By Publisher: Thames & Hudson
ISBN: 0500051453
Release Date: 2006-10-30
List Price: USD 34.95
Hardcover
Buy it from: amazon.com ( from US$ 12.11)
Book description:
The definitive book that recounts the full history of the colorful queens of Egypt.
This fascinating saga spans 3,000 years of Egyptian queenship from Early Dynastic times until the suicide of Cleopatra in 30 BC. Starting with the unique role enjoyed by Egypt's women in the ancient world, the book goes on to present a biographical portrait of every queen, supplemented by a wealth of pictorial detail, datafiles, genealogical trees, timelines, and special features—from Childbirth to Wigs—highlighting different aspects of Egyptian culture.
The queen of Egypt was, first and foremost, a supportive wife and mother, but in times of dynastic crisis she was expected to act as her husband's deputy. The queen might be required to marshal troops, or to rule on behalf of an infant son. She might even be called upon to rule in her own right in the absence of a suitable king. The female pharaohs Hatshepsut and Tawosret, the sun queens Tiy and Nefertiti, the seductive Nefertari and Cleopatra: many of Egypt's queens have left an indelible mark on their country's history.
And what of Egypt's lesser queens, the numerous wives and daughters maintained in pampered seclusion in the harem palaces? These women are generally forgotten, their graves lost in the desert sands. But the anonymous ladies occasionally stepped from the security of the harem to influence the royal succession, and their stories too are told. 273 illustrations, 173 in color.
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Reviews from people like you (1)
A History of Ancient Egyptian Queens
Eva.Usermaatre(Hong Kong)
Seldom has a book introduced the queens in Ancient Egypt, but this book did, and did quite well. Most of people who interested in Pharaohs, because they are more visible and prominent in the development of Egyptian history, but infact, the term of Kingship in ancient Egypt contains the term of Queenship, in another words, queens are vital for the living of Kingship. A Pharaoh can not rule without a queen. Although from the very early time of ancient Egypt to the end of its Pharaonic history, queens are always overshadowed by their husbands, history leaves us quite a amount of info about queens in ancient Egypt, thanks to those, Egyptologists can reconstruct their roles and changes in the history.
This book begins explaining the role of women of ancient Egypt. Indeed, no matter how high the position of queen is, she is at first a women, a wife of a special man and phehaps mother of the royal child. From the myth of Isis and Osiris, queens have already been assigned of a role which is very complex and difficult. Like Isis, the faithful wife of Osris, the consort must firstly perform a role of supportive wife. If possible, she have also perform the mother of the next king. Then she will be assigned the role of the consort, in charge of harem. When the king is in battle, she have to carry the burden of kingly office, running the country, avoiding the chaos.
After the explanation, it lists nearly most of the queens in the history and gives detailed or general introductions. Easliy we can see the clear development of queenship from beginning of dynasty to the end. Great names leaves deep impressions on me, like Sobekneferu, Tiy, Nefertiti, Ahmose-Nefertari, Nefetari, Hatshepusut and so on.
It is a very enjoyable process of reading this book. I felt that nearly every introduced herself to me, her husband, her children, her role. Anyway, great book.
2007-06-21 23:51 | comment
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