Archaeology Hotspot Egypt
Unearthing the Past for Armchair Archaeologists
by Julian Heath
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Pub Date Feb 03 2015 | Archive Date Feb 13 2015
Description
In Archaeology Hotspot Egypt, scholar Julian Heath provides a chronological overview beginning with handaxes left by Homo erectus during the Lower Paleolithic and moving onwards through pharaonic Egypt to finish in the Greco-Roman period. He covers the most interesting finds—including Tutankhamen’s tomb and the Rosetta Stone—and profiles major personalities, past and present. Current digs and recent insights on the past are also covered, such as the massive tomb of KV5 and how contemporary scientific techniques are unearthing new information about ancient Egyptian people and animals. The result is an illuminating look at the history, culture, national heritage, and current events of Egypt—a hotspot of archaeology.
Julian Heath is an author and freelance archaeological illustrator based in Liverpool. He has a BA and an MA in Archaeology from Liverpool University, where he has lectured on archaeological illustration and the prehistoric world. His publications include Ancient Echoes (2006), Warfare in Prehistoric Britain (2009), Sacred Circles (2011), Life in Copper Age Britain (2011), and Before Farming (2013), and he has provided the illustrations for Joyce Tyldesley’s popular children’s book Stories from Ancient Egypt and the updated version of the British Museum’s Dictionary of Ancient Egypt. His main areas of interest are Prehistoric Europe and Ancient Egypt.
A Note From the Publisher
You are reviewing low-resolution, uncorrected page proofs. Please quote only from finished book. Contact publicity@rowman.com with questions.
Marketing Plan
Covers
finds that are famous (the Rosetta Stone, Karnak and Luxor temples, the
Valley of Golden Mummies) and those which are equally fascinating yet
less well-known (the Narmer Pallete, the worker’s village at Deir el
Medina.)
Addresses the issues of
antiquities and tomb robbing—over time, but also in the context of
contemporary political unrest—and what that means for Egypt’s cultural
heritage.
A Resource Guide provides
armchair archaeologists with guidance on locating additional information
while also offering tips for the traveler.
Available Editions
| EDITION | Hardcover |
| ISBN | 9780759124011 |
| PRICE | $36.00 (USD) |
Links
Featured Reviews
Joel S, Reviewer
Goldilocks Would Approve
It's not too hard and it's not too soft. It's just right for an interested armchair archaeologist, or general reader, or for someone who knows just enough Egyptian history to know they don't really know very much.
First off, and I guess this shouldn't matter that much if you're a diligent scholar, Julian Heath is a wonderful guide. His writing is informative while remaining engaging and genial. Informed enthusiasm is just what I want as I sit in my armchair and travel the world. There is no autobiographical angst. I don't ever want to learn about an author's divorce or his issues with his parents. I also don't need graduate level detail. And I'm getting too old for chirpy cutesy "Egypt for Dummies" jokiness. Heath navigates his way around all of these obstacles. The narrative is personable, and reads as though you are on a personal tour in the company of a knowledgeable, even handed but committed guide who just wants to share his enthusiasm. So far, so good.
Next, the book is exactly what is promised. A quick chronological outline of Egyptian history, starting in the Lower Paleolithic but moving up quickly to the recognizable dynasties and on to the Greco-Roman period. There's a brief sketch of the geography of the Nile and the development of ancient through modern society. Then we focus on some well known discoveries, (Tut, Rameses' sons, Khufu), and then less well known discoveries. There's a bit of professional scandal, and then the larger than life personalities that inform so much of even the most current scholarship, (Champollion, Belzoni, Howard Carter, Lord Carnarvon). There is a fascinating side trip into the world of black market antiquities, followed by a concluding return to the state of current exploration, including especially the massive KV5 tomb in the Valley of the Kings. Then, it's back home in time for tea.
The book is well organized, well presented, and sufficiently thorough. There are a few points at which it dragged a bit, but I was content to skim ahead. There are some photo illustrations, but they appear to be included mostly for a bit of atmosphere. This is not in any way a picture book. It is not fanciful or intended to be controversial, but the author freely expresses his professional opinions. I'm not quite sure what more you could ask of a general interest archaeology text. I was very happy with this diverting, scholarly and congenial find.
Please note that I received a free advance ecopy of this book in exchange for a candid review. Apart from that I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.
Rosemary S, Librarian
From the pharaohs to the Ptolemies, Heath puts forth an entertaining but always informative history of Egypt. From the famous discoveries that yielded the Rosetta Stone and King Tut’s treasure trove to ongoing digs, Heath presents the history and archaeology of one of the greatest nations on earth in a way that the layman will easily comprehend. Fascinating
katarina o, Reviewer
Reads like fiction. Full of facts, dates, names and historic events, yet so well written that it feels like reading a suspense/mystery novel.
Obviously it's impossible to cover thousands of years of history and archaeology in 400 pages, so this book is a great overview of the highlights, and manages to connect the dots between historic events and present day archaeological status.
One of the best-written books on Ancient Egypt I have ever read.
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