G.J. Tassie of the Cultural Heritage Organisation, looks at some of the recent undertakings in Egypt
KV5 – Largest Tomb in Valley of the Kings
The latest discoveries at KV5, the largest ancient Egyptian tomb ever discovered in the Valley of the Kings at Luxor
Private Life in New Kingdom Egypt
Every time an archaeologist looks at non-élite everyday data, this is heralded as something special, unusual, praise-worthy, and in the case of Meskell’s book, is described as ‘pathbreaking’. In fact, increasing numbers of researchers are looking at the regular every-day lives of the ancients. In the Ancient Egyptian arena, this is helped by the wealth [...]
Lost Tomb, The
One cannot leave the story of KV5 without looking at some of the literature it has produced. First and foremost is Kent Weeks’ own account of the discovery of the tomb. The Lost Tomb is one of the best archaeological books I have ever read. I bought it to read during our trip to Egypt [...]
Mummy found at Saqqara
An Egyptian-led team of archaeologists have discovered a brilliantly-coloured mummy at the Saqqara Pyramids complex near Cairo, Egypt. The mummy is thought to have been buried around 300 BC. Stand back Nigella Lawson and Kate Moss, this yummy mummy has hit the headlines as the world’s most beautiful mummy. Though its identity is unknown, [...]
Garama: an ancient civilisation in the Central Sahara
200 miles inland from the coast of Libya, Roman influence elevated the Garamantes into living a surprisingly civilised existence
Rameses II
The mighty statue of Ramases II is set to be moved from down-town Cairo to a new museum planned for the Giza Plateau
Mons Claudianus, Egypt
Two quarries in Egypt’s Eastern Desert supplied much of the best building stone for imperial Rome
Mons Porphyrites, Egypt
Two quarries in Egypt’s eastern desert supplied much of the best building material for Imperial Rome
Egyptology Books Round-Up
The publication of eight books simultaneously is a major event and eight books have recently been published by University College London (UCL) Press on Egyptology. However, these are not like any previous books on Egyptology, and it is tempting to say that they tell us more about UCL and its Director, Peter Ucko, than they [...]
Aksum
One of the first civilisations to be converted to Christanity: but what was there before Christanity?
Tales from Ancient Egypt
Tales from Ancient Egypt Joyce Tyldesley, Rutherford Press, £8.50 In the beginning nothing existed but the terrible, swirling waters of chaos. There was no land and there was no sky. No gods, no people, no light, no warmth, no time and no death. Only the dangerous, endless waters. But deep within that dark sea there [...]
Sudan
In September the British Museum will be launching a major new exhibition on Sudan. We take a sneak-preview
South African Rock Art
May 7, 2004
Filed Under: Issue 5, Features, South Africa
Jeffrey May tries to understand the rock art of South Africa
Mo’alla, Egypt
Re-excavation of the tombof Ankhtyfy, an Egyptian warlord in the First Intermediate Period, 2100 BC
Shell Beads from Blombos Cave, South Africa
May 6, 2004
Filed Under: Issue 5, News, South Africa
Oldest known beads found in Africa show modern human behaviour
Burial Customs in Ancient Egypt
Burial Customs in Ancient Egypt: Life in Death for Rich and Poor Wolfram Grajetzki, Gerald Duckworth & Co., £14.99 Wolfram Grajetzki’s comprehensive little book aims to document the burial customs of Ancient Egypt across five millennia. He opens with a look at the graves of the early Egyptian farmers who lived and died some seven [...]
Amelia Peabody’s Egypt
Amelia Peabody’s Egypt: a Compendium Ed. Elizabeth Peters, Constable & Robinson, £19.99 This is a book that is both charming and dangerous. Elizabeth Peters might be described as an American version of Agatha Christie, and her equivalent of Hercule Poirot is Amelia Peabody, a Victorian feminist/archaeologist/ detective, the chronicles of whose doings are extremely popular [...]
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