An Introduction to the Archaeology of Ancient Egypt

This guide to Egypt’s ancient past takes the reader from prehistory, through the pharaonic dynasties, to the Greco–Roman period. Providing a thorough grounding in ancient Egyptian culture, monuments, and civilization, this second edition has been updated to include recent discoveries in the region’s archeology. With sections on major points of interest, such as constructing the Great Pyramid at Giza, the process of mummification, and the art of deciphering hieroglyphs, the book includes a wealth of illustrations ranging from color photography of artifacts to site maps and building plans. The comprehensive treatment extends to the enthralling history of archaeology in Egypt, and includes chapters on the Paleolithic and Neolithic periods as well as the rise of early civilization in the region. Covering ancient Egyptian chronology, language, geography, and specific archaeological sites, An Introduction to the Archaeology of Ancient Egypt is an invaluable resource for students and an authoritative guide for the many non–academic readers captivated by this popular topic.

Kathryn A. Bard is Professor of Archaeology at Boston University. A fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, she has directed excavations in Egypt and northern Ethiopia since 1989, and in 1998 was given the Chairman’s Award of the National Geographic Society’s Committee for Research and Exploration. She is the author of From Farmers to Pharaohs: Mortuary Evidence for the Rise of Complex Society in Egypt (1994), and the editor of The Archaeology of Ancient Egypt: An Encyclopedia (1999). Professor Bard is co–director of excavations at the pharaonic harbor at Mersa–Wadi Gawasis on the Red Sea, which has uncovered evidence of ancient Egyptian ships used in seafaring expeditions to the land of Punt, probably located in what is now eastern Sudan and Eritrea.