The Egyptians (Art from the Past) Review

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(More customer reviews)Our class is studying ancient Egypt and this book was so entertaining that we caught on to the concepts a lot easier. It also brought to life the meanings of a lot of the symbols we are learning about. It is well written and the instructions are easy to understand.
ALL of the materials needed were easily found around the house, and that makes it even better, becuase you don't have to go out a buy a lot to be able to do the projects.
I especially enjoyed the section on Cat Mummies along with the Canopic Jars. It goes along great with another book called Cat Mummies.
Even if you don't do the crafts, you will enjoy reading about the different items, as they explain more about the symbols of ancient Egypt. I hope you like this book as much as our class did!

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Children will be able to recreate the arts and crafts of the Aztecs following the step-by-step instructions in this book. Real artifacts are used to demonstrate the patterns, materials and designs of history.

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Tutankhamun's Tomb: The Thrill of Discovery: Photographs by Harry Burton (Metropolitan Museum of Art) Review

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(More customer reviews)If you thought you'd seen everything there was to see about the discovery of the tomb of Tutankhamun, you were wrong! This amazing book is an invaluable addition to the Tut library. I picked up a copy of the book while visiting the Metropolitan Museum, and I can't recommend this book highly enough. The original excavation photos are beautiful and truly give you a sense of what it must have been like to witness the discovery of the tomb. From photos of the landscape in the Valley of the Kings (setting the geographic scene), to photos of the excavators working on the tomb through to object photos, the entire story of the discovery of the tomb is illustrated. Despite their age, the photos are vivid and gorgeous and bring the discovery to life. The accompanying text is kept to a minimum -- narrating the story nicely, but allowing the photos and objects to speak for themselves. (Longer photo captions at the end of the book accompany thumbnail photos, giving more detailed information about each photography.) This book will make a welcome addition to the library of anyone who loves ancient Egypt, a beautiful coffee table book, a nice backdrop or preparation for the King Tut show that's touring, or a lovely gift for anyone interested in Egypt or archaeology.

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This richly illustrated book of vintage photographs commemorates one of the most memorable episodes in the history of archaeology: the discovery and exploration in 1922 of the tomb of the ancient Egyptian pharaoh Tutankhamun (Dynasty 18, ruled ca. 1336–1327 B.C.). These photographs, documenting every stage in the process of discovery, were taken by the renowned archaeological photographer Harry Burton. Burton was a staff member of the Metropolitan Museum Egyptian Expedition when he was "lent" to Howard Carter, the famed excavator of Tutankhamun's tomb.From the rock-cut steps leading down to the entrance passage, to the opening of the sealed chambers inside, to the first view of the contents of the tomb and the removal of the objects, Burton's beautiful black-and-white photographs show thousands of the richly made and decorated objects found in the tomb. Carefully reproduced from Burton's original prints, the photographs are accompanied by new descriptive text written by two prominent Egyptologists with extensive knowledge of the history of Tutankhamun and the contents of his tomb.

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The Murder of Tutankhamen Review

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(More customer reviews)Granted the evidence presented by this book is by no means conclusive, I've got to say that if more history books were written with this much verve, fewer kids would graduate school convinced that "history is boring." Brier loves what he does, and he's very well-read in it, and it shows. You get a real feel for the political intrigue of the time right after the heresies of Amarna, and he presents the information in such a way that you never forget that there are actually human personalities associated with these events. The book does a great job getting across the flavor of life in that time, and certainly it does convince me at least that something fishy was going on at the end of Tut's reign.
However, that said, I didn't find any of the medical/forensic evidence presented even slightly convincing (and the opening chapter with its dramatic film noir reenactment of the "murder" was a bit much). Tutankhamen's death itself at a young age isn't even suspicious given that there is a good chance he inherited Marfan Syndrome from his father, a disability which has an excellent track record of killing young. And given that the skull and body were grossly damaged by the funerary practices of the time, I don't feel that any solid conclusions can be drawn from the state of either. The political evidence that something fishy was happening is a lot more compelling than the physical evidence -- and Brier knows his Egyptian politics.
Brier clearly knows Egypt well, and loves it, and that intellect and enthusiasm shines through every word, making this book a more than worthwhile read as long as you have your critical filters in place. I look forward to more work from Brier. Even if you don't agree with his conclusions, you've got to admit -- if more historians were this engaging and presented history with this much texture and life, history'd be a whole lot more fun in school, wouldn't it?

