Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs: Official Companion Book to the Exhibition sponsored by National Geographic

Customer Reviews:

Golen Age of the Pharaohs: offical Book of the Exhibition .......2007-09-09

Fantastic book; saved money by purchasing it through Amazon. Shows all the exibits. Very pleased with the book. A fine edition to anyones collection.

Very good book.......2007-09-09

I bought the book before seeing the tour in Philly. The book is very well done, and very good representation of the tour. Beautiful photographs, plus good rich text around the history of the 18th dynasty.

Other reviews talk about the tour, which isn't really what the book is about. The tour was rather crowded, and I was somewhat disappointed that all the objects were small, and no Tut sarcophagus. Very little explanation of the layout, so my son was complaining about the lack of Tut objects; they included many from the 18th dynasty.

I recommend the official DVD, its great; bought it at the show.

yasangel.......2007-08-31

Beautiful book, great pictures. Great to have with you if you get to see exhibit.

Gollden Age of the Pharaohs.......2007-07-16

Purchased in anticipation of the opening of the exhibition in London in November, the book is a mine of information. Not only does Zahi Hawass describe the objects on display, but he places them in context and gives a vivid picture of life in Egypt at the time of Tutankhamun and before his accession to the throne. Not only a great read, a reference for future use and up to Dr Hawass usual enthusiastic and vivid style. A must-have book for anyone interested in Egypt.

absolutly stunning....a once in a life time chance...........2007-07-04

First and formost DO NOT miss the King Tut tour.....the artifatcs are absoutely astounding and incredibly beautiful beyond words..It it truly extremely hard to wrap your mind around that every peice is wll over 3000 yers old. As for the book itself it is nithing short of amazing...caputring the exibit almost in its entirety....but NOTHING compares to seeing the absoultly stunnig tour live...a truly once in a life time experience...after the US tour concludes it it will never leave Cairo again...The book is worth its weight in gold...the awsome photography and articles by renowned archiloghits and her HRH the Queen of Egypt her self...THis tour the book by National Geographic and the Official DVD are some of the greatest gifts ever bestowed opon the world. A gift from the heart of Egypt to the world that will never be go on tour again...A humbling experience live and most interesting reading a msater work indeed...Bravo!!!

History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)

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Calculations are only as good as your numbers
Pants on fire?
Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed.
Very Interesting
History as Science Fiction

History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
Anatoly Fomenko
Manufacturer: Mithec
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 2913621058

Book Description

Recorded history is a finely-woven magic fabric of intricate lies about events predating the sixteenth century. There is not a single piece of evidence that can be reliably and independently traced back earlier than the eleventh century. This book details events that are substantiated by hard facts and logic, and validated by new astronomical research and statistical analysis of ancient sources.

Customer Reviews:

Calculations are only as good as your numbers.......2007-08-03

Yes, we can all agree that mainstream history is nearly 100% BS due to politics, economics, ego, problems with dating techniques, and various conspiracies. Agreed. But, I've been researching the distinct possibility that human history (in terms of civilizations) are much more ancient than we've been told, so coming across this book was very interesting to me. I wondered how Fomenko could be wrong (if at all) because he is very persuasive in his presentations. Then it dawned on me. If at previous times in prehistory, due to the various catastrophies that are well documented (comets, asteroids, planetary disruptions, plasma discharge, pole reversals, etc) the Earth was in a different position in relation to the sun, different tilt on its axis, different orbit, different rotation (in terms of velocity and DIRECTION), and the continents were in different positions, then would this not cause the ancients to see the sky (constellations) differently? In other words, is Fomenko making erronious assumptions about the physics of the Earth in pre-history, which then corrupt his data with regards to dating the relevant astrology? The last event to seriously disrupt our planet occured roughly 3500 years ago, according to other good researchers, so is it possible Fomenko has been confused by this? The vastly different physics of our planet in the not so distant past may explain this confusion, which is not to say the "mainstream" version of history is correct; on the contrary. I am not an expert in these fields, but wanted to see if this idea could spark discussion.

Pants on fire?.......2007-07-19

Will people ever read before spamming? Yes, Jesuits could not rewrite world history alone, they had help. Anyway, Dr Prof Acad A.Fomenko does not point to jesuits as the driving force of world wide history manipulation in published volumes 1,2,3;, actually he barely mentions the poor devils. Check it with 'Search inside' feature, please. China is rarely mentioned either, in fact, Dr Fomenko is completely eurocentric. Right, his theory contradicts all mainstream schools of history, because in their actual state they are all built on blatantly erroneus chronology. You don't need a mysterious cabal (conspiracy) to falsify history, the falsification is its modus operandi. It is inherent to history(ians) to falsify (distort) events, as it is inherent to humans to boast as it is inherent to power (authority) to legimize itself by referrring to glorious past made to its own order. Dr Prof Fomenko and team have identified scores of instances of such manipulation in Russian, European, etc.. history, and delivered valid statistical proof thereof. His own 'reconstruction' is completely another story. Forget c14 as a valid method of dating. W.Libby has initially discovered a brilliant method of INDEPENDENT dating. Too bad, c14 method has become a joke after a forced marrige with dendrochronology with consensual chronological scale inbuilt. Radiocarbon method can't stand blind tests, but is so very productive as a rubberstamp.

Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed. .......2007-04-09

There is no doubt that history as most know it is a sham, & institution's version of History both University & Church is fradulent & inaccurate. Everything was established with an agenda, The real "Dark Ages" are now when we have access to incredible amounts of information past authorities & more important 'common folk' didn't have but our institutions & educators are slow to evolve because of what has ignorantly & arrogantly been taught for too long. This is on many subjects not just Chronology.

