Mountains of the Pharaohs: The Untold Story of the Pyramid Builders
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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.Publishers WeeklySome 4,000 years ago, the pharaohs of the Old Kingdom began to build gigantic monuments to themselves in Giza, along the Nile River. Hawass-secretary general of Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities and one of Time magazine's 100 most influential people-has painstakingly put together the story of these immense structures and the people who built them. Using the latest archeological insight and stitching the tale together with his brief fictionalized forays into the past, Hawass explores the interwoven family, clan and societal organizations that made up ancient Egyptian culture. He writes that the pharaohs, initially worshippers of the sun and eventually made sun gods themselves, began constructing these giant tombs as soon as they ascended to the throne. Hawass imagines Khufu, the builder of the Great Pyramid, finding comfort in thinking that "[h]is pyramid was rising rapidly, reaching to the sky and ensuring his eternal life as a god...." Throughout, Hawass weaves accounts of the ancient Egyptians with current excavations of the ruins. For general readers with no abiding interest in ancient Egypt, this is tough sledding at times. Without much narrative punch, Hawass writes seemingly endless strings of information in lackluster prose. But for Egyptophiles, this will be must reading. 8 pages of color photos. (Aug.) Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.
Pt. 1The dawn of the 4th dynastyCh. 1The reign of Sneferu13Ch. 2Sneferu at Meidum21Ch. 3Dahshur : Sneferu and the cult of the Sun32Ch. 4The court of Sneferu42Ch. 5The king is dead48Pt. 2The reign of the Sun GodCh. 6The early reign of Khufu55Ch. 7Revolution in year five67Ch. 8Ruthless monarch or great scientist?80Ch. 9Khufu's court85Ch. 10The completion of the great pyramid and the death of Khufu101Pt. 3The heirs of KhufuCh. 11Battles stir within the royal family : Djedefre at Abu Rawash109Ch. 12The conspiracies of Khafre114Ch. 13The pyramid complex of Khafre117Ch. 14The court of Khafre133Ch. 15The death of Khafre138Ch. 16Menkaure ascends the throne140Pt. 4The pyramid builders at GizaCh. 17The pyramid builders of Giza157Ch. 18The lives of the pyramid builders167Pt. 5The end of an eraCh. 19Shepseskaf, the good son179Ch. 20The rising of the sons of Re : the reign of Khentkawes and the dawn of the 5th dynasty182Ch. 21The abandonment of Giza185
