Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs

Book Description

The discovery of the tomb of Tutankhamun- the most spectacular royal tomb ever found- is one of the most famous events in the history of archaeology. The treasures of this tomb surpass all others, and the fifty Tutankhamun artifacts featured in this book illustrate many uses of gold and other precious materials in ancient Egypt, giving us a glimpse into the extraordinary richness of this ancient civilization. The book also includes never-before-seen images of the full-body forensic recreation of the boy king. How did Tut really look and what caused his untimely death? Cutting edge CT scan data provides tantalizing clues.In addition artifacts from the period preceding the reign of Tutankhamun will be featured, illuminating this fascinating era of Egyptian history and setting the stage for the treasures of Tut. These pieces will illustrate the history of the 18th dynasty, daily life under the golden pharaohs, and the journeys of both kings and commoners to the afterlife, and will include pieces dating to the reigns of four 18th dynasty pharaohs, the direct ancestors of Tutankhamun: Amenhotep II and Tuthmosis IV These two great warrior kings ruled in the mid-18th Dynasty, and solidified the great Egyptian empire built by their predecessors. Although their tombs had both been robbed in antiquity, many fascinating pieces were left behind by the thieves. The tomb of Amenhotep II was reused just after the end of the New Kingdom as a cache for a group of royal mummies. Amenhotep III and Akhenaten A number of pieces come from the Theban area, where the great temple of Amun stood, the site of many great discoveries, and Amarna, where Akhenaten built a new capital city. Other artifacts come from one of the rare private tombs in the Valley of the Kings, the burial of Amenhotep III's parents-in-law, Yuya and Tjuya.

Synopsis:

This is the official companion book to the first U.S. exhibition of Tutankhamun artifacts in 30 years, featuring fabulous treasures of gold, silver, and semi-precious jewels, as well as a full-body forensic recreation built from the first-ever CT scan of his mummy.

From Booklist

Tutankhamen's reign, though brief, is historically significant because it coincided with restoration of the traditional Egyptian pantheon, which had been suppressed in an experiment in radical monotheism under the famous pharaoh Akhenaton. But it's the trove discovered in 1922 that has elevated Tutankhamen into an archaeological superstar, invariably drawing stadium-size crowds to museums that periodically exhibit its objects. A selection of about 130 items (without the spectacular coffins but including grave goods from other kings of Tutankhamen's dynasty) will tour four U.S. cities from 2005 to 2007: this book is the sanctioned companion to the exhibition. Written by one of the premier names in Egyptology, it closely describes the physical and symbolic attributes of each object and explains its purpose in the afterlife. Hawass' text sustains his reputation (Secrets from the Sand, 2003) as an engagingly clear public presenter of the subject, as it threads a general history of the eighteenth dynasty with dramatic narration of archaeologist Howard Carter's finding of Tutankhamen's sepulchre. An arrestingly visual album destined for high demand.

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 Gilbert Taylor

About Author

Zahi Hawass, an archaeologist and Secretary-General of Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities, is credited with major discoveries, including the tombs of the Giza pyramid builders. His findings at this important site have contributed significantly to our knowledge of how the pyramids were built. Also at Giza, Hawass directed the conservation of the great Sphinx, a landmark project for which he was awarded the first class award for Art and Science by President Mubarak.

In 1999 Hawass led an excavation and preservation project at Egypt's Bahariya Oasis that discovered more than 200 Greco-Roman mummies, many of them lavishly gilded. This ancient cemetery, now called the Valley of the Golden Mummies, may hold hundreds more mummies and is considered one of the most important finds in Egypt since the discovery of Tutankhamun's tomb.

Hawass studied archaeology in both Egypt and the United States and received a Fulbright scholarship in 1980. In 1987 he earned his Ph.D. in Egyptology from the University of Pennsylvania. Since 1988 he has taught Egyptian archaeology, history, and culture, most recently at Cairo University, the American University in Cairo, and the University of California at Los Angeles.

Hawass has been a consultant for documentaries, films, television specials, and magazine stories and has written extensively on Middle Eastern and Egyptian archaeology. He is the author of several books on ancient Egypt, including Silent Images: Women in Pharaonic Egypt - The Secrets of the Sphinx, and most recently Hidden Treasures of Ancient Egypt. His best-selling book, Valley of the Golden Mummies, was published in five languages. One of Egypt's most visible and effective spokespeople, he holds numerous committee appointments and lectures throughout the world.

In 2000 Hawass received the Distinguished Scholar award from the Association of Egyptian American Scholars and was one of 30 international figures to receive the Golden Plate Award from the American Academy of Achievement.

He lives in Cairo, Egypt.

Book Dimension

Height (mm) 232 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 Width (mm) 292