For anyone to question "Why would a Mathematician have anything credible to say of History?" The answer is from Dr. Fomenko's preface in the book: "It would be worthwhile to remind the reader that in the XVI-XVII century Chronology was considered to be a subdivision of Mathematics." These volumes could possibly be some of the most important works to date & should be read by everyone with an interest in History, especially professors & educators who have a duty to the public. I have read both books & must say that 'Chronology 1' has some very eye opening & revolutionary information. Even if these volumes are part true the implications are profound & opens the doors to further investigations & questions which must be done. I speak several different lanquages & must say the logic Dr. Fomenko uses with "inflection" of words & words being read from left to right in one region & right to left in another then written backwards, the removal of vowels & get down to basics of words, or different cities & locations having the same name etc. is correct. Vowel usage has always been optional & varied, actually complicating linquistics & study. The first thing one has to understand is that words never had a fixed spelling in history like we do now, the spelling of words was mutable & regional, as well as names & titles of people were vast, varied & changed, NOTHING WAS FIXED or understood linear. Matters of Life & Death as well as financial profiteering yesterday & today were & are made with ignorant, illogical & conspiratorial views of history & reality, it's time people get closer to the Truth & society collectively grow up.

Very Interesting.......2007-03-07

It is a good proposal and I believe it will mature into something even better in the future. I think it deserves to be read.

History as Science Fiction.......2007-01-10

Anatoly Fomenko has written a very intriguing book, full of pictures, charts, and computer 'proof' of his thesis: backwards of AD900 we don't really know what happened or when. Between AD900 and AD1600 there is more certainty, but there is still a lot of fuzzy ground, and things don't get reliable until we get past the 1600's where the printing press made it very difficult for the perpetrators of this timeline manipulation to change anything that had been committed to print. The Dark Ages did not happen. Books were burned for a reason. One organization has doubled the actual length of its existence by expanding the real chronology. Read why.

I had always wondered why Christ died about AD33 and yet men waited until the 11th century to form the Knights Templar, the Cathars, etc and go after the Holy Land by force. Why the 1000 year gap? Turns out there wasn't more than a 10-12 year gap and he proves it using astronomy. This also implies that the planet is not as old as we have been told, and current Christian and other creationist scientists are already championing that idea without being aware of Fomenko's book. The two groups, creationist scientists and the Russian mathematical analysts corroborate each other. Fascinating.

Of course, all this flies in the face of what we have been told traditionally is the 'proper' chronology of western civilization, and most readers will experience 'cognitive dissonance' in reading this book. It means that our history going backwards from AD1600 becomes progressively more incorrect and unreliable until it cannot be trusted at all... in the space of 700-800 years.

Naturally, the curious, open-minded reader will want to know WHO did this, WHY, and did any of the events we think of as really ancient ever happen?
Dr. Fomenko is a respected scientist/mathematician at Moscow State University who has already answered these questions to the satisfaction of his initially skeptical colleagues. Most of them are now believers, a few still refuse to believe (the usual diehards), and of course the western press has ignored Fomenko's work -- for obvious reasons when you read the book. The ones who perpetrated this chronology ruse have a lot to answer for. They are still with us. That's why this book is a well-kept secret.

I gave the book a 4-star rating because I was unable to check out some of his claims; those I checked were as he said. But if even 1/3 of his claims are true, this punches a big hole in what we think is our history, the meaning of western civilization, our educational process (for repeating the ruse as gospel), and the trustworthiness of the organization that perpetrated this ruse, well-intentioned or not.

This book relates to current research into a Young Earth paradigm, to John Keel's discoveries about our planet, and Fr Malachi Martin's insights (in his now out-of-print books). We are indeed sheep who are manipulated and kept ignorant -- for a reason. While knowing what these men have to say may be the "booby prize" (as in: 'what can you do with this knowledge?'), it will provide interesting reading. Didn't someone say: "...and the Truth will set you free."?? For you to judge if this book contains the truth.

The Pharaohs of Ancient Egypt (Landmark Books)

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Not Just Pharaohs--but all of Egypt!
Pharaohs!
An Effective Introduction to Ancient Egypt for Children
a good introduction to Ancient Egypt, for children
Excellent introduction to Egypt!

The Pharaohs of Ancient Egypt (Landmark Books)
Elizabeth Payne
Manufacturer: Random House Books for Young Readers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0394846990
Release Date: 1981-02-12

Book Description

For more than 3,000 years, Egypt was a great civilization that thrived along the banks of the Nile River. But when its cities crumbled to dust, Egypt’s culture and the secrets of its hieroglyphic writings were
also lost. The Pharaohs of Ancient Egypt explains how archaeologists have pieced together their discoveries to slowly reveal the history of Egypt’s people, its pharaohs, and its golden days.

Customer Reviews:

Not Just Pharaohs--but all of Egypt!.......2006-07-11

This book is another Landmark Books success!

Your children and you will learn, not just about Pharaohs, but about Egyptian history as well. The author utilizes stories well in order to draw the reader in and retain his interest. This is no mere book of facts that you will have to drag your children through; I found myself engaged and learning while reading it.

Of course, this is not the FULL history of Egypt, but all the main Pharaoh's and the events surrounding them are covered in detail. I take issue with a few of the assumptions the author presents that have been made by modern Egyptologists, but the error is in our current thinking on Egypt, not the author's work.

