Online Activities: Ancient Egypt
There are many good general books about Ancient Egypt on the shelves of libraries and bookstores. This bibliography hopes to guide readers through some of the readily available works. Books which are especially good for teachers or students will be noted, as well as good books for the general reader who wants more detailed information. Fortunately, the best books to begin with are in print, and easy to find in libraries and bookstores.
Temples, Tombs and Hieroglyphs: The Story of Egyptology
By Barbara Mertz
Dr. Barbara Mertz writes mystery novels under the name of Elizabeth Peters. Her success and popularity as a writer of fiction is based on her clear, lively style; the same style has made this book and its successor, Red Land, Black Land, two of the best general interest books ever written about Ancient Egypt. Both have been revised several times, and reprinted constantly since their publication in the 1960s. Dr. Mertz introduces the reader to Egyptian history and society with impeccable scholarship, great good humour and common sense. These are fine books to keep by the bedside for a good read, or to begin your serious study of Ancient Egypt. The clear line drawings sometimes show details of objects, hairdos, and clothing in a way that colour photos cannot. Both books are readily available in paperback and hardcover. They made wonderful additions to any personal or school library. Teachers and students alike will enjoy these excellent introductions to Ancient Egypt.
Many professional Egyptologists trace their passion to reading Barbara Mertz when they were in gradeschool.
Atlas of Ancient Egypt
By John Baines and Jaromir Malek
This is an essential reference for any high school library, and an excellent book for teachers and serious students of Egyptology. Jammed with information, this book can help answer many questions about Egyptian history and environment. Profusely illustrated with maps, charts and colour photos. Superb!
New York: Facts on File, 1982. Frequently reprinted. Hardcover, large format. 240 pages with index.
Egypt and the Egyptians.
Douglas Brewer and Emily Teeter
This introduction to Ancient Egyptian civilization makes use of recent discoveries and research in anthropology and archaeology to create a coherent overview of the life and culture of Ancient Egypt. The writing is very clear and makes accessible topics that high school students might otherwise find rather dry. Brewer and Teeter frequently use quotations from Ancient Egyptian sources to illustrate and illuminate. The structure and operation of towns and cities, domestic and official building, and the growth and pattern of kingship are among the topics considered. Art and architecture students and teachers will find its plans and information particularly helpful. A good reference for teachers and high school or university students, and enjoyable reading for those with a particular interest in Ancient Egypt, it is probably too difficult for elementary pupils. Black and white maps, photos, charts, plans and diagrams – many unavailable elsewhere.
Cambridge and New York: Cambridge University Press, 1999. Softcover, 218 pages with index.
Chronicles of the Pharaohs
Peter Clayton
New York: Thames and Hudson, 1994.
Who was Ramesses V? Sheshonq II? Nectanebo I? Along with many others, they were all kings of Egypt, whose reigns are described in Peter Clayton's useful and entertaining book. There will always be disagreements among historians about some exact dates and precise details in Egyptian history; -sometimes there are no ‘right answers' in history,- but Clayton's overview will help students and teachers to understand the sequence of kings and political events. Each chapter begins with illustrations of the two royal names written in cartouches for each king discussed, and offers an explanation of the meaning of the names, as well as birth and death dates, burial place, and sometimes the names of royal wives and children. Obscure monarchs are discussed along with the more well known, such as Ramesses II. A fine addition to a school library, this book is also a very readable popular history that will be enjoyed by anyone with an interest in Ancient Egypt..
Hardcover, 224 pages, with index. Well illustrated with black and white and colour photos, maps and charts.
Handbook to Life in Ancient Egypt
Rosalie David
A great reference book for school libraries! This book has brief accounts of almost any aspect of Egyptian civilization that students would want to check – armour and warfare, transportation, religion, materials and industries, daily life, and many more, with a brief overview of history as well. High school students and teachers will find this book particularly helpful, though bright grade fives will also find it fascinating. Well illustrated with maps and black and white photos and drawings.
New York: Facts on File, 1998. Hardcover, very well bound, 382 pages with index.
Egypt Uncovered
Vivian Davies and Renee Friedman
Vivian Davies is Keeper of Antiquities at the British Museum, and a most engaging writer. He and Renee Friedman are both active archaeologists, digging at some of the most important early sites in Egypt. They have written a general introduction to Ancient Egypt which takes into consideration very recent discoveries and theories. A particularly interesting aspect of this book is its emphasis on current work by archaeologists; it's nice to see photos of the people who are finding the evidence that challenges or confirms old assumptions about Egyptian civilization. This book was written to accompany a five-part series on Discovery Channel. Profusely illustrated with colour photos.
New York: Stewart, Tabori and Chang, 1998. Hardcover, 224 pages, with index.
