"A guide to an exhibition of some of the artifacts found in the tomb of Tutankhamun, discussing the life and death of the young king, daily life in ancient Egypt, and ancient Egyptian religion and funerary practices." --

A guide to an exhibition of some of the artifacts found in the tomb of Tutankhamun, discussing the life and death of the young king, daily life in ancient Egypt, and ancient Egyptian religion and funerary practices.

It has been almost three decades since the first traveling exhibition of Tutankhamun's treasures drew nearly 10 million viewers and sparked worldwide "Tut-mania." Now, celebrating this priceless collection's new tour of Europe and the United States, National Geographic presents a jewel-like little book featuring more than 30 of its finest pieces. Based on the official catalog, captured in lavish detail and magnificent color, here are objects from Tutankhamun, whose tomb yielded the richest trove of all, and other 18th-Dynasty pharaohs. These superbly crafted artifacts offer vivid insight into the skill, artistry, and astonishing sophistication of Egyptian culture's golden age. Intricate jewelry glitters with precious gems, stylized statues summon ancient gods, lifelike busts bring long-dead kings and queens back to life, while vivid paintings and bas-relief panels depict not just great events but everyday scenes as well. Zahi Hawass contributes a concise history of Tutankhamun's world. The book also examines new research that provides unprecedented information about the boy king's life, his exact age, and the mystery of his death, highlighted by a unique forensic reconstruction that uses state-of-the-art CT-scan data to recreate Tut's face. A charming memento of a stunning exhibition, the Souvenir Book gazes back across the millennia to show us the astonishing splendor of a great civilization at its pinnacle.

It has been almost three decades since the first traveling exhibition of Tutankhamun's treasures drew nearly 10 million viewers and sparked worldwide "Tut-mania." Now, celebrating this priceless collection's new tour of Europe and the United States, National Geographic presents a jewel-like little book featuring more than 30 of its finest pieces. Based on the official catalog, captured in lavish detail and magnificent color, here are objects from Tutankhamun, whose tomb yielded the richest trove of all, and other 18th-Dynasty pharaohs. These superbly crafted artifacts offer vivid insight into the skill, artistry, and astonishing sophistication of Egyptian culture's golden age. Intricate jewelry glitters with precious gems, stylized statues summon ancient gods, lifelike busts bring long-dead kings and queens back to life, while vivid paintings and bas-relief panels depict not just great events but everyday scenes as well. Zahi Hawass contributes a concise history of Tutankhamun's world. The book also examines new research that provides unprecedented information about the boy king's life, his exact age, and the mystery of his death, highlighted by a unique forensic reconstruction that uses state-of-the-art CT-scan data to recreate Tut's face. A charming memento of a stunning exhibition, the "Souvenir Book gazes back across the millennia to show us the astonishing splendor of a great civilization at its pinnacle.

The Egyptians gave us the great pyramids, the Sphinx, magnificent treasures, and some of the most beautiful art and architecture in history. Brian Fagan, a renowned lecturer and professor of archaeology, makes this ancient civilization come alive, taking the reader on an unforgettable journey, spanning 6,000 years, into the world of Seti, Ramses II, Tutankhamun, and other pharaohs who left evidence of their mighty achievements. Egypt of the Pharaohs weaves together fascinating details of daily life and dynastic intrigue and also delves into the generations of explorers, treasure hunters, and archaeologists who--not always with honorable objectives--searched, studied, and plundered Egypt s past glories. The search goes on, and Brian Fagan relates the latest findings of modern-day archaeologists who continue to unearth fresh evidence of how ancient Egyptians lived and died. Stunning photographs--many never before seen--enrich this comprehensive and engrossing work. Egypt of the Pharaohs will be irrestible to armchair Egyptologists and all those eager to learn more about a civilization that still exerts a powerful hold on the imagination. Zahi Hawass, director general of the Pyramids and author of Valley of the Golden Mummies, discusses the scope of the book in his foreword.

Mysterious boy king Tutankhamun returns to the U.S. in 2008, bringing rare treasures never before seen outside Egypt. For the millions of fans wanting a keepsake and chronicle of this magnificent new exhibition, this book will delight. Created by world-renowned art historians under the guidance of Zahi Hawass—director of Egypt’s Supreme Council of Antiquities and a well-known media personality—it surveys 3,000 years of ancient Egyptian history by focusing on the lives and lifestyles of great pharaohs. Master photographer Sandro Vannini spotlights every dazzling artifact, using an innovative technique that makes the image jump off the page. The book’s design echoes the exhibition, grouping objects representing family life, religious practices, funerary rituals, and gold. In each artifact—a queen’s eye makeup container, a likeness of a princess eating duck, a sarcophagus made for a prince’s cat—we glimpse the life of ancient Egyptian royalty: exotic and fascinating, yet so human. Gold gleams in a leopard-mask of gilded wood, a brilliant pendant bearing tiny goddesses, even the golden finger and toe covers of Tutankhamun himself, meant to protect his extremities in the afterlife. Featuring more than 120 treasures, a dozen evocative landscape and archaeology photos, and illuminating text, this book makes palpable the excitement, riches, and mysteries of ancient Egypt. It will be prominently displayed in all exhibition venues, and its contents will interest visitors to the show as well as Tut enthusiasts across the country. National Geographic supports K-12 educators with ELA Common Core Resources. Visit www.natgeoed.org/commoncore for more information.