(For example, do you really believe that illiterate peasants worked from sunup to sundown and were pleased to do so for Pharaoh--to a man? Or, that modern scholars who have been able to find little evidence from the time period of Cheops know more about the opinion of the ancient Egyptians towards their Pharaoh than the Egyptians themselves did in 50BC?)

Some Pharaohs covered include Cheops, Hatshepsut, Thutmose III, Akhnaton, and Rameses II. Also covered are the times of chaos in between the kingdoms, minor pharaohs and some queens, and times when Egypt was conquered and how this changed their kingdom. Even daily life of ancient Egypt is described within the text, making this an good stand-alone study on Egypt.

Summary: This is an excellent middle-school resource for a study on ancient Egypt that will provide information about most of the main events in a chronological manner. Highly recommended!

Pharaohs!.......2005-08-23

The mythology of Egypt can be fun, but the history is what really draws your attention. A clear part of Egyptian history is her pharaohs, and this book follows the line of ancient pharaohs with adequately-sized sections for each.
If you are looking for specific details this might not be very helpful, but it is very good for reading about the bigger stories.
This is a great book to help start young readers on their road to learning about Ancient Egypt.
A 'must have' for any Egypt-history-lover!

An Effective Introduction to Ancient Egypt for Children.......2001-08-31

Written for children who are independent readers, Pharaohs of Ancient Egypt was, nevertheless, a fascinating introduction to Ancient Egypt for all my children. My younger daughter was in first grade at the time and needed some help with the reading, but the stories themselves were of great interest to her. It was fun for me to see all three of them learn about the Rosetta Stone and other archaeological discoveries, most of which I hadn't learned about until I was well past childhood. It's amazing what children will find interesting when it comes wrapped in a story. Although some may regard the story-telling as somewhat fanciful (obviously we don't really know what most of these people really thought or felt), the author has succeeded in her quest to bring the attention of the reader into the context of the history she describes.

We bought this book along with the Greenleaf Guide to Ancient Eqypt, which listed it as one of its primary texts for children's history. I recommend that book, along Tony Allan's Time Traveller Book of Pharaohs and Pyramids, if you are going to teach your children the history of ancient Egypt. The Greenleaf book helps you organize your children's study with questions and projects (along with recommended resources), while the well-illustrated Time Traveller book helps the children visualize what they're reading about.

a good introduction to Ancient Egypt, for children.......2000-08-30

In this book, the author examines the important discoveries and the pharaohs of Ancient Egypt. She gives a description of the infamous Rosetta Stone, then continues with a brief history of the Ancient Egyptian civilization and religious beliefs. She also reports on the pharaohs and their accomplishments, including those of Akhenaton, Ramesses II, Cheops, Hatshepsut and Thutmose III. An interesting book for children ages 9 to 12.

Excellent introduction to Egypt!.......2000-08-06

This is a wonderful general introduction tot he study of ancient Egypt. Caution: This is really meant for grades 7 and up. The langauge is difficult for younger ones,even as a read-aloud. Also, the first chapter is mostly conjecture about the beginning of civilization in the Nile River Valley. You can skip it. Overall, it is fascinating reading.

Tutankhamen: The Life and Death of the Boy-King

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Great Book
An amazing book on the Boy-King
Good Book
Finally, a realistic look at King Tut
A Book to Make You Think

Tutankhamen: The Life and Death of the Boy-King
Christine El Mahdy
Manufacturer: St. Martin's Griffin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: B000KHXCHG

Book Description

When Tutankhamen's tomb was discovered in 1922, even the most experienced archaeologists joined the international community in marveling at the incredible wealth - and seemingly bizarre rituals - of ancient Egypt.What kind of society could produce such spectacular treasures only to bury them forever?Lost in a frenzy of speculation - anthropological, scientific, and commercial - was Tutankhamen himself.Thirty-five hundred years ago, the mightiest empire on earth crowned a boy as its king, then worshipped him as a god.Nine years later, he was dead.Despite the young monarch's almost universal recognition in death, Egyptologists know very little about his life.Traditional histories, founded on incomplete investigation and academic dogma, shed almost no light on the details of a life as complicated and as fascinating as it was short.In Tutankhamen: The Life and Death of the Boy-King, Christine El Mahdy finally delivers a coherent portrait of King Tut's life and its historical significance.Based on stunning tomb records, lost since their discovery, this revolutionary biography begins to answer one of the twentieth century's most compelling archaeological mysteries: Who was Tutankhamen? AUTHORBIO: Christine El Mahdy is an Egyptologist at Yeovil College, where she is founder and director of the Egyptian Society.Previous works include The World of the Pharaohs and Mummies, Myth and Magic.She lives in England.

Customer Reviews:

Great Book.......2007-05-25

This book is part of a class I am taking so for me is a text book. It must be the first text book I've ever read entirely. It kept me engaged and when I had to stop, I just wished it was time to read again. I learned a lot about ancient Egypt and the discovery of Tutankhamen's tomb. All the theories of his life and death were very intriging and interesting. The book is written in a way that you are looking to read more...I finished it in 10 days or so. Christine El Mahdy's style is one that goes back and forth so when you think you are finally going find out something, she takes you back to analyze some supporting theory. Sometimes I felt I just wanted to know what had finally happened but I understand that this is the way of a writer to keep one engaged. I recommend this book to anyone interested in ancient Egypt and Tutankhamen. I think I am going to read it again!

