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Books > Humanities > Archaeology > Archaeology by period / region > Middle & Near Eastern archaeology
This volume, which replaces Girgis's outdated prosopography from
1938, is an annotated record of every person attested in the
Byzantine-era papyri from the middle Egyptian village of Aphrodito.
Its papyri make Aphrodito the best attested village for this time
period with implications for the study of rural life throughout
Late Antiquity. For each entry, the author lists all the relevant
texts and all known information about that person's social status,
political position and family relations with a summary of
activities for each attestation. The volume is indispensable for
any scholar working with texts from Aphrodito and valuable for all
concerned specifically with Egypt and more generally with rural
life in Late Antiquity.
When we consider the Cretans and Hittites, the powers of Babylonia
and Assyria, and the internal conditions in Syria and Palestine, it
can hardly be doubted that the reign of Akhetaten marks a turning
point, notably in Egyptian history, but also in the wider history
of the ancient world. Here the author vigorously reproduces this
age, to show the intensely human interest that lies in the story of
religion and art of decadence and reform.
First published in 2006. This delightful book written in 1892 by a
founder of the National Trust is regarded as a classic of high
Victorian travel writing. After three journeys to the East,
Rawnsley decided that existing guide-books were not sufficiently
explicit and set out to write this witty and informative account
that reflects a highly likeable character to whom it is impossible
not to warm. Beginning with observations such as 'everything can be
got in Cairo except good English tea' and 'never expect your guide
to know anything about Egyptian history or the monuments up the
Nile', Rawnsley sets off to show us the best of Egypt during a
golden age of exploration and touring, he visits the two
egyptologists to whom he dedicates this book, joining Flinders
Petrie at the Medum pyramid to observe the excavations, and talking
to Emile Brugsch about the royal mummies which had been brought
from their tombs to the Cairo Museum just a few years previously.
In the ruins of Thebes and Luxor he is struck by what he calls 'the
silence of the dead' which he contrasts with the obvious love of
the ancient Egyptians for music, as shown in their art and in the
many hymns preserved in papyri. Although the music itself has been
lost, it seemed a pity to Rawnsley that the hymns, dirges, poems
and wise sayings should remain unknown to the general reader
because of their unmusical form. He presents a number of them here,
translated and rendered into metre, a unique contribution that
greatly enhances the enjoyment of Egypt at first hand or at a
distance. The work concludes with what Rawnsley considers to be its
most important part - the timeless wisdom embodied in the sayings
of Ptah-hotep taken from the Prisse papyrus.
The discovery of Tutankhamen's tomb in 1922 aroused unprecedented
excitement in the field of Egyptology. In the tomb of a "colourless
youth, who reigned for a few years only" were found unmatched
riches, the study of which has led to numerous insights into
ancient Egyptian civilization. The author of this fascinating text
discusses the tomb's discovery, the significance of its discovery
and contents, tomb-robbers, and the ethics of desecration.
First published in 2007. Reading like a detective thriller
involving the highest of stakes, this is the story of a discovery
that is still to be fully realised one that has split the scholarly
community worldwide and which may yet transform our understanding
of two of the world's religious faiths. The manuscripts known
collectively as the Dead Sea Scrolls have been the subject of
controversy ever since the discovery of the first texts in a cave
in the Judean Desert at Khirbet Qumran in 197. The precise details
of this find and the story of what happened to these manuscripts
and many others found subsequently on other sites were shrouded in
mystery, partly because some were uncovered during illegal
explorations which destroyed important evidence of provenance and
partly because it soon became apparent that the contents of the
scrolls themselves were highly sensitive, consisting of religious
texts, many previously unknown. Today there are several hundred
documents and fragments that are considered Dead Sea Scrolls, Del
Medico's classic work provides the best and clearest background to
the continuing riddle of the scrolls.
