Alexandria [Hardcover]

William La Riche (Author), William L. Riche (Author), Stephane Compoint (Photographer)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 1997

Lost in the 4th century AD when a series of earthquakes submerged the city beneath the sea,Alexander lived on in myth and legend.Established by Alexander the Great in 300 BC it was for centuries the hub of mediterranean trade and a landmark of scholarly.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

The recent excavation of an underwater locale in Egypt yielded an awesome collection of artifacts, including huge architectural and sculptural fragments. La Riche's stunning book documents these discoveries, telling the story of the Egyptian-French research team that carried out the project to map the Pharos site, going on to unearth thousands of precious relics from the ancient Alexandrian civilization. La Riche's vivid recounting delves into Alexandria's remarkable history, even as it reveals the challenges faced by the team on its dramatic archaeological quest. It all makes for exciting reading, with La Riche's stirring prose describing splendid statuary and stunning evidence of a renowned lighthouse buried by the sