RECOMMENDED READING ON THE ANCIENT NEAR EAST

• Aldred, Cyril. Egyptian Art. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1980. pb.
  • Good outline of ancient art and architecture.
• Andrews, Carol. Egyptian Amulets. Austin: Univ. of Texas, 1994.
  • Good information on Egyptian symbols.
• Arnold, Dieter. Building in Egypt: Pharaonic Stone Masonry. Oxford: Oxford Univ. Press, 1991.
  • Excellent study of tools and construction techniques.
• Bierbrier, M. Tomb Builders of the Pharaohs. New York: Scribner's, 1984.
  • Lively analysis of life in Deir el Medina (Luxor) and good account of building the tombs in the Valley of the Kings.
• Decker, Wolfgang. Sports and Games in Ancient Egypt. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1992.
• Edwards, I.E.S. The Pyramids of Egypt. New York:Viking/Penguin (2nd edition) 1985. pb.
  • Excellent summary of tomb architecture and pyramids.
• Hamilton-Patterson, J. & Andrews, C. Mummies: Death and Life in Ancient Egypt. New York: Penguin, 1978. pb.
  • Good overview of ancient religious beliefs.
• Healy, Mark and McBride, Angus. New Kingdom Egypt. London: Osprey, 1992. pb.
  • A small book, with many illustrations dealing with the Egyptian military.
• Hobson, Christine The World of the Pharaohs. London: Thames and Hudson, 1987.
  • Best overall introduction to ancient Egypt. Sections on various geographic areas, monuments, and aspects of ancient culture.
• Hornung, Erik. The Valley of the Kings. New York: Timken Publisher, 1990.
  • Wonderful book with fantastic photographs of royal tombs. Expert text by the foremost scholar of religious texts from the royal tombs.
• James, T.G.H. Ancient Egypt: Its Land and its Legacy. Austin: Univ. of Texas, 1988.
  • Much more than just a large format photo book; wonderful text.
• Janssen, Rosalind and Jac. Growing Old in Ancient Egypt. London: Rubicon Press, 1996. pb.
• Janssen, Rosalind and Jac. Growing Up in Ancient Egypt. London: Rubicon Press, 1990. pb.
• Jenkins, Nancy The Boat Beneath the Pyramid. New York: Holt Rinehart Winston, 1980. pb.
  • Wonderful story and photos of the ship of Khufu at Giza.
• Killen, Geoffrey. Egyptian Woodworking and Furniture. Aylesbury, UK.: Shire, 1994. pb.
• Lehner, Mark The Complete Pyramids. New York: Thames and Hudson, 1997.
  • Interesting information about the lifestyle and duties of the men who built the pyramids.
• Quirke, Stephen and Spencer, Jeffrey (editors). The British Museum Book of Ancient Egypt. London: The British Museum, 1992. pb. former edition by T.G.H. James An Introduction to Ancient Egypt. (1979). pb.
  • Very highly recommended for overall cultural background and history. Also includes Roman and Coptic periods and Nubia.
• Quirke, Stephen. Ancient Egyptian Religion. London: The British Museum, 1992. pb.
  • Very good introduction to many aspects of religion, illustrated with artifacts.
• Reeves, Nicholas. The Complete Tutankhamun. New York: Thames and Hudson, 1990.
  • Lavishly illustrated, very good text.
• Robins, Gay. Women in Ancient Egypt. London: The British Museum, 1993. pb.
  • Covers marriage, family, royal women, women's occupations etc.
• Romer, J. Valley of the Kings. New York: Morrow, 1981.
  • Excellent history of the valley and its exploration, illustrated with many fine photos. pb.
• Scheel, Bernd. Egyptian Metalworking and Tools. Aylesbury, UK.: Shire, 1989. pb.
• Strouhal, Eugene. Life of the Ancient Egyptians. Norman: Univ of Oklahoma, 1992. pb.
  • Picture book format with beautiful illustrations but uneven text.
• Uphill, Eric. Egyptian Towns and Cities. Aylesbury, UK.: Shire, 1988. pb.
• Vercoutter, Jean. The Search for Ancient Egypt. New York: Abrams, 1992. pb.
  • Excellent small book full of illustrations about many aspects of Egyptology.
• Vinson, Steve. Egyptian Boats and Ships. Aylesbury, UK.: Shire, 1994. pb.
• Watson, Philip. Costume of Ancient Egypt. New York/Philadelphia: Chelsea House, 1987.
  • One of the few sources for ancient clothing. Many nice illustrations.
• Wente, Edward. Letters from Ancient Egypt. Atlanta: Scholar's Press, 1990.
  • New translations of all sorts of texts, from laundry lists to personal letters.
• Wilkinson, Richard. Reading Egyptian Art. New York: Thames and Hudson, 1992.
  • Clear explanation of how hieroglyphs and symbols are incorporated into Egyptian art.
• Wilson, Hilary. Egyptian Food and Drink. Aylesbury: Shire, 1988. pb.

• Aliki. Mummies Made in Egypt. New York: Harper and Row, 1979.
  • For the very young reader. Nice illustrations.
• Allan, Tony. Usborne Time Travellers Book of Pharaohs and Pyramids. London: EDC Publishers, 1977.
  • Focuses on homes, schools, field trips to monuments. Cartoon-style illustrations, well researched.
• Broida, Marian. Ancient Egyptians and Their Neighbors: An Activity Guide. Chicago: Chicago Review Press; 1999
• Bryan, Betsy & Cohen, Judith. You Can be a Woman Egyptologist. Culver City, CA.: Cascade Press, 1993.
  • In series which deals with women in science careers. For the younger reader.
