The British Museum Book of Ancient Egypt

This thoughtful and highly readable book covers every aspect of Egyptian culture, from early prehistory, through the three millennia of pharaonic history, to late Roman antiquity when Christianity replaced the ancient Egyptian religion and the hieroglyphic script finally died out. The expert authors draw on the most recent discoveries and research, as well as the vast Egyptian collections of the British Museum, to illustrate the many facets of this magnificent ancient kingdom.
The opening chapters explore the geography and climate of the Nile Valley, the social and economic life of its inhabitants, and an outline of the many periods of EgyptÕs history. Later chapters discuss the EgyptiansÕ religious beliefs, as presented in ancient art and texts; their funerary practices; their distinctive and harmonious art and architecture; their technical achievements in working stone, metals, precious stones, pottery, glass, wood, and other materials; and EgyptÕs neighbors, in particular its southern neighbor Nubia, whose remarkable civilization deserves to be equally well known.