The Handbook to Life in Ancient Egypt [Paperback]

YA-From the predynastic times to the Old and New Kingdoms to the Ptolemaic and Roman periods, this concise overview is written in thematic chapters that result in a complete picture of the civilization. Topics include history, geography, society and government, religion, funerary beliefs and customs, architecture and building, hieroglyphs, the army and navy, foreign trade and transport, economy and industry, and everyday life. The book ends with a chronology and a list of museums with Egyptian collections. Not quite as easy to read or as simply organized as a general encyclopedia, the title does provide useful material not found in standard resources for reports and projects.
Linda A. Vretos, West Springfield High School, Springfield, VA
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

David (professor of Egyptology, University of Manchester, England), surveys Egypt from predynastic times through the arrival of Islam, concentrating on the period before the establishment of the Ptolemies as the ruling dynasty. The chapters are thematic, covering Egyptology and archaeology, history, geography, society and government, religion, funerary customs and beliefs, architecture and building, written evidence, the military, foreign trade and transport, economy and industry, and everyday life.

David has added material based on the many discoveries since the 1998 edition. In the chapter "Egyptology, Archaeology, and Scientific Mummy Studies in Egypt," which is new, she discusses the application of modern scientific techniques, including medical diagnosis, to mummies. All the techniques are described briefly but clearly. There is a section on the Schistosoiasis Research Project, which may be the most far-reaching chronological study of a disease ever undertaken. Mummies are being tested for evidence of the disease, which is still a danger to modern Egyptians. Among other changes are a brief section on pets added to the chapter on everyday life and a rewritten section on temples to reflect new thinking about the different temple types. The section on Tomb KV5 has been rewritten and moved to the new chapter on archaeology. However, much of the text remains the same as in the earlier edition.

The format of the book has not changed. Besides an extensive bibliography, with more up-to-date citations, each chapter has suggested readings, some of which may be available in larger public libraries. The text is liberally illustrated with photographs, line drawings, and excellent maps.

Less scholarly than The Oxford Encyclopedia of Ancient Egypt (2000), the new edition of Handbook to Life in Ancient Egypt is recommended for high-school and public libraries; lower-division undergraduates and adults looking for quick information should find it useful as well. RBB
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

"[The Handbook] provides a concise and clearly written introductory reference, aimed at a nonspecialist audience. The chapters are arranged thematically, and contain useful summaries of important historical figures, place names, and the like....This handbook ...[is] a good starting point for the study of Egyptian society..."--Religious Studies Review "This is an ambitious book...David, a respected Egyptologist, surveys Egypt from Predynastic times through the arrival of Islam."--Booklist

Spanning the years from c. 5000 B.C. to the early centuries A.D., the Nile Valley civilization was one of the earliest created by humankind. It remains one of the most fascinating and influential. This handy yet encyclopedic reference work offers a comprehensive overview of ancient Egyptian history, from Predynastic times to the Old and New Kingdoms to the Ptolemaic and Roman periods. Accessible, authoritative, and clearly organized, the Handbook to Life in Ancient Egypt affords an engaging look at a culture whose art, architecture, religion, and medicine came to form the basis of Western Civilization. The thematically arranged chapters allow readers easy access to several key topics, including historical background, geography, government, religion, funerary customs, architecture, literature, the military, the economy, and everyday life. Drawing on written sources dating from c. 3100 B.C. and such widespread archaeological evidence as monuments, artifacts, inscriptions, and preserved human remains, noted Egyptologist Rosalie David covers everything from the Sun Cult and the pyramids to the arrival and dispersal of Christianity. Her useful Handbook also features: * 112 maps, photographs, and original line drawings * suggestions for further reading at the conclusion of each chapter * a chronological table of over five millennia of Egyptian history * an appendix listing museums with Egyptian collections * a timely and extensive overall bibliography as well as a thorough index Combining archaeological and historical sources, this Handbook provides all the essential data required by anyone interested in Egyptian history, archaeology, religion, or culture.

73 halftones & line illus

Rosalie David is Keeper of Egyptology at the Manchester Museum and Reader in Egyptology at the University of Manchester. She is the author of twenty books on Egypt-related subjects, including Discovering Ancient Egypt.