An amazing book on the Boy-King.......2005-04-05

The author, Christine El Mahdy's wonderful biography finally presents to people of the world what King Tutankhamen was really about. She presents to readers all the evidence so far uncovered by archeologists and then makes inferences based on their findings. By doing so, she allows the reader to examine the evidence along with her, and in the end she presents a clear chain of events based on that evidence that makes perfect and complete sense. The book also covers what happened before King Tut came to power, mainly the interesting lives of the monarchs of the infamous Eighteenth Dynasty. All these events that El Mahdy describe come together in the end. By doing so, El Mahdy sets the stage and political environment under which Tut came to power. After completing this book, you will feel satisfied knowing what archeologists think must have happened to the young king that has captured the world's facination ever since his tomb was discovered in 1922. In fact, you'll be surprised to learn that his tomb was pretty mediocre according Ancient Egypt standards, but is the most famous since it is the only Egyptian tomb to remain virtually intact through the modern age. This book is a must read for anyone interested in the great mystery behind the Boy-King; Tutankhamen.

Good Book.......2005-03-27

Very good book, thought-provoking and insightful. Comes to the same conclusion regarding Tutankhamen's death that the most recent MRI results reached. Also has a very good history of the Amarna period.

Finally, a realistic look at King Tut.......2004-12-20

Christine El Mahdy's wonderful biography finally presents to the general public what really happened to King Tutankhamen (information that Egyptologists have probably known for years, but may have alluded the rest of us). She presents to us all the hard evidence so far uncovered by Archeologists (including the famous Howard Carter) and then makes inferences based on that evidence. By doing so, she allows the reader to examine the evidence along with her, and in the end she presents a clear chain of events based on that evidence that makes perfect and complete sense.

Most of the book is actually devoted to what happened before King Tut came to power, mainly the interesting lives of the monarchs of the infamous Eighteenth Dynasty (such as Ankhetaten and Nefertiti). Before you ask yourself "what does this have to do with Tut?" it all comes together in the end. By doing so, El Mahdy sets the stage and political environment under which Tut came to power.

After completing this book, you will feel satisfied knowing what happened (or what most likely happened) to the young king that has captured our imaginations since his tomb was discovered by Carter in 1922. In fact, you'll be surprised to learn that his tomb was pretty mediocre according Ancient Egypt standards, but is the most famous since it is the only Egyptian tomb to remain virtually intact through the modern age. My only complaint about this book is that it didn't have more pictures of the tomb and its contents. El Mahdy's descriptions made me want to see them for myself!

A Book to Make You Think.......2004-11-14

Since the finding of the tomb of the boy King by Howard Carter much has been written about Tutankhamen, most of it complete rubbish regarding tomb curses and other mumbo jumbo. This book takes a serious look at the subject, sometimes from a different angle to the conventional academic theories, so far put forth. For anyone interested in the subject of Tutankhamen, or in Egyptology in general this book is a good read. If you do not agree with the theories put forth by the author so be it, but that is not a good reason for avoiding reading the book. Much of the ancient past is there to debate, because much of it is based on opinion, educated opinion yes, but after all none of us were there to confirm or deny it. This book stimulates the mind and that cannot be a bad thing.

Average customer rating:

Tut is in Town

Who Was King Tut? (Who Was...?)
Roberta Edwards
Manufacturer: Grosset & Dunlap
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0448443600

Book Description

Ever since Howard Carter uncovered King Tutankhamun's tomb in 1922, the young pharaoh has become a symbol of the wealth and mystery of ancient Egypt. Now, a two-and-a-half-year-long museum exhibit of Tut's treasures is touring major cities in the U.S., drawing record crowds. This Who Was . . . ? is complete with 100 black-andwhite illustrations and explains the life and times of this ancient Egyptian ruler, covering the story of the tomb's discovery, as well as myths and so-called mummy curses.

Customer Reviews:

Tut is in Town.......2007-05-07

The Tut exhibit is in town this summer and I wanted to be able to provide some information to my seven year old before we went. This book was absolutely the right amount of information for the 7-10 year old age group. We enjoyed it so much that we have purchased additional books in the series and are racing through those as well. I highly recommend the series as a great introduction to biographies!

Average customer rating:

Quick Synopsis - Good Book.
At the Heart of the Matter...
Interesting but....
Much ado about little evidence
Fabulous Read from a Man Who Loves Egypt

The Murder of Tutankhamen
Bob Brier
Manufacturer: Berkley Trade
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0425166899

Amazon.com

For decades after the discovery of Tutankhamen's tomb, the dazzling treasures found along with the mummy distracted many of us from the actual events of Tutankhamen's life. But take a look at the body itself--cranialX-rays reveal a location on the back of the skull that may indicate a hemorrhage, perhaps one caused by a deliberate blow. The question thus arises: Was King Tut murdered?

Egyptologist Bob Brier specializes in paleopathology, the study of diseases in the ancient world. In essence, he performs high-tech autopsies on 3,000-year-old corpses. (He's also taken part in a re-creation of Egyptian mummification techniques, including the extraction of the brain through the nasal passages.) Here, he examines the X-rays and other photographic evidence, correlating it with the research of other Egyptologists, and concludes that Tutankhamen was the victim of political and religious intrigues that developed into a fatal conspiracy. True crime buffs and historians alike will find much to like in Brier's fast-paced recounting of his investigations.

