The ancient Egyptians aren’t around to tell their stories, so archeologists and Egyptologists have had to be resourceful when writing their chapters of history. A dominating force in The Old Testament, Egypt may have lost its power over the world, but we’re still feeling its impacts today. In a new book from National Geographic titled Treasures of Egypt, reporter Ann R. Williams takes readers on a photographic journey through time, honoring the pioneers who uncovered these ancient artifacts and deciphering what they tell us about life in ancient Egypt.
(National Geographic)
“A legacy in photographs – From the pyramids to Cleopatra.” The book arrives just in time to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the discovery of King Tutankhamun’s lost tomb and the upcoming reunion of all of his artifacts at the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM). With this important milestone at the center of the book (King Tut’s mask even graces the front cover), Ann R. Williams takes readers on a journey through ancient Egypt. Using National Geographic’s rich archive of exquisite photographs, each story is brought to life in such a way that you’ll feel like you’ve had a front row seat to their discovery.
The book is organized by geographical location, allowing Egypt’s story to unfold more or less as its seat of power moved. Spreading out from the banks of the Nile River, this tome reveals some pretty incredible information about rural communities that popped up around Egypt’s historic cities, debunking myths that ancient Egyptians were beholden to wherever their Pharoah was seated. It also allows the story to trace Egypt’s impact on the world through the way it imported and exported goods and resources with other regions.
Making full use of the Nat Geo archives, Treasures of Egpyt includes some pop-up sections. One of them is called “First Photos,” a comparison of the earliest known photographs of these historic sites juxtaposed with how these monuments look today. Another recurring bonus is “The Seekers,” profiles on the archeologists who made these incredible discoveries, including Howard Carter. “Gods and Goddesses” explain the religious beliefs of ancient Egypt, offering up the information as it becomes relevant through artifacts. And “Diggin Deeper” offers more historical context on a theme as a sidebar.
Part of the thrill of Treasures of Egypt and Ann R. Murrow’s other recent book, Lost Cities, Ancient Tombs, is the optimism of what else is out there waiting to be discovered. Recent underwater discoveries around Alexandria give hope that someone will find the undiscovered tomb of Alexander the Great. It may have been 100 years since Howard Carter discovered King Tut’s tomb, but hopefully we won’t have to wait much longer for the next incredible discovery, which could unlock even more of Egypt’s great mysteries.
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