“May your spirit live, may you spend millions of years, you who love Thebes, sitting with your face to the north wind, your eyes beholding happiness”
Ancient Egypt is a period of history used to describe the civilisations and cultures that made their home in and ruled over the Nile Valley in Northeast Africa. Roughly beginning in 3100BC with the unification of the Upper and Lower Kingdoms, Ancient Egypt’s history stretched across multiple dynasties over a period of around three thousand years before finally becoming a Roman Province in 30BC.
The period is one of the most captivating and profound eras in human history. Astonishing agricultural developments, quarrying, surveying, architecture, elaborate religious pantheons, writing systems, diplomacy, art, mathematics and medical breakthroughs all made it the most advanced hub on the planet, and its influence on contemporary culture cannot be overstated.
With the civilisation’s mysteries and treasures being uncovered and shipped off around the world, Having occupied a place in our imaginations for well over two thousand years now, so why not check out some of the best books on Ancient Egypt here at What We Reading?
The Rise And Fall Of Ancient Egypt – Toby Wilkinson
Ancient Egypt was a period of immense longevity and majestic achievement. In an attempt to capture the wonder of this era, Toby Wilkinson details in his acclaimed historical novel, The Rise and Fall of Ancient Egypt.
One of the leading Egyptologists of his generation, Wilkinson details everything from the building of the Pyramids, how the lost treasures of Tutankhamun, Akhenaten’s religious revolution and how the mighty Egyptian Empire met its demise following invasions from Greece and Ancient Rome. A Hessell-Tiltman Prize winner, it is one of the best Ancient Egypt books for anyone looking for a complete run-through of this extraordinary point in history.
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From Pharaoh’s Lips – Ahmad Abdel-Hamid Youssef
Much of Ancient Egypt’s secrets have been unlocked by our understanding of their written languages, however, many of us don’t stop to think about what these cultures might have sounded like.
Rather than focusing on the glitz, glamour and prestige of the Gods and Pharaohs, author Ahmad Abdel-Hamid Youssef explores the lives of the everyday working man in From Pharaoh’s Lips. He takes readers across the rural countryside in an effort to explain to readers how their dialects share striking similarities to even modern-day languages used in the region.
Ancient Egypt: The Great Discoveries – Nicholas Reeves
Because of its history and all the legends lost under the sand, Ancient Egypt is one of the most romanticised periods of history, capturing our imaginations for hundreds of years through everything from intrepid archaeological expeditions to big Hollywood blockbusters.
British Egyptologist, Archaeologist and Museum Curator Nicholas Reeves illustrate how awe-inspiring the study of these ancient civilisations can be. Detailing the process in which Egyptology has developed over the years, it is one of the best historical books on discovering how we’ve learned so much about this era of history, and why so much of it is still lost to the ages.
When Women Ruled The World: Six Queens Of Egypt – Kara Cooney
The phrase ‘it’s a man’s world’ is painfully accurate in most cases across history however, in the case of Ancient Egypt, things are not quite as straightforward as that. Kara Cooney takes readers on an insightful journey in When Woman Ruled The World of how six women cemented themselves as powerful rulers of one of the most significant civilisations in the world.
From Hatshepsut, Nefertiti to Cleopatra, Cooney examines how these six figures were given access to the highest political position in the land, what effects their leadership has had on history in the years since, and what lessons can be learned from their remarkable reigns.
The Complete Gods And Goddesses Of Ancient Egypt – Richard H. Wilkinson
Richard H. Wilkinson is a seasoned archaeologist best known for his work in the Valley of the Kings where he uncovered the ancient temple of Pharoah Twosret.
In The Complete Gods And Goddesses Of Ancient Egypt, Wilkinson takes readers through the entire history of each and every deity that were worshipped in the dynasty’s pantheon. Detailing how each of these colourful Gods found their way in and out of the public’s attention, it is the best resource for those looking to gain a better understanding of these deities, and how they would influence Egyptian culture.
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Reflections Of Osiris: Lives From Ancient Egypt – John Ray
Whilst most of us know the names and the rough stories surrounding them, Ancient Egypt’s long history means it’s hard for us contemporaries to empathise with them as individuals. That is what Egyptologist John Ray, the mastermind behind the cracking of the Carian script, attempts to tap into with Reflections of Osiris: Lives from Ancient Egypt.
This fascinating nonfiction historical book explores the lives of some of Egypt’s most famous names, attempting to explain the motivations and goals of figures ranging from powerful Pharaohs to disgruntled workers at the bottom of its feudal system.
Death And Salvation In Ancient Egypt – Jan Assmann
In Death And Salvation in Ancient Egypt, German Egyptologist Jan Assmann tackles representations of death in the region, and how death practices were conducted during its heyday.
Thinking about this civilisation usually leads one to picture a Mummy in a Sarcophagus, but Assmann grants access to so much more for readers here. From funerary texts and burial customs all the way to the belief process on the afterlife its people believed in, it is one of the best resources on Ancient Egypt for understanding the attitudes to one of humanity’s biggest unknowns.
Part-time reader, part-time rambler, and full-time Horror enthusiast, James has been writing for What We Reading since 2022. His earliest reading memories involved Historical Fiction, Fantasy and Horror tales, which he has continued to take with him to this day. James’ favourite books include The Last (Hanna Jameson), The Troop (Nick Cutter) and Chasing The Boogeyman (Richard Chizmar).
