The Bottom Line
Pros
- An amazing amount of information packed into an excellent introductory text.
- Provides a comprehensive study of Ancient Egyptian society.
- Explains how and why the Egyptians viewed the world around them.
- Illustrations are an integral part of the narrative.
Cons
- No suggestions for further reading.
Description
- Ancient Egypt: Anatomy of a Civilization by Barry J Kemp
- Paperback: ISBN 0415235502
- Published by Routledge © 2006
- Barry Kemp is Professor of Egyptology at the University of Cambridge.
- Barry Kemp is also the Field Director of the Egypt Exploration Society's excavations at El-Amarna.
- This is a fully revised and updated edition of his previously best-selling Ancient Egypt published in 1992.
Guide Review - Book Review: Ancient Egypt by Barry Kemp
Barry Kemp is a consummate teacher. Reading his text is like being shown through a dark Egyptian tomb, the archaeologist's lamp illuminating the walls as you proceed along the tunnels, describing and explaining. It builds into a coherent whole, an understanding of Ancient Egyptian life, community, culture, and society.
The book is split into three major sections, developing an understanding of Ancient Egyptian life and culture whilst moving forward through Egyptian history. The first section, Establishing Identity, investigates who the Ancient Egyptians were and how the great Pharaonic state came to be. The second section, The Provider State, moves on through Old and Middle Kingdoms and deliberates the development of Ancient Egyptian bureaucracy and the interaction of community across Upper and Lower Egypt. The final section, Intimations of our Future, looks at how the Pharaonic state matured through the New Kingdom and how it eventually fell into decline.
There is no superfluous baggage here, no 'puff' pieces of illustration put in to bulk out the book (which is a mighty 437 pages). The pictures are an integral part of the narrative. Aimed as an introductory text for university-level students, this book will also work well for the enquiring school/college level reader. In fact, I would recommend this book to anyone who wishes to learn more about Ancient Egypt – you will come away from it feeling you have had your knowledge and intellect expanded, and have been in the presence of a master.
