This book is an accessible introduction to the progression of architecture in ancient Egypt for both armchair Egyptologists/archaeologists and scholars new to the subject. The book is presented in a landscape, coffee-table format, with two columns of text per page, and many black and white illustrations throughout. The text is generally succinct, and not overly encumbered with references. A Glossary is provided at the back of the book, along with a useful Index and several pages of suggested reading. A brief Chronology is provided at the front of the book, along with a location map.
Through this short book—which totals 124 pages—the author seeks to offer an “authoritative overview” of ancient Egyptian architecture by describing its society through its monuments. This results in a cursory examination of fifteen “selected masterpieces” that represent important stages in the development of Egyptian architecture.
The reader is taken on a journey through ancient Egypt from the prehistoric period shrine of the per wer in Heirakonpolis to the complex and awe inspiring Ptolomaic Period Temple of Horus at Edfu. The book is presented in three parts. Part 1 examines the foundation of the state and the desire of the Egyptian rulers to subdue nature and bring it under control; Part 2 examines the emergence of a complex society and a developing sense of social morality; whilst Part 3 examines religious demarcation and segregation and what it meant to be ‘Egyptian’.
Each of the monuments is given a written description, so that the layperson can understand the architecture and its importance within the society of that time, and places it within the wider context of ancient Egypt. The text is accompanied by relevant photographs and reconstruction illustrations and plans, which will provide useful for those unfamiliar with the specific monuments. The book concludes with a short summary.
This book provides light reading for a topic that is complex and often dense. I would recommend it for anyone who is interested in an overview of the subject matter.