It is widely believed that the practice of ancient Egyptian
religion ceased with the end of pharaonic culture and the rise of
Christianity. However, an organised reconstruction and revival of
the authentic practice of Egyptian, or Kemetic religion has been
growing, almost undocumented, for nearly three decades. Profane
Egyptologists is the first in-depth study of the now-global
phenomenon of Kemeticism. Presenting key players in their own
words, the book utilises extensive interviews to reveal a continuum
of beliefs and practices spanning eight years of community growth.
The existence of competing visions of Egypt, which employ ancient
material and academic resources, questions the position of
Egyptology as a gatekeeper of Egypt's past. Exploring these
boundaries, the book highlights the politised and economic factors
driving the discipline's self-conception. Could an historically
self-imposed insular nature have harmed Egyptology as a field, and
how could inclusive discussion help guard against further
isolationism? Profane Egyptologists is both an Egyptological study
of Kemeticism, and a critical study of the discipline of Egyptology
itself. It will be of value to scholars and students of archaeology
and Egyptology, cultural heritage, religion online, phenomenology,
epistemology, pagan studies and ethnography, as well as Kemetics
and devotees of Egyptian culture.
When Western explorers first encountered dolmens in the Levant,
they thought they had discovered the origins of a megalithic
phenomenon that spread as far as the Atlantic coast. Although
European dolmens are now considered an unrelated tradition, many
researchers continue to approach dolmens in the Levant as part of a
trans-regional phenomenon that spanned the Taurus mountains to the
Arabian peninsula. By tightly defining the term 'dolmen' itself,
this book brings these mysterious monuments into sharper focus.
Drawing on historical, archaeological and geological sources, it is
shown that dolmens in the Levant mostly concentrate in the eastern
escarpment of the Jordan Rift Valley, and in the Galilean hills.
They cluster near proto-urban settlements of the Early Bronze I
period (3700-3000 BCE) in particular geological zones suitable for
the extraction of megalithic slabs. Rather than approaching dolmens
as a regional phenomenon, this book considers dolmens as part of a
local burial tradition whose tomb forms varied depending on
geological constraints. Dolmens in the Levant is essential for
anyone interested in the rise of civilisations in the ancient
Middle East, and particularly those who have wondered at the
origins of these enigmatic burial monuments that dominate the
landscape.
In 1759 the botanist and scientist Vitaliano Donati led an
expedition to Egypt under the patronage of King Carlo Emanuele III
of Sardinia, to acquire Egyptian antiquities for the Museum in
Turin. Charting his tumultuous expedition, this book reveals how,
in spite of his untimely death in 1762, Donati managed to send
enough items back to Turin to lay the foundations for one of the
earliest and largest systematic collections of Egyptology in
Europe, and help to bring the world of ancient Egypt into the
consciousness of Enlightenment scholarship. Whilst the importance
of this collection has long been recognised, its exact contents
have been remained largely unknown. War, the Napoleonic occupation
of Italy and the amalgamation and reorganisation of museum
collections resulted in a dispersal of objects and loss of
provenance. As a result it had been supposed that the actual
contents of Donati's collection could not be known. However, the
discovery by Angela Morecroft in 2004 of Donati's packing list
reveals the exact quantity and type of objects that he acquired,
offering the possibility to cross-reference his descriptions with
unidentified artifacts at the Museum. By examining Donati's
expedition to Egypt, and seeking to identify the objects he sent
back to Turin, this book provides a fascinating insight into early
collecting practice and the lasting historical impact of these
items. As such it will prove a valuable resource for all those with
an interest in the history of museums and collecting, as well as
enlightenment travels to Egypt.
What does archaeology tell us about Jesus and the world in which he
lived? How accurate are the Gospel accounts of first-century
Galilee and Judea? Has the tomb of Jesus really been found?
Informed by the latest archaeological research, and illustrated
throughout with photographs of key findings, this fascinating book
opens up the subject for people of all religious backgrounds. It
will help readers gain a much clearer and more accurate picture of
life in the Roman world during first century, and enable them to
understand and critique the latest theories - both sober and
sensational - about who Jesus was and what he stood for.
Originally published in 1923, this book provides an exploration of
Egyptian art. Drawing on environmental factors of the Egyptian
region, architecture, history and Egyptian society, Capart also
provides an insight into the psyche of the Egyptian artist.
