 2873–2859
Dynasty 2 2750–2649
Khasekhemwy 2676–2649
Dynasty 3 2649–2575
Djoser 2630–2611
Dynasty 4 2575–2465
Snefru 2575–2551
Khufu 2551–2528
Khafre 2520–2494
Menkaure 2490–2472
Dynasty 5 2465–2323
Isesi 2381–2353
Unas 2353–2323
Dynasty 6 2323–2150
Teti 2323–2291
Pepy II 2246–2152
Dynasty 7(?) 2150–2143 (?)
Dynasty 8 2143–2100
FIRST INTERMEDIATE PERIOD 2100–2040 BCE
Dynasties 9 & 10 2100–2040
Dynasty 11 (first part) 2140–2040
Mentuhotep II (pre-unification) 2061–2040
MIDDLE KINGDOM 2040–1640 BCE
Dynasty 11 (second part) 2040–1991
Mentuhotep II (post–unification) 2040–2010
Dynasty 12 1991–1783
Senwosret I 1971–1926
Senwosret III 1878–1841
Dynasty 13 1783–1640
SECOND INTERMEDIATE PERIOD 1640–1550 BCE
Dynasty 14 Several kings, perhaps contemporary with Dynasty 13 or 15
Dynasty 15 (Greater Hyksos) & Dynasty 16 (Lesser Hyksos) 1640–1540
Dynasty 17 1640–1550
NEW KINGDOM 1550–1070 BCE
Dynasty 18 1550–1295
Ahmose 1550–1525
Amenhotep I 1525–1504
Thutmose I 1504–1492
Thutmose II 1492–1479
Thutmose III 1479–1425
Hatshepsut 1473–1458
Amenhotep II 1427–1400
Thutmose IV 1400–1390
Amenhotep III 1390–1352
Amenhotep IV (Akhenaten) 1352–1336
Tutankhamun 1336–1327
Ay 1327–1323
Horemheb 1323–1295
Dynasty 19 1295–1186
Seti I 1294–1279
Ramesses II 1279–1213
Merneptah 1213–1203
Dynasty 20 1186–1070
Ramesses III–XI 1184–1070
THIRD INTERMEDIATE PERIOD 1070–712 BCE
Dynasty 21 1070–945
Dynasty 22 945–712
Shoshenq I 945–924
Osorkon II 874–850
Dynasty 23 818–700
Dynasty 24 724–712
LATE PERIOD 760–332 BCE
Dynasty 25 760–660
Piye 743–712
Dynasty 26 664–525
Psamtik I 664–610
Dynasty 27 525–404
Dynasty 28 522–399
Dynasty 29 399–380
Achoris 393–380
Dynasty 30 380–332
Nectanebo II 360–343
GRAECO–ROMAN PERIOD 332 BCE–364 CE
Macedonian Dynasty 332–305
Alexander the Great 332–323
Ptolemaic Dynasty 305–30
Ptolemy I–XV 305–30
Cleopatra VII 51–30
ROMAN PERIOD 30 BCE–364 CE
BYZANTINE PERIOD 364–476 CE
