Author Description

The ambitious claim of this lavishly illustrated book is that it presents the widest range of ancient Egyptian gold objects and jewels ever assembled in one volume; it is certainly a treat for the eye. Large colour photographs, accompanied by concise and informative passages of text, provide a social and religious history of Egypt, from prehistory to the Ptolemaic Period, through its unrivalled collections of gold artefacts, often portraying a wide variety of animals. The belief that gold had spiritual and magical properties ensured that it dominated funerary assemblages. The authors discuss changing fashions and fortunes as well as the ancient and more recent problem of tomb robbery. Reliefs and papyri illustrate goldmining and goldworking techniques. This book is also a guide to the great archaeological discoveries of the 19th and 20th centuries and includes discussions of finds dating from each period, not least objects belonging to Queen Ahhotep, Tutankhamun and the High Priests of Thebes. Appendices record rulers, types of coloured stones and the hieroglyphs, insignia and emblems of the gods which provided frequent inspiration for goldwork.