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The Oxford History of Ancient Egypt. Ed. by Ian Shaw. New York: Oxford Univ. Pr., 2000. 640p. acid-free $45 (ISBN 0-19-815034-2). www.oup.com.
The term 'ancient Egypt" covers thousands of years of history and many changes in leadership, culture, and society. This book attempts to cover them all, from prehistory to the Roman Empire. Arranged chronologically, each section describes a phase in history, looking at not only the "textual record" but also "cultural and social patterns" (preface).
The book itself is beautifully designed. Color pictures and detailed maps and site plans abound, complementing the text without taking away from the factual information being presented. Editor Ian Shaw, known for his work in ancient Egyptian technology and geology, has done an admirable job of covering a very difficult and extensive subject in 512 pages, including everything from art to religion to warfare in each time period presented. Using the latest archaeological record, he and the other contributors analyze recent finds to...