Ancient Egyptian Scribes

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House of Eternity: The Tomb of Nefertari (Conservation and Cultural Heritage Series) Review

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(More customer reviews)Books about Ancient Egypt usually deal with her Pharaoh's, the State Religion, Ancient Monuments or art treasures . Little is known about most of the Queens of Ancient Egypt. The better known queens, Hatchepsut and Cleopatra ruled in their own right. Nefertari was the principle wife of one of Ancient Egypt's greatest Pharaoh's, Ramesses the Great. Ramesses built many temples and monuments during his long reign, some of which are still standing today including the Ramesseum, and the two Temple's at Abu Simbel. The smaller temple was dedicated to Nefertari. Very few temples or monuments were dedicated to anyone but the Pharaoh or one of the many Gods. The book " House of Eternity, The Tomb of Nefertari" tells as much of the story of Queen Nefertari as is known today. The Tomb of Nefertari is one of the most beautiful surviving monuments of Pharaonic Egypt. Since the Tomb was discovered in 1904, much damage has been caused by tourists. The tomb was closed to the public and preservation of the artwork undertaken by the Getty Institute. The tomb was re-opened to the public in 1995.. This book gives the reader a guided tour of the Tomb. The pictures in the book are spectacular.The author John McDonald takes the reader through the construction and decoration of the tomb, and then guides the reader through the journey into the Egyptian afterlife undertaken by Nefertari. The pictures on the tomb walls are from the Book of the Dead and the meaning of each is explained as Nefertari travels from the doorway of her tomb to her final resting place. I would rate this book as an essential addition to the library of anyone seriously interested in the history of Ancient Egypt and would advise anyone planning to visit the Tomb to read the book before hand.

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Description de L'Egypte (Taschen 25th Anniversary Series) Review

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(More customer reviews)The Description de l'Egypte is a reproduction of the Napoleonic Egyptian Expedition's work. The book consists only of plates (with a very brief 3 page introduction) most of which are in black and white although a few are in colour. It contains sections on antiquities, contemporary Egypt (at the time of the expedition), as well as sections on flora, fauna and mineralogy.
There is no commentary on the plates and they are presented without any explanation of their ordering. This can be disorienting at first but one quickly comes to realize that, for each location, plates describing general details come first and are followed by plates with progressively greater detail. For example, a description of the Isle de Philae begins with a map showing its location, a more detailed map of the island, then several views of the island from different angles and then architectural drawings of the temples on the island. It ends with details of the temple carvings and hieroglyphics.
This book serves as a magnificent addendum to almost any Egyptian history text, providing great depth and detail of illustration of most of the major sites in Egypt. Even illustrated texts (ie. The Oxford History of Ancient Egypt) do not approach the same level of visual detail as the Description.
There are two quibbles about the book's format that lead me to give the book 4 stars instead of 5. The first is that the book is too small. It is a paperback with 1008 pages, and not a very large paperback at that. This book would have been truly great (albeit much more expensive) if it had been a full-size hardcover. The second detail is that the plate captions are untranslated. This may be a concern to you if you do not speak French.
Overall, I would highly recommend this book to anyone interested in Egyptian history or archeology. It might also be an interesting tool for those interested in architecture or design, given its attention to fine details of early Egyptian constructions.

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In 1798, Napoleon Bonaparte launched an expedition of 35,000 soldiers to conquer Egypt. The campaign was a military and political disaster but nonetheless it had a profound and lasting impact, by revealing the splendour of a mysterious and forgotten civilization. For Napoleon's ships also carried some 500 scholars, scientists and artists whose task it was to study the country and its customs. Traversing a country at war under the stifling heat of southern Egypt, they embarked on the first major study of a land then all but unknown to Europeans. They discovered the Valley of the Kings outside Thebes. They found the Rosetta stone which when deciphered enabled scholars to read hieroglyphics. And their combined efforts culminated in what is surely one of the most ambitiously comprehensive work ever published: the Description de I'Egypte in 10 volumes with 837 copperplate engravings and more than 3,000 drawings. It was as though they were cataloguing the world's richest museum covering three major themes with their work: "Antiqutes," "Etat Moderne" and "Histoire Naturelle," the first two of which are reproduced fully in this special edition.

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Pyramid Review

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(More customer reviews)Who hasn't wondered how the Great Pyramids came to be? In this stunningly illustrated, richly detailed book, David Macaulay skillfully shows one way they could have been built. I had ordered the book for our family's study of ancient Egypt, based on a recommendation in The Greenleaf Guide to Ancient Egypt, which raved about it. I was not disappointed. In fact, I was stunned at the detail and care of the drawings and fascinated by the accounts. Although the long descriptions were daunting for my then-first grader, the illustrations caught her eye, and her older siblings dug into it with enthusiasm.