A brilliant introduction to Egyptology, this book describes the
mysterious story of the lost pharaohs. Lowered into a crevice
thirty feet deep by the Priests of the Necropolis, the mummies of
the lost pharaohs were undisturbed for three thousand years. Their
discovery and its incredible impact on the field of Egyptology form
just one episode of this fascinating book, which also covers the
construction of the pyramids, the City of the Dead, and many other
topics. Leonard Cottrell, author of numerous BBC radio
documentaries on ancient Egypt, offers the general reader a story
that is both entertaining and factual, ably conveying the romance
and mystery which draw so many to the study of ancient Egypt.
Death, grief and funerary practices are central to any analysis of
social, anthropological, artistic and religious worlds. However,
cemeteries - the key conceptual and physical site for death - have
rarely been the focus of archaeological research. 'Prioritizing
Death and Society' examines the structure, organisation and
significance of cemeteries in the Southern Levant, one of the key
areas for both migration and settlement in both prehistory and
antiquity. Spanning 6,000 years, from the Chalcolithic to the
present day, 'Prioritizing Death and Society' presents new research
to analyse the formation and regional variation in cemeteries. By
examining both ancient and present-day - nationally Jewish -
cemeteries, the study reveals the commonalities and differences in
the ways in which death has been and continues to be ritualised,
memorialised and understood.
This book is an impressive collection of some of the earliest
literature still extant from the great Ancient Egyptian
civilization. Much of the material contained in this work -- poems,
narratives, songs and prayers -- was translated here and made
accessible to lovers of antiquity for the first time. Covering a
range of topics including schools, religion and love, the collected
works here provide the reader with a deeper understanding of
ancient life along the Nile.
The working and intellectual biography of the great archaeologist
Flinders Petrie, who was one of the founding fathers of Egyptology,
will inevitably be of interest to all those involved with ancient
Egypt. Here we have accounts of the research, the observations and
the writing of some of the most important work conducted in
Egyptology.
In this iconoclastic and provocative work, leading scholars Israel Finkelstein and Neil Asher Silberman draw on recent archaeological research to present a dramatically revised portrait of ancient Israel and its neighbors. They argue that crucial evidence (or a telling lack of evidence) at digs in Israel, Egypt, Jordan, and Lebanon suggests that many of the most famous stories in the Bible -- the wanderings of the patriarchs, the Exodus from Egypt, Joshua's conquest of Canaan, and David and Solomon's vast empire -- reflect the world of the later authors rather than actual historical facts. Challenging the fundamentalist readings of the scriptures and marshaling the latest archaeological evidence to support its new vision of ancient Israel, The Bible Unearthed offers a fascinating and controversial perspective on when and why the Bible was written and why it possesses such great spiritual and emotional power today.
This work evokes the fascination and wonder of the most ancient
period of Egypt's history, from c 5000 to 2000 BC. It draws on
Jungian theory to explore the psychological forces that contributed
to the nation's special character, and which also account for
Egypt's continuing allure up to the 21st century. The author covers
a huge range of topics, including formative influences in the
political and social organisation and art of Egypt, the origins of
kingship, the age of pyramids, the nature of Egypt's contact with
the lands around the Arabian Gulf, and the earliest identifiable
developments of the historic Egyptian personality. Wholly revised
and updated in the light of the many discoveries made since its
first publication, "Egypt's Making" is a scholarly yet readable
approach to this compelling ancient civilization.
In 1922, as Egypt became an independent nation, the tomb of the
young king Tutankhamun was discovered at Luxor, the first known
intact royal burial from ancient Egypt. The excavation of the small
but crowded tomb by Howard Carter and his team generated enormous
media interest and was famously photographed by Harry Burton. These
photographs, along with letters, plans, drawings and diaries, are
part of an archive created by the excavators and presented to the
Griffith Institute, University of Oxford after Carter's death.