Book Description

"By the time you finish his intrigue-filled reconstruction of Tutankhamen's world--which includes such elements as teen-age love, religious heresy, the Orwellian rewriting of history and the desperate pleas of a terrified queen--you risk coming to care a good deal about the young Pharaoh's fate."--The New York Times
"The Murder of Tutankhamen observes the conventions of a whodunit: a compelling victim, a batch of suspects (each of whom might be the killer), a vivid setting, and a climactic gathering wherein an ace detective produces the evidence that indicts the assassin. However, the detective and the story are actual here, and it is through forensic evidence and scholarly sleuthing that Bob Brier assembles his persuasive conclusions."--The Boston Globe
"Respected Egyptologist Bob Brier, specialist in paleopathology and host of the Learning Channel's acclaimed series "The Great Egyptians," believes it can. Skillfully combining known historical events with evidence gathered by advanced technologies, Brier has re-created the suspenseful story of religious upheaval and political intrigue that likely resulting in the murder of the teenage king Tutankhamen." --Booklist* (starred review)
"A fascinating blend of ancient history, forensic medicine, and ratiocinative detective work."--Kirkus Reviews

Customer Reviews:

Quick Synopsis - Good Book........2007-01-15

Exactly as promised, Bob Brier explores one possible explanation for the King Tutankhamen's death. Be prepared to leave this book thinking that his explanation is not only possible, but likely. A vivid repainting of the scene of Tutankhamen's death will pull you into this wonderful and ancient civilization, and also prep your mind to accept Brier's theory, a theory which is certainly possible but self-admitted speculation. Brier covers the Amarna period in perfect depth for the layman; he assumes nothing and his account of Tutankhamen's family is compelling. A paleopathologist by profession, Bob Brier's real specialty is mummies, which makes him excellently qualified to study Tutankhamen's. The case is centered on three facts: that Tutankhamen's skull indicates a possible blow to the back of the head; that after his death, his wife (Ankhesenamen) wrote several mysterious letters to the Hittite king pleading for his help in finding a suitable prince of royal blood so she would not have to marry a "servant;" and that she later disappeared without a trace, but not until Tutankhamen's own vizier/servant married her and became Pharaoh. Circumstantial evidence? Most definitely. Unlikely? After reading this book, I would say not. Brier can be credited as being the first to publicize and scientifically examine this theory, although others had admitted to the possibility before him. Excellent read, highly recommended for anyone interested in ancient Egypt.

If you are a fan of Bob Brier, he also published a lecture series through The Teaching Company on Ancient Egypt.

At the Heart of the Matter..........2006-08-18

It was a fun read (and inspires me to find out more about the Amarna Heresy), but essentially airy speculation.

I see a logical problem at the heart of Brier's scenario: He envisions Aye, Tut's vizier, making arrangements to sneak an assassin into the royal bedchambers. Presumably, Aye says to the man, "Here's your mace. The pharaoh's bedroom is that way. Hit him in the head -- but only one (1) time."

I suspect the phrase "...beat his skull into bloody pulp" would have been more likely to come up.

Sounds more like a hunting accident or fall from a chariot, to me.

Interesting but...........2005-08-26

I still love the idea that Aye only married Ankhesenamen to protect her from the servant she feared; but thats just my own little idea.
The truth is that no one really knows how Tutankhamen died, and probably never will due to the poor care that was given to his mummy, but one of the best things about archaeology is that you get to play around with ideas about how a person lived and died based on what you find and Bob Brier does a great job, he does a wonderful job explaining all the clues that would lead to Tutanhamens murder (and on the tv doc. even suggests maybe Ankhesenamen may have killed him due to her two miscarriages), so if you have always been interested in knowing one way the boy king died this is the book for you it doesn't bore you with the facts it tells you a tale of his life, his parents lives, and I really dont want to ruin it for you, lol, you're just gonna have to read to find out!

Much ado about little evidence.......2005-02-22

The first thing I have to take exception to is the description of Bob Brier as a "respected Egyptologist". He is not, despite the various blurbs, an actual Egyptologist. Egyptology as a profession usually requires some kind of course of study in Egyptian archaeology, Egyptian art, or Egyptian language and literature. Dr. Brier's degrees are in psychology and parapsychology. Apart from his television shows and popular books, he does not participate in academic conferences or write scholarly articles. Few professors teaching ancient Egyptian history, art, language or archaeology will refer to his works.
However, he is very popular for his folksy style. This book reveals his knack for creating much from little. In this case, rather than writing on the entire history of the Amarna period, Brier has chosen to write an entire book about the supposed murder of Tutankhamen. This book was the first in a series about the topic (the others are "The Mysterious Death of Tutankhamun" by P. C. Doherty and "Who Killed King Tut?: Using Modern Forensics to Solve a 3300-Year-Old Mystery" by Michael R. King, et al) and pretty well set the template for the rest. The problem with this book, and those that follow, is the lack of new evidence and/or direct access to the mummy of Tutankhamen. When Brier wrote this book he was using somewhat old x-rays which revealed a blurry spot on the back of the king's skull. This blob could be interpreted as the result of blunt force trauma. However, more recent x-rays don't show the same detail and any damage to the back of the skull can be explained in various ways, including the fact that the body was dismembered for photographing many years ago and a dowel was forced under the back of the skull to prop it up.