• Carnegie Museum. Discover Ancient Egypt at the Carnegie. Pittsburgh: Carnegie Museum, 1990.
  • Workbook that can be used in classroom without visit to the museum.
• Carter, Dorothy. His Majesty, Queen Hatshepsut. New York: Lippincott, 1964.
• Caselli, Giovanni. Everyday Life of an Ancient Egyptian Craftsman. New York: Peter Bedrick Books, 1986.
  • Attractive and well-researched book with simple text (6th grade reading level).
• Conway, Lorraine. Ancient Egypt: Treasures, Tombs and Tutankhamen. Carthage IL: Good Apple Inc. 1987.
  • Excellent workbook for ancient Egypt. Highly recommended.
• Courtalon, Corinne. On the Banks of the Pharaoh's Nile. Chicago: Editions Gallimard, (Young Discovery Library), 1988.
• Crosher, Judith. Ancient Egypt. New York: Viking, 1992.
• David, Rosalie. The Giant Book of the Mummy. New York: Dulton Children's Books, 1993.
  • Huge book with good information about mummies and Egypt.
• Defrates, Joanna. What Do We Know About the Egyptians? New York: Peter Bedrick Books, 1991.
  • Series of questions such as "What did the Egyptians wear?" "Did the Egyptians have an army?" as basis for discussion.
• Dexter, Catherine. The Gilded Cat. New York: Morrow Junior Books, 1992. York: Harper and Row, 1978.
• Glubock, Shirley. Tamarin, Alfred. The Mummy of Ramose: The Life and Death of an Egyptian Nobleman. New York: Harper and Row, 1978.
• Gonick, Larry. The Cartoon History of the Universe. New York: Doubleday, 1990.
• Green, John. Life in Ancient Egypt: A Coloring Book. New York: Dover, 1989.
• Grant, Joan. The Blue Faience Hippopotamus. New York: Green Tiger Press, 1984.
  • For third grade and up.
• Hall, Lynn. Flash: Dog of Old Egypt. Champagne, Il.: Garrard, 1973.
• Harris, Geraldine, Gods & Pharaohs from Egyptian Myths. New York: Peter Bedrick Books, 1992.
  • Renditions of myths from Egypt accompanied by wonderful illustrations. Good for read aloud periods.
• Hart, George. Ancient Egypt. New York: Knopf, 1990.
  • Most of the volume contains illustrations of artifacts. Highly recommended. In the Eyewitness Series.
• Katan, Norma. Hieroglyphs: The Writing of Ancient Egypt. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1981.
  • For grades 6-8.
• Lauber, Patricia. Tales Mummies Tell. New York: Harper Collins, 1985.
  • Mummies from Egypt, Peru, and other areas.
• Lumpkin, Beatrice. Senefer: A Young Genius in Old Egypt. Trenton NJ.: Africa World Press, 1992.
  • The life of a young boy.
• McCaulay, David. Pyramid. New York: Houghton Mifflin, 1975.
  • Also available as a video.
• McGraw, Eloise. The Golden Goblet. New York: Puffin, 1986.
  • Story set in Egypt. A classic, highly recommended.
• McGraw, Eloise. Mara: Daughter of the Nile. New York: Puffin, 1985.
  • Classic fiction.
• Malam, John. Indiana Jones Explores Ancient Egypt. London: Evans Bros., 1991.
• Manniche, Lise. How Djadja-em-ankh Saved the Day. New York: Crowell, 1977.
• Manniche, Lise. The Prince Who Knew his Fate. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1981.
  • Printed on a continuous piece of paper in imitation of a papyrus document. Relates an ancient story much like a modern fairytale.
• Mayers, Florence. ABC: Egyptian Art from the Brooklyn Museum. New York: Abrams, 1988.
• Miquel, Pierre. Ancient Egyptians. Morristown, Nj.: Silver Burdett, 1979.
• Morley, J. Bergin, M & James, J. An Egyptian Pyramid. New York: Peter Bedrick Books, 1991.
• Putnam, James. Mummy. New York: Knopf, 1993.
  • In the excellent series "Eyewitness Books." Includes a chapter on mummies from other lands.
• Reeves, Nicholas. Into the Mummy's Tomb: The Real-Life Discovery of TutAnkhAmun's Treasure. New York: Scholastic Books, 1992.
  • Written by a respected Egyptologist.
• Roehrig, Catherine. Fun with Hieroglyphs. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1990.
  • Set of hieroglyph stamps and book about the ancient language. Students can use the stamps to write in "Egyptian."
• Schealer, John. The Sycamore Warrior. New York: Dutton, 1960.
  • Good insight into daily life in ancient Egypt.
• Service, Pamela. The Reluctant God. New York: Fawcett, 1988.
  • Story of a boy who was to become pharaoh and the daughter of an archaeologist.
• Snyder, Zilpha. The Egypt Game. New York: Atheneum, 1979.
  • Very popular account of two girls' adventure in Egyptology.
• Stanley, Diane & Vennema, Peter. Cleopatra. New York: Morrow Junior Books, 1994.
  • Beautiful book on the last queen of Egypt and her relations with Rome.
• Stoltz, Mary. Zekmet The Stone Carver: A Tale of Ancient Egypt. New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1986.
• Unstead, R.J. (editor). See Inside an Egyptian Town. New York: Warwick Press, 1986.
  • Highly recommended.
• Usborne Cut-out model: Make this Egyptian Temple. London: Usborne, 1989.
  • Full-color punch-out temple will give students a vivid idea of one feature of Egyptian daily life.
• White, Jon. Everyday Life in Ancient Egypt. New York: Putnam, 1963.
• Woods, Geraldine. Science in Ancient Egypt. New York: Watts, 1988.