These historic images and records present a vivid and first-hand
account of the discovery, of the spectacular variety of the king's
burial goods and of the remarkable work that went into documenting
and conserving them. The archive enables a nuanced and inclusive
view of the complexities of both the ancient burial and the
excavation, including often overlooked Egyptian members of the
archaeological team. This selection of fifty key items by the staff
of the Griffith Institute provides an accessible and authoritative
overview of the archive, drawing on new research on the collection
and giving an intimate insight into the records of one of the
world's most famous archaeological discoveries.
It is widely believed that the practice of ancient Egyptian
religion ceased with the end of pharaonic culture and the rise of
Christianity. However, an organised reconstruction and revival of
the authentic practice of Egyptian, or Kemetic religion has been
growing, almost undocumented, for nearly three decades. Profane
Egyptologists is the first in-depth study of the now-global
phenomenon of Kemeticism. Presenting key players in their own
words, the book utilises extensive interviews to reveal a continuum
of beliefs and practices spanning eight years of community growth.
The existence of competing visions of Egypt, which employ ancient
material and academic resources, questions the position of
Egyptology as a gatekeeper of Egypt's past. Exploring these
boundaries, the book highlights the politised and economic factors
driving the discipline's self-conception. Could an historically
self-imposed insular nature have harmed Egyptology as a field, and
how could inclusive discussion help guard against further
isolationism? Profane Egyptologists is both an Egyptological study
of Kemeticism, and a critical study of the discipline of Egyptology
itself. It will be of value to scholars and students of archaeology
and Egyptology, cultural heritage, religion online, phenomenology,
epistemology, pagan studies and ethnography, as well as Kemetics
and devotees of Egyptian culture.
This original study examines the claims for sensational intrigues in the 6th century Egyptian palace, culminating in the possible assassination of King Teti by his own bodyguards. New evidence from the author's recent excavations is set against the written claims of the ancient historian Manetho. This offers the reader a unique opportunity to compare archaeological and historical evidence, and sheds new light on the political conspiracies and quarrels of the age. With over 80 illustrations, and clear presentation of the dynastic tomb excavations, the book also gives a rare and accessible insight into Old Kingdom society and administration under the kings Unis, Teti and Pepy I. It will be valuable to all students of Egyptian history. eBook available with sample pages: 0203166736
Guibert of Nogent has provided us with much of what we know about life in Europe in the eleventh and twelfth centuries. His autobiography, his crusade chronicle, and his critique of relics create a rich and textured portrait of this vibrant and violent social landscape. His observations range widely from the philosophical to the extremely personal with topics including his mother, sexuality, cleanliness, and life in a Benedictine monastery. Yet, in spite of is importance to our understanding of his era, Guibert himself has not been the subject of an historical biography for nearly a century. Guibert of Nogent: Portrait of a Medieval Mind remedies this and in doing so, challenges many of the long held assumptions about this enigmatic man. Instead of being a neurotic, as earlier historians have described him, Guibert is revealed as one of Europe's most sophisticated early psychological thinkers who led the way in transforming hagiography, biography, historiography and theology.
The haunting funerary paintings on wood coffins found in Roman
Egypt still represent some of the most vivid images that come to us
from the ancient world. These paintings were first discovered by
Flinders Petrie, father of modern archaeology, in his excavations
in the Egyptian Fayum during the 1880s and have rested at
University College London for over 100 years. Now, the Petrie
Museum is bringing this corpus of paintings to the public in a
stunning catalog. Living Images is a beautiful and authoritative
presentation of the restored collection that will be an essential
reference for scholars and a fascinating read for general
audiences. Central to the volume is a complete catalog of the mummy
portraits uncovered by Petrie, including full color illustrations
and descriptions of technical and stylistic features and
iconographic characteristics. To add to the value of the volume,
articles describe the process of finding the mummies, explain the
place of funerary assemblages in the history of Egyptian burial
customs, offer an introduction to Egyptian portrait painting, and
explain the conservation issues presented by the coffins. Petrie's
own reflections on his finds are also included. The volume is
dedicated to the memory of Egyptologist Barbara Adams and
co-sponsored by the Petrie Museum.
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