Fabulous Read from a Man Who Loves Egypt.......2002-05-21

I highly recommend this book if you enjoy reading historical interpretations of limited facts with an open mind. Bob Brier is one of my favorite authors, because his obvious love of Egypt comes through in all the books that he writes. In this instance, he explores the known facts regarding King Tutankamun's death and comes to the conclusion that it was his grandfather, Aye, who arranged for the King's death so that Aye could assume the throne. Aye apparently killed off the widow, Annkesenamun, to boot after he married her to legitamize the claim. Do I think this is what happened? No, but I enjoyed the approach and the summary of information currently available on the subject. The book is enjoyable, easy to follow, and I felt that the new viewpoint was worth to consider.

The Complete Royal Families of Ancient Egypt: A Genealogical Sourcebook of the Pharaohs

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Wonderful book by Dodson
Excellent
Royal Genealogy of Ancient Egypt
Aidan Dodson does it again!

The Complete Royal Families of Ancient Egypt: A Genealogical Sourcebook of the Pharaohs
Aidan Dodson , and Dyan Hilton
Manufacturer: Thames & Hudson
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0500051283

Book Description

An essential resource for the study of ancient Egypt's pharaonic dynasties, covering the lives of some 1,500 rulers and royal individuals.

This groundbreaking new book illuminates the lives of the kings, queens, princes, and princesses of ancient Egypt, unraveling family relationships and exploring the parts they played in politics, cultural life, and religion. It ranges from the dawn of Egyptian history, when only isolated glimpses are available of the royal family, through the vast progeny of Rameses II, and ends with the fiendishly complicated—and blood-soaked—interconnections of the Ptolemies and Cleopatras.

The authors begin with a basic summary of the structure of the pharaonic state, including the nature of ancient Egyptian kingship itself and how its functions meshed with those of the bureaucracy. They introduce key members of the royal family and assess what is known about the implications of the major titles that define them.

The book then moves from the general to the particular, with a chronological survey of the royal family from c. 3100 BC and the First Dynasty up to Egypt's absorption into the Roman Empire. For each dynasty, or significant part of a dynasty, the authors provide an historical overview of the period, a summary listing of the kings involved, and a discussion of their families' relationships, including, most importantly, how we know what we think we know about them. Finally, the individuals who made up these families are placed in context via twenty-seven genealogical trees, and described in a comprehensive list of short biographies.

Handsomely illustrated with more than 300 photographs and line drawings, this book will serve equally well as a biographical history of ancient Egypt and a superb volume for home reference. 330 illustrations, 80 in color.

Customer Reviews:

Wonderful book by Dodson.......2006-10-26

This is a typically well-written and thorough book by the British Egyptologist Dr. Aidan Dodson and his counterpart Dyan Hilton. It is an excellent follow up to Dodson's 1998 book--"Mummy in Ancient Egypt: Equipping the Dead for Eternity." Dodson copes well with the task of listing the more than 1,300 known family members of Ancient Egypt's royal familes starting from Narmer, the first king of Egypt who unified the country down to Cleopatra. The illustrations are of impeccable quality as one would expect from a book publisher such as Thames & Hudson. His geneaological tables are first rate and highly important because he connects the links between a king and his numerous family members.

While the price is a bit on the high side, Dodson compensates by including the latest and most up to date research and bibliography for Ancient Egypt including Kim Ryholt's 1997 study of the Second Intermediate Period which strongly suggest that the 16th Dynasty was a Theban, rather than a Hyksos, kingdom. (pp.116, 118 & 290) Dodson now acknowledges that a certain Neferneferuaten who ruled Egypt in the interval between Akhenaten's death and Tutankhamun's accession was a woman and not the male king Smenkare as he had previously maintained. As Dodson writes: "Definitive evidence as to Neferneferuaten's gender was revealed by James Allen...at the April 2004 meeting of the American Research Center in Egypt." Allen reported that an "examination of palimpest inscriptions of Neferneferuaten on objects reused in Tutankhamun's tomb (on a pectoral and on the canopic coffinettes) have shown conclusively that...the former use the epithet sh-n-h.s, [meaning] 'effective for her husband'. This makes impossible the reconstruction put forward in Dodson 2003, which viewed Smenkhkare and Neferneferuaten as one and the same." (pp.150 & 285, note No.111)

The authors also accept David Aston's likely correct JEA 75 proposal that Shoshenq III was the direct successor of the 22nd Dynasty Pharaoh Osorkon II at Tanis rather than Takelot II as most scholars once assumed. (pp.224) As Dodson and Hilton writes: "Takelot II is likely to have been identical with the High Priest Takelot F, who is stated in Karnak inscriptions to have been a son of Nimlot C [the son of Osorkon II], and whose likely period of office falls neatly just before [king] Takelot II's appearance." (p.224) They also note that Osorkon III can only be the High Priest Osorkon B, son of Takelot II based on a unique stela from Akoris. It explicitly calls king Osorkon III a former High Priest of Amun which was an office that Osorkon B held prior to his disappearance in Year 39 of Shoshenq III. (p.226) This book will certainly be a welcome addition to the collections of Colleges and Universities throughout the world.

Excellent.......2005-07-17

1. Easy to read.
2. Easy to understand.
3. Shockingly thorough.
4. Well researched.
5. Most complete work on Egyptian royal families that I have ever seen.

Royal Genealogy of Ancient Egypt.......2005-02-19

This book is the most complete reference of royal genealogy in Ancient Egypt that I have ever come across. I did not expect so much detail about royals who lived thousands of years ago.
Each chapter contains
- a general description,
- an extensive genealogical tree with relationships marked as either certain, highly probable, likely or hypothetical,
- a section with short descriptions of all involved persons,
- many photographs and drawings.

