Mountains of the Pharaohs, Zahi Hawass
Mountains of the Pharaohs, Zahi Hawass
31 Rating(s)
List: $16.99 | Sale: $11.89
Club: $8.49

Mountains of the Pharaohs
The Untold Story of the Pyramid Builders

Author: Zahi Hawass

Narrator: Simon Vance

Unabridged: 6 hr 15 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Tantor Media

Published: 09/05/2006


Synopsis

An unprecedented account of one of civilization's greatest achievements.

The great pyramids of Giza have intrigued humanity for thousands of years. Questions about the construction and the purpose of these majestic monuments have existed since the middle period of ancient Egyptian civilization; in the sixth century B.C., Herodotus was the first of generations of explorers to travel to Egypt in an attempt to unlock their secrets. Recent cutting-edge research has uncovered information about how and why they were built unimaginable to previous generations. In Mountains of the Pharaohs, Zahi Hawass, a world-renowned archaeologist and the official guardian of Egypt's timeless treasures, weaves the latest archaeological data and an enthralling family history into spellbinding narrative.

Nearly five thousand years ago, the fourth dynasty of Egypt's Old Kingdom reigned over a highly advanced civilization. Believed to be gods, the royal family lived amidst colossal palaces and temples built to honor them and their deified ancestors. Hawass brings these extraordinary historical figures to life, spinning a soap opera-like saga complete with murder, incest, and the triumphant ascension to the throne of one of only four queens ever to rule Egypt.

The magnificent pyramids attest not only to the dynasty's supreme power, but also to the engineering expertise and architectural sophistication that flourished under their rule. Hawass argues that the pyramids-including the Great Pyramid of Khufu, the only one of the Seven Wonders of the World still standing-were built by skilled craftsman who took great pride in their work.


About Zahi Hawass

Zahi Hawass is the secretary general of Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities and director of the Giza Plateau. He studied archaeology in Egypt and in the United States, earning a Ph.D. from the University of Pennsylvania. He has taught at the American University in Cairo, at UCLA, and at and other universities throughout the world, and he is the author of many books on ancient Egypt, including the bestselling Valley of the Golden Mummies. He was the host of such National Geographic television specials as Open the Lost Tombs and Pyramids Live.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Brad on March 16, 2011

Zahi Hawass is an important guy when it comes to Egyptology. He knows it, and he wants us to know it too. He spends a great deal of time in Mountains of the Pharaohs dropping names, asserting his authority when it comes to the possible readings of the artefact record, and sharing anecdotes about his......more

Goodreads review by Cameron on December 07, 2012

If you like Egyptology, you will love this book. If you don't know what Egyptology means, you probably won't love this book. If you are like me, and you really want to like Egyptology but whenever you read anything about Egypt you feel as though your brain is being extracted through your naval cavit......more

Goodreads review by Jorge on March 08, 2019

Lei la versión en español de este libro publicada por Crítica y que encontré en una sección de rebajas en la Librería Panamericana en Medellín. Nunca entendí como un libro con un tema tan atractivo como la historia de las pirámides en Guizá, escrita por uno de los más reconocidos y carismáticos egip......more

Goodreads review by Rebecca on January 29, 2023

*3.5 stars This book gives a general overview of the Old Kingdom pharaohs and their monumental pyramids. The information overall is very clear, but can sometimes become too academic. I did like the little imagined vignettes at the beginning of each chapter, as I think they added more personality to......more

Goodreads review by John on December 22, 2020

I enjoyed this title very much. Dr. Hawass paints a very nice picture of the Early Kingdom, expressing both known and unknown portions of this history. He is not shy to expose mysteries or interesting inconsistencies nor look down upon cult theories. It appears there are a lot of reviewers/readers who......more