Egyptian Mummies: Unraveling the Secrets of an Ancient Art

by Bob Brier

Overview

Egyptian Mummies results from research done in preparation for the mummification of a human body, the first to be done in the Egyptian style in two thousand years. Through these studies, noted Egyptologist Bob Brier has unearthed the gripping stories of grave robberies and stolen mummies, the forgotten language of the pharaohs, and the tombs of the royal mummies. In an easily accesible and lively style, Brier uncovers the complete historical context of ancient Egyptian culture and offers a fascinating contemporary interpretation of it. Illuminating their mysteries, myths, sacred rituals, and heiroglyphic writing, Egyptian Mummies brings the ancients to life.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780688146245
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	03/14/1996
Edition description:	Reprint
Pages:	352
Product dimensions:	6.12(w) x 9.25(h) x 0.88(d)
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

About the Author

Bob Brier is a world-famous Egyptologist who has conducted research on pyramids and tombs in fifteen countries. A senior research fellow at the C.W. Post campus of Long Island University, he is the author of seven books, including The Murder of Tutankhamen, and hosted the Great Egyptian series for the Learning Channel.

Editorial Reviews

Mummies. The word itself conjures a sense of the macabre, of dread, of morbid fascination. Brier's work, however, conjures something very different: the adventure of discovery. Brier (Egyptology, Long Island Univ. and the New School for Social Research) hopes one day to mummify a modern cadaver according to ancient Egyptian embalming methods. Meanwhile, in a lively readable style, he gives us an overview of his own study and that of his predecessors. He discusses Egyptian religion and funerary practice and the burials of pharaohs and priests, nobles and commoners, pets and sacred animals. He describes desecrations by grave robbers, ancient and modern, and shows how Napoleon's invasion of Egypt-not only with soldiers but also with scholars and scientists-brought into being the field of Egyptology. A fascinating study; recommended for public and academic libraries.-James F. DeRoche, Alexandria, Va.

Library Journal

YA-Brier explains the philosophical and spiritual ideas and tenets that nurtured mummification, but this book is mainly a description of its history, methods, how each pharoah was found and by what process unwound, and how the mummy has been portrayed in modern film and fiction. YAs should enjoy this title-the pace is lively and some sections can be skimmed without losing a sense of the whole. Useful for assignments and fascinating reading.-Clodagh Lee, Pohick Regional Library, Burke, VA

School Library Journal