Where "Chronicle of the Pharaohs" by Clayton focuses on the rulers of Ancient Egypt, Dodson and Hilton describe all their known (likely) family members.

Aidan Dodson does it again!.......2004-11-08

Yet again Thames and Hudson's series `The Complete' comes up with a winner. Royal Families starts with an outline of the Ancient Egyptian Pharaonic State and the set up of the royal family then goes on to list over 1.300 Kings their known Queens and off springs. Royal Families is laid out in an easy to follow, dynasty-by-dynasty fashion with sections on the family tree, historical information and a fascinating section called `Brief Lives'. This later section is a who's who of all the known players on the Ancient Egyptian Royal Families stage. All in all it's an extremely interesting read suitable for academics and armchair historians alike, but then with Aidan Dodson's involvement what else would you expect.

The Complete Valley of the Kings: Tombs and Treasures of Egypt's Greatest Pharaohs (Complete)

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Hidden facts
Review of Valley of the Kings
excellent
A True Complete Book on the Valley of the Kings
Almost completely perfect

The Complete Valley of the Kings: Tombs and Treasures of Egypt's Greatest Pharaohs (Complete)
C. N. Reeves , Richard H. Wilkinson , and Nicholas Reeves
Manufacturer: Thames & Hudson
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0500050805

Book Description

"A richly illustrated, reasonably priced account of the burial sites of Egypt's greatest rulers."—Houston Chronicle

Here is the definitive account of the Valley of the Kings, visited by millions of tourists and famous throughout the world as the burial place of the great New Kingdom pharaohs. Some eighty tombs were dug in the valley at the height of Egyptian power more than 3,000 years ago, their chambers stocked with incredible treasures and decorated with magnificent wall paintings. It was here, in 1922, that Howard Carter stumbled upon the virtually intact tomb of the boy-king, Tutankhamun. Recently the valley has made international headlines with the discovery of the burial chapels of Ramesses the Great's many sons; The Complete Valley of the Kings is the first book to publish an account of these remarkable findings. Reeves and Wilkinson, both acknowledged authorities on the valley, bring together the art, archaeology and history in one exciting account.

Customer Reviews:

Hidden facts.......2005-11-20

Did you know that there are chambers in the bottom of many temples that are still 'uncharted"? Neither did I. This is a great book.

Review of Valley of the Kings.......2005-08-12

This is a truely comprehensive reference book of the Valley and like others in the Thames and Hudson series is a must for scholars of Ancient Egypt. Excellent!

excellent.......2004-02-11

Excellent book, if you are interest in ancient egypt, read this book, you'll learn a lot of interesting facts about the valley of the kings, the pharaohs, etc..

A True Complete Book on the Valley of the Kings.......2002-12-16

It is the best book on the Valley of the Kings. In it you can find not just information but a treasure, a treasure showing the magnificent treasures of ancient Egypt.

Almost completely perfect.......2002-02-28

The Complete Valley of the Kings is a very well-researched, well-written, well-illustrated, and well-organized book. Everything from the topographic and the geologic maps of the valley through the religious and archeological history of the valley were interesting (and sometimes depressing, considering what some of those early adventurers and so-called scholars did to the place). The information on the dismantling of the Valley at the end of the 20th and beginning of the 21st Dynasty was especially interesting. Of course, the stars of the book were the tombs themselves. The architecture, decoration and history of each tomb is given as fully as possible. My only reservation in regards to this book lies in the authors having made up their minds on the identity of the controversial mummy in KV55 and airily dismissing as unimportant any evidence that contradicts their theory. Such inflexible partiality calls for a cautious approach to any other "definite" conclusions the authors draw. Otherwise, the book is inarguably informative and entertaining, except for the fact that the authors consistently and annoyingly use the Greek forms of the pharaoh's names (such as the Greek Sethos instead of Seti). Other than that, the book really is almost completely perfect.

The Nubian Pharaohs: Black Kings on the Nile

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The Nubian Pharaohs: Black Kings on the Nile
Dominique Valbelle , and Charles Bonnet
Manufacturer: AUC Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 977416010X
Release Date: 2007-02-22

Product Description

In 2003, a Swiss archaeological team working in northern Sudan uncovered one of the most remarkable Egyptological finds in recent years. At the site known as Kerma, near the third cataract of the Nile, archaeologist Charles Bonnet and his team discovered a ditch within a temple from the ancient city of Pnoubs, which contained seven monumental black granite statues. Magnificently sculpted, and in an excellent state of preservation, they portrayed five pharaonic rulers, including Taharqa and Tanoutamon, the last two pharaohs of the 'Nubian' Dynasty, when Egypt was ruled by kings from the lands of modern-day Sudan. For over half a century, the Nubian pharaohs governed a combined kingdom of Egypt and Nubia, with an empire stretching from the Delta to the upper reaches of the Nile. The seven statues, with their exquisite workmanship, transform our understanding of the art of this period. In particular, the colossal statue of Taharqa--almost certainly done by an Egyptian sculptor--is a masterpiece of stone artwork. Beautifully illustrated with over 170 color photographs, The Nubian Pharaohs illuminates the epic history of this little-known historical era, when the pharaohs of Egypt came from Sudan. In this major new book, which combines the latest archaeological research with stunning photography, Charles Bonnet and Dominique Valbelle narrate the incredible story of their discovery--one that will change our understanding of Egypt and Africa in the ancient world.