The Legacy of Ancient Egypt
By Charles Freeman
Freedman covers a wide array of topics, including history, daily life, mummification, King Tutankhamun, writing, and the contacts between Egypt and the Middle East and the Mediterranean world. This book goes beyond the usual set of topics. Many of the illustrations are new or unusual. This book is lavishly illustrated in colour with maps, charts, photos of ancient artifacts and sites, reconstruction drawings and paintings, and photos of modern activities and objects influenced by Egyptian art and ideas.
New York: Facts on File, Inc., 1997. Hardcover, large-format, 224 pages with index.
A History of Ancient Egypt
By Nicholas Grimal
This reasonable, readable formal history of Ancient Egypt concentrates on kings and their deeds. This book goes into much more detail than Clayton, and often quotes ancient sources of historical materials; students can examine the evidence on which interpretations are based. A good library reference for high school students and teachers. Too difficult for elementary students. Good black and white photos, maps, charts, and plans.
Oxford UK and Cambridge USA: Blackwell, 1992. Translated Ian Shaw. Hardcover and softcover editions available, 512 pages with index and list of kings and dynasties.
History of Ancient Egypt : An Introduction
By Erik Hornung
This clear, comprehensive book provides an excellent overview of Egyptian history. Dr. Hornung, a most knowledgeable and reasonable scholar, is the author of several of the books cited in our Bibliography for Religion and Mythology. A good basic reference for a high school library, this book would also be suitable for those who would like to extend and deepen their understanding of Egyptian culture and history.
Ithaca, New York: Cornell University Press, 1999. Originally published in German, 1978. Translated by David Lorton. Hardcover, 186 pages, with index and glossary, black and white illustrations.
Ancient Egypt: Anatomy of a Civilization
Barry J. Kemp
Kemp is an active and highly respected archaeologist whose book is more sophisticated than most on this bibliography. It would not make a good first book on Egypt, but, for those who have some background, it offers clear explanations, backed by archeological evidence, of many aspects of Egyptian culture and life. Impeccable in his scholarship, Kemp is also a clear and interesting writer. This book is not concerned with kings or mummies except as they help us to understand what life was really like in the times of the pharaohs.
Kemp's book is an excellent antidote to the overly-romantic and fictionalized versions of Egyptian life that one often sees on television, or reads in popular novels. The truth is much more interesting than bad fiction.
New York: Routledge, 1991. Hard and softcover, 356 pages, black and white line drawings, maps, and photos.
The Penguin Historical Atlas of Ancient Egypt
Bill Manley
Highly recommended for history teachers and for library reference. Manley has written a clear account of the events of Egyptian history from about 5000 bce until Ptolemaic times. The maps show invasion routes, trade routes, the growth of Egyptian political units, and the expansion and contraction of Egypt's empire. These maps are very helpful for understanding Egypt's place Africa and the Mediterranean world. There are also fine short essays about aspects of Egyptian civilization.
Penguin, 1996. Softcover, 144 pages with index. 60 colour maps, many illustrations in colour and black and white.
Who's Who in Ancient Egypt
Michael Rice
This useful reference gives brief identifications of many prominent Ancient Egyptians. Rulers, priests and artists, bureaucrats and tomb-robbers are identified by dates and sources. Each paragraph-sized entry is accompanied by a brief list of references so that readers can follow up on interesting people. The dictionary-style biographies are prefaced by introductory essays on such topics as kingship, the gods, and rank and title.
This is not a book for everyone, but it is very readable, and would make a fine addition to the library of any school where the history of civilization is on the curriculum; it is probably too difficult for most elementary school students to read.
London: Routledge, 1999. 257 pages, hardcover, 2 maps, no other illustrations
People of the Nile: Everyday Life in Ancient Egypt
John Romer
John Romer's televisions series, especially Ancient Lives have been very popular. His loving enthusiasm for Ancient Egypt is clear in his writing as well. This frequently reprinted overview provides an elegant and very readable introduction to the history of Ancient Egypt.
New York: Crown Publishers, 1982. Available in hard and softcover editions, 224 pages, well illustrated with colour photos by Romer.
Ancient Egypt
David P. Silverman
A fine general introduction to Ancient Egypt, with brief but very clear chapters on environment, history; religion, ritual, and the afterlife; and art and language. Well illustrated with charts, maps, and colour photos of sites and artifacts.
London: Duncan Baird Publishers, 1997. Hardcover, large format, 256 pages with index.
Life of the Ancient Egyptians
Eugen Strouhal
Dr. Strouhal is an expert in the areas of ancient medicine and health. His book offers a beautiful and very readable introduction to the social lives of Ancient Egyptians. What were the roles and duties of men and women? At what age did they marry? Who did the hard work of building pyramids and carving beautiful tombs? What sports were played? Scholarly, accurate, and highly readable, this book would make a fine addition to any school or personal library. Teachers who would like to deepen their own understanding of Egyptian society will find it particularly useful. Beautifully illustrated with colour and black and white photos.
Norman, Oklahoma: University of Oklahoma Press, 1992. Photographs by Werner Forman. Hardcover, large format, 279 pages with index.