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The Tomb of Tut Ankh Amen: Volume 1: Search Discovery and the Clearance of the Antechamber (Duckworth Egyptology) Review

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(More customer reviews)I first read the three volumes of this story 50 years ago. It was one of the greatest stories I had ever read, and still is. Carter wrote the three volumes in the off season between digs, partly to raise money from the sale of the books to continue his work. I felt like he was telling me day by day in real time (although of course time was speeded up, and I didn't have to wait a year between volumes like the original readers did). Imagine going for a year without knowing what would be found in the next area of the tomb. And remember, Carter didn't know, either.
Duckworth has done a superb job of reprinting these books. The second time I read these books, probably 35 years ago, all I could find was a three-volumes-in one edition, with poor quality illustrations. This one is great.


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The tomb of Tutankhamun (Tut.ankh.Amen), uncovered in November 1922, was the greatest archaeological find the world has ever seen. Though entered by thieves in antiquity, the burial of the king lay intact within its nest of coffins and funerary shrines, surrounded by a mass of burial equipment arranged in three peripheral chambers. "The Tomb of Tut.ankh.Amen: Search, Discovery and the Clearance of the Antechamber," originally published in 1923, is the first volume of Carter's magnificent trilogy, describing the years of frustration, the triumph of the tomb's eventual discovery, and the start of the long, breathtaking process of recording and clearance.

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Great Ancient Egypt Projects You Can Build Yourself (Build It Yourself series) Review

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(More customer reviews)We checked out every Egyptian craft book from our library for a homeschool unit (grade 5, and this was among the top 3 that we actually used. The projects in this book are not cute crafts like in many of the other books; they can be used to really help understand the history. Our favorite project in this book was the "wesekh collar." The book actually gives a lot of background information about jewelry and beads and shows examples other than the project, so you get a feel for the variety that existed. I love that the book makes an attempt to replicate actual objects while still using readily available materials. While the book suggested plastic beads and copper wire, we used stone beads and that led to a whole discussion about what types of metals, minerals and gems might have been available to the egyptians.
The book also has the best "papyrus paper" instructions for simulating papyrus. It is the only book that I found that used thin strips laid in an overlapping weave, which illustrates the process rather than the end result. (There are many videos on the web that show papyrus being made - pretty cool to watch before starting this project!)
Most of the projects in this book would be best suited to kids 9 and up. Younger kids would most likely need some assistance. My 7 year-old did many of the projects with us and did need help.
For anyone looking for additional resources that are more than toilet paper tube arm cuffs and construction paper collars, I suggest you also try:
Make History: Ancient Egypt : Re-Create Authentic Jewelry, Toys, and Other Crafts from Another Place and Time (Make History)
Spend the Day in Ancient Egypt: Projects and Activities That Bring the Past to Life (Spend The Day Series)
and if cooking is your thing
Cooking in Ancient Civilizations (The Greenwood Press Daily Life Through History Series) is awesome (but pricey), especially if you will also be studying other ancients like the Greeks and Romans. We held a "feast day" at the end of our unit and the kids loved the food! They are now asking for these recipes again!

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The Ancient Egyptians: Dress, Eat, Write, and Play Just Like the Egyptians (Hands-on History) Review

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(More customer reviews)While Fiona MacDonald's Ancient Egyptians was originally designed to accompany a British TV series, it needn't only be considered for British viewers alone: kids around the world will appreciate this visual treat, packed with color illustrations throughout and providing a survey based on major themes in the history of Ancient Egypt. From temple murders to buried treasure and desert tombs, history comes to life in an unusual manner blending contemporary approaches and images with historical fact.


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Designed to accompany the ground-breaking TV series Ancient Egyptians, this superbly illustrated children's book looks at one of the world's earliest civilizations, exploring how the people lived, loved, worshipped, and died. Printed in full color throughout, Ancient Egyptians features stunning computer-generated images created using cutting-edge technology. These images, along with live action stills from the TV series, museum artifacts and in situ photography, combine to create a unique visual experience that will appeal to children in the 8-12 age range, as well as a wider family audience. With a host of fascinating fact boxes and special features, the book explores major themes in the history of Ancient Egypt, from Pharaohs and Gods and Wars and Warfare, to Crime and Punishment and Rituals of Death.

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