The Oxford History of Ancient Egypt (Oxford Illustrated Histories) (original 2000; edition 2000)

Really packed with facts. A must-read for the Ancient Egypt fan ( )

This is a really excellent collaborative history of Ancient Egypt—though dense and detailed enough that it's probably only for the serious Egyptophile or the aspiring student. It runs from the Palaeolithic era right through to the post-Ptolemaic period, which is an enormous time frame, but Shaw and the other contributors do a good job of addressing all the main developments and key events—the only real disappointment is the chapter on the Amarna period, which fails to be as comprehensive as the others. Aesthetically, it's well put together, with plenty of black-and-white and coloured plates, maps, time lines and genealogical charts. Definitely recommended. ( )

Encyclopedic work containing many photos, illustrations, maps and drawings to enhance the text covering the many periods of Ancient Egyptian history. Would make an excellent college textbook as well as a resource for the serious Egyptophile. ( )

The Oxford History of Ancient Egypt is really more of an encyclopedia than a narrative history. Each of its 15 chapters is written by a different author, presumably an expert in the particular time period under study. This lends itself to a disjointed style as each author presents an overwhelming welter of archeological facts in an effort to deal with their own view of the controversies in the assigned area. While no doubt providing the experienced Egyptologist with fine details is important, the casual reader will find the book a dense and confusing read. The details of stone-age arrowhead manufacture or the various types of thrown pottery in the First Intermediate Period tend to obscure the bigger picture. As a prerequisite for reading this book I would recommend something lighter and more cohesive such as "A History of Ancient Egypt" by Grimal.

That said, the book is definitely a significant resource for anyone interested in Egyptian history. It covers the Egyptian state from prehistory through its incorporation into the Roman empire. Three chapters cover the pre-dynastic period including one on the Paleolithic period, one on the Naqada period and one entitled "Emergence of the Egyptian State" (Dynasties 0-2). Subsequent chapters for the Old, Middle and New Kingdoms (2 chapters for the last of these) and the Intermediate Periods follow. A rather strange and slightly redundant chapter, entitled "Egypt and the Outside World" is located just prior to the article on the Third Intermediate period. Its insertion here seems an afterthought as it covers the material of several preceding chapters using a topical, rather than chronologic, approach. Finally, several shorter chapters cover the Late Period, the Ptolemaic Period and the Roman Period. The book has a substantial further reading list and glossary as well as a tabular chronology, and index. It is well illustrated, with many black and white pictures, extensive maps and approximately 40 colour plates. Unfortunately, there is often a disconnect between the written material and the plates and pictures, leaving the reader confused as to their purpose.

I would definitely recommend this book as a scholarly or reference resource due to its detailed approach but I would suggest it not be the first book you read if you are a casual reader, interested in understanding the sweep of Egyptian history. ( )

http://benjohnskinner.blogspot.com/2007/08/books-oxford-history-of-ancient-egypt... ( )