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Modern Egyptian Art 1910-2003 Review

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(More customer reviews)I was pleasanty surprized to find a collection of some of the greatest Egyptian modern artists all in one book. To my knowledge, Liliane Karnouk's book is the only book published documeting the work of some of the outstanding modern Egyptian artists.
Her chapter about sculpturer, Mahmoud Mokhtar, including his famous "Egyptian Awakening" statue (inspired by Ancient Egyptian monuments) is simply marvellous. The collection of bronze sculptures by Adam Henein is exquisite.
The art work by modern painters such as the late Kamal Khalifa and Inji Aflatoon, among others, depicts their brilliant art work despite personal suffering, as described in the biographies of each artist Liliane Karnouk included in this book.
Although it is impossible to encompass all modern Egyptian artists in one book, particularly as Egypt is continuously delivering new and evolving talents, but unfortunately Liliane Karnouk omitted many important artists, e.g. young brilliant sculpturer Mokles Michael, or some of the established artists, such as Ahmed El Rashidi, Adel Thabet, Youssef Raafat, just to mention a few.
Last note: Liliane Karnouk's previous book "Contemporary Egyptian Art" is included fully in her new book. So, if you plan to acquire one of her 2 books, this is the one!

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From the early years of the twentieth century, with the rejection of European political and cultural domination in Europe, modern artistic expression in Egypt was influenced by and often reflected the country's growing national consciousness. In the years following the 1952 revolution, wealthy patrons of the arts disappeared from Egypt's cosmopolitan art world and were replaced by the state, which by the 1960s exercised full control over all cultural activities, including the arts. In the 1990s, as elsewhere throughout the world, Egyptian art was affected by general shifts in culture brought about by globalization. The disruption of a sense of place and feelings of belonging were a response to the influx of the challenging and, at times, disquieting information available to whole cultures and communities through new media. Examining the work of over 70 artists from 1910 until the present day, Liliane Karnouk traces the parallel steps of modern Egyptian art and the social and political environment in which that art was and continues to be created. Fully illustrated with over 280 black-and-white and color illustrations, this comprehensive volume is both a feast for the eyes and a mine of information for artists and non-specialists alike.

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Ancient Faces : Mummy Portraits in Roman Egypt (Metropolitan Museum of Art Publications) Review

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(More customer reviews)This exhibition is a facinating personal document of the Roman mummy portraits and their Egyptian and greek influenced hybrid artworks. The incredible freshness of the works themselves is lost in the printing here. Perhaps the encaustic is difficult to photograph? Anyway the topic and text is wonderful, but the images pale next to the 1st person experience of these vital energizing works of the Roman era.A good book to own, if you saw the show it's better.

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Dating from the later period of Roman rule in Egypt, shortly before the birth of Christ, the painted mummy portraits are among the most remarkable products of the ancient world, a fusion of the traditions of pharonic Egypt and the Classical world. They are historical and cultural objects of outstanding importance and beauty, superb works of art that represent some of the earliest known examples of life-like portraiture. Though the subjects of the portraits believed in the traditional Egyptian cults, which offered them a firm prospect of life after death, they also wished to be commemorated in the Roman manner, with their fashion of dress and adornment signaling their status in life. Despite their ancient history, these portraits speak to the modern eye with a beauty and intensity that would be lost to portraiture until the Renaissance.

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Awakening Osiris: The Egyptian Book of the Dead Review

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(More customer reviews)I have several translations already of the Book of the Dead, but this work is far more than that. If feel as if the author is speaking right to my soul, and built a bridge with words to a people that lived 3000 years ago, and a religious tradition that was rich and vibrant and filled with great mystery, power, and truth. Hers is a translation of spirit that is accessible to all who wish to accept it, and I believe the Book of the Dead, and in particular this addition, should be held up alongside the Bible and other sacred works as one of humanity's most revealing and inspiring works.

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THE EGYPTIAN BOOK OF THE DEAD is one of the oldest and greatest classics of Western spirituality. Until now, the available translations have treated these writings as historical curiosities with little relevance to our contemporary situation. This new version, made from the hieroglyphs, approaches the Book of the Dead as a profound spiritual text capable of speaking to us today. These writings suggest that the divine realm and the human realm are not altogether separate; they remind us that the natural world, and the substance of our lives, is fashioned from the stuff of the gods. Devoted like an Egyptian scribe to the principle of "effective utterance", Normandi Ellis has produced a prose translation that reads like pure, diaphanous verse.

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The Egyptian Renaissance: The Afterlife of Ancient Egypt in Early Modern Italy Review

