One of the first series I discovered from DK is definitively the Eyewitness one. These books are absolutely fabulous as a reference on specific subject like Bible Lands, Cowboy, Food, and so on. But it also has titles to help you cover the history lessons you might have with your kids while homeschooling or for your children to do a report on an ancient civilization like the Egyptians for example.
This book is packed with information concerning the Ancient Egypt and will help you and your kids to better understand the life back in the days of the Pharaohs. The content of the book is pretty concise and descriptive. You will also see numerous photos, and images from artifacts found during archeological discoveries in Egypt. Here's a list of the information that can be found in the book
Egypt before the pharaohs On the banks of the Nile The royal court Preparing the tomb Everlasting bodies Journey to the afterlife The great pyramids The Valley of the Kings Gods and goddesses Magic and medicine Priests and temples Sacred rituals Scribes and scholars Writing Weapons of war Sailing on the Nile Buying and selling An Egyptian carpenter Hunting, fishing, and fowling The Egyptians at home Food and drink Song and dance Toys and games From fabric to finery All that glitters Adorning the body Animals of the Nile Valley Egypt after the pharaohs The pharaohs What is extra special with this particular book is that a CD containing clip-arts is also included. This CD is fabulous for using the clip-arts for a report or a presentation on Ancient Egypt. I think it is very nice to have this CD for anyone interested in the civilization of Ancient Egypt.
While going through this book, I learned quite a bit on pyramids and admire the inside of the Great Pyramid. Did you know that the first pyramid was build as the burial place of King Djoser in C. 2650 BCE, by his gifted architect Imhotep. It is called the Step Pyramid and represented a gigantic stairway for the king to climb to join the Sun god in the sky. I also discovered how they sailed on the Nile, how they hunted, the kind of food they ate as well as the toys and games the kids played.
In the Did you Know? sections a series of fascinating facts are also included. For example, the Great Sphinx has been buried in the sand up to the neck for most of its history. It was in 1926 that is was cleared. However, since airborne pollution is now seriously eroding its stone body, many conservationists think it was better off covered. Maybe in the years to come, they will decide to protect it by putting the sand back all over it... who knows! Another interesting fact is the the soles of pharaoh's sandals were sometimes decorated with drawings of their enemies, who would be crushed underfoot symbolically with every steps... OUCH!
Seriously though, this book is a great reference for the study of Ancient Egypt and I highly recommend it for every one interested in learning more about it.