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If you know you've had past lives in Egypt...
Dreaming like an Egyptian
A Life in Ancient Egypt
Vivid Historical Novel
Inspired

Winged Pharaoh
Joan Grant
Manufacturer: Ariel Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0898041406

Book Description

Sekeeta is the daughter of Pharaoh in ancient Egypt. Because she demonstrates psychic abilities, she is sent to the temple, where she is trained to recall past lives, remember her dreams, and much more. Upon the death of her father, she becomes a "winged Pharaoh"--both priestess and pharaoh--and leads her country with enlightenment. The most famous of Joan Grant's 7 "far memory" novels--stories based on her recollection of earlier lifetimes.

Customer Reviews:

If you know you've had past lives in Egypt..........2007-01-04

Having had a past life regression soon before I read this novel, I approached it with a very keen and curious perspective. I felt this book might help me integrate some of my own memories from Egypt and my intuition was correct. This book helped me release and put into perspective some similar experiences had by some of the characters in my own memories.

Very good read for those who are interested in past life karma.

Dreaming like an Egyptian.......2006-06-11

Joan Grant's book Winged Pharaoh takes us into the possible reality of the First Dynasty and the dream training of a king's daughter who becomes co-ruler of Egypt. As she explains in a memoir (Far Memory), the book came to Joan through "far memory" of a possible past life.
The most fascinating element in Joan Grant's visionary narrative is the description of a dream school that operates within the temple of Anubis. At the age of twelve, Sekeeta becomes a full-time student at the dream school, taking up residence in the temple of Anubis. Every morning she records her dreams and takes the wax tablets to her dream teacher, a priest of Anubis. Some days she must also carry out assignments he gave her inside a dream.
Frequently, in her dream travels, she encounters people who have died and are confused about their condition. At this point we come fully alive to the intimate connection between dreaming and dying well, and the reason why Anubis is such an appropriate patron of dream travel. As every school child knows, Anubis is a guardian of the Otherworld, who watches over tombs and mummies and guides souls of the departed to the Hall of Osiris. As psychopomp, or guide of souls, he is also the patron of journeys beyond the body.
As Sekeeta's training in the dream school deepens, she takes on more and more work as a psychomp. One of the most movingly realized scenes in the book is one in which Sekeeta helps a grieving widow to enter the dreamspace and achieve a loving reunion with her deceased husband. This episode is a wonderful glimpse of what compassionate psychopomp work is all about. It seems entirely plausible to me that advanced spirits in ancient Egypt did it this way. I know that gifted dreamers are doing the work in very similar ways today, because many have shared comparable experiences with me during training in our contemporary dream school.
As entertainment, Winged Pharaoh is wonderful fun. But when you read it as an active dreamer, you'll find that it suggests a whole curriculum of study and practice.

A Life in Ancient Egypt.......2004-04-12

This is the life story of Sekeeta a daughter of Pharaoh in ancient Egypt, gifted because of her ability to remember her dreams and experience consciousness while dreaming. The book follows her childhood in the palace, her years in the temple preparing for initiation, her spiritual education and study of ancient legends. Later after the initiation she "marries" her brother and they become co-pharaohs ruling Kam. Many of Sekeeta's experiences as a ruler are described - holding audience and passing judgements, a sea journey to Minoa, the war with the Zuma.

First published in 1937 this is apparently an autobiographical account of one the author's previous lives, but even if you can't accept the idea of this as a past life recollection, at the very least it is a really great read for historical fiction fans. So frequently characters in ancient fiction seem to speak and function like twentieth century people with materialistic goals and romantic sentiment, but "Winged Pharaoh" has an authentic feel to it transporting the reader to another time and headspace.

Vivid Historical Novel.......2002-10-20

As a recreation of ancient Egypt, this feels authentic. The people are as wise, noble and spiritual as we'd like to believe the ancients were.

The novel is as much philosophy as story, and there is much to provoke thought. However, the book can be enjoyed whether you take it as past life memory or just an escape to another time.

Sekeeta is a princess born to a First Dynasty pharaoh. When the young girl shows a talent for clairvoyant dreams, she is sent to train as a Priestess of Anubis, the god of prophecy. Her temple teachers are wise, and train her to use her gifts to serve her country. When she is grown, she rules as co-Pharaoh with her brother Neyah.

As noted above, this book is philosophy in novel form. It is to our conventional idea of the novel as the Egyptian wall painting is our idea of painting. The traditional elements of conflict, action and strong character development aren't much in evidence here. That doesn't make it unreadable, just different.

The language is stylized but beautiful, with a certain biblical flavor, the imagery vivid and poetic. In the childhood part of Sekeeta's life, she is told child's stories with simple, sound lessons, like The Monkey Who Wanted to be a Man.

Also interesting are the meanings behind some hieroglyphic symbols; in Grant's view, the images were metaphors for spiritual concepts or lessons. The word "beloved," for example, was written as a plow to show that, as a plow makes the earth fertile, so love does likewise to the heart.

On the whole, this a book that I return to and enjoy.

Inspired.......2001-06-01

This is Joan Grant's great work. Even if she didn't say it was a "far memory" of a past life, it would be easy to imagine the story is true. She starts as a small girl and her speech is very simple. As she grows, so does the level of vocabulary and conversation, but imperceptibly. Also, this book is so real and yet magical, I wished I was in it! I read a chapter of the little girl section to my 6 year old niece who hated to go to bed and she made me read that same chapter over and over and over in the same sitting! It is sooo beautiful! I've read just a chapter to adults and they had to read the whole book. Make people get their own copy, though -- I've noticed they don't like to give it back!

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