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(More customer reviews)As a prefatory note, the author of this work assumes the reader has a rudimentary knowledge of Latin, Italian and a history of the renaissance humanist architect/artists of the time such as Vasari, Bramante, Alberti, Bernini & the like. Many referenced book titles go untranslated leaving the reader to guess. This minor encumbrance aside, my only critique would be the writing style. It is lofty, highly scholarly and drags the reader into unrelenting footnotes, many detailing who had access to specific Egyptian artifacts, the provenance of the object & its history within the precincts of Rome, from the Romans who usurped them from Egypt to the numerous times they were moved about & reused by others. The level of detail, however, is astounding & necessary for a complete understanding of these pieces and their role in influencing their revival.
This volume is hardly an account of an Egyptian afterlife understood by the renaissance artists, architects & scholars, but rather what they didn't know. It describes the fanciful "interpretations" of the objects' role in ancient times & accounts of attempting to translate hieroglyphs that were beyond their understanding. Most of the architects of the day proclaimed they understood the ancient language of "Egyptian letters" but few attempted to provide any translations (and those were dismal). Others stated they knew the symbolism of the pyramid & obelisk and therefore were "knowledgeable" in their use. In reality, no one during this period in history truly understood any of the Egyptian monuments extant; only having the writings of inadequate and flawed ancient authors such as Herodotus, Pliny, Horapollo, etc., to assist them. What IS fascinating is the use of these "pagan" symbols by the papacy from Julius II to Leo X & Clement VII. The papal families of Borgia & Colonna both claim a decent from Osiris (Egyptian king of the afterlife) and other Egyptian deities! The apartments and tombs of the popes are littered with frescos & sculptures of these ancient symbols (sphinxes, gold bulls, pyramids, obelisks & folklore) tailored to suit their claim while understanding little of their actual meaning. But, all this rekindled an interest in ancient Egypt.
While there are only 12 color plates and many B & W photos, they beautifully detail the most significant items from the missal of Cardinal Colonna (a Roman Catholic liturgical manuscript laced with Egyptian iconography!) to the granite lions of Nectanebo (a 26th dynasty Nubian pharaoh) currently in the Vatican. This volume gives a rich account of the roots of modern "Egyptomania" and its relevance in art, architecture & literature of the time. There is no "secret knowledge" here, as in fictional novels. Meticulously referenced, overtly so while reading, but from a viewpoint that is refreshingly new, all 430 pages worth!

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Egyptian Hieroglyphics: How to Read and Write Them Review

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(More customer reviews)this book is almost all illustrations. Contains a short summary explaining grammar, though not in -depth. Good sign list, also shows how to draw glyphs. Might be good as a reference, but for serious student it will not stand alone.

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Clear, easy-to-follow text tells absolute beginners how to transcribe hieroglyphs by presenting and explaining 134 phonetic elements. Included are an explanatory introduction, section on word analysis, newly enlarged pronunciation guide, tables of phonetic and figurative (or determinative) signs, and much more. Unusually large, clear illustrations.

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Fun with Egyptian Symbols Stencils (Dover Little Activity Books) Review

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(More customer reviews)Lightweight stencils, made from a laminated cardstock. A nice variety of designs to choose from. Will stand up to tracing with pen/pencil/marker for a long time, will stand up to wet media/painting many times with careful handling. Not detailed, allowing you to easily stencil the shape - then add your own details. Works well for fabric painting, which is why I bought several of these little stencil books. (Native American Masks, Southwest Indian, Egyptian Symbols, & African Design.)
Good to use with kids - the lack of fine details keeps younger kids from getting frustrated. Will last much longer if kept dry - but you can definitely get multiple uses with paint, etc. (By multiple, depending on how wet you get the stencils, I would guess at least 20 uses.) A good buy - but don't expect the "normal" plastic stencils, realize these are laminated cardstock. Knowing that should relieve any disappointment. :)

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6 symbols with an ancient past: the scarab beetle, cobra goddess Renenutet, falcon god Horu; vulture goddess Nekhbet, the Eye of Horus, and Amun, "the king of gods," depicted as a ram.

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Proportion and Style in Ancient Egyptian Art Review

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(More customer reviews)A comprehensive account of the squared grids used by the artists of ancient Egypt to achieve acceptable proportions for standing, sitting and kneeling human figures. Traces the system from its Old Kingdom origins through its development in the Middle Kingdom and its continued employment into the Late and Ptolemaic periods.

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Egyptian Designs (Dover Pictorial Archives) Review

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(More customer reviews)I found this little book to be just what I was looking for in the way of Egyptian graphic designs for use in my jewelry work. Many interesting black and white designs to choose from.

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371 illustrations adapted from Egyptian sources, depicting gods and pharaohs, priests and priestesses, ordinary people, plants and animals, scenes of state occasion, battle, funerary custom, domestic life, and more.

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The Art of Ancient Egypt: Revised Edition Review

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(More customer reviews)This turned out to be exactly what I was looking for which was a basic explanation of Egyptian art. It is extremely well orgainzed and is not written in a dense fashion. The illustrations/photos of art have good, lengthy explanations next to them- telling you exactly what you are looking at, not just "wall painting from tomb". I really wish all art history books were this well written, lushly illustrated and frankly, affordable.

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From the awesome grandeur of the Great Pyramids to the delicacy of a face etched on an amulet, the spellbinding power of ancient Egyptian art persists to this day. Spanning three thousand years, this beautifully illustrated history offers a thorough and delightfully readable introduction to the artwork even as it provides insight into questions that have long engaged experts and amateurs alike. In its scope, its detail, and its eloquent reproduction of over 250 objects, Gay Robins's classic book is without parallel as a guide to the art of ancient Egypt. And her eagerly awaited new edition includes many new color photographs and a fully revised and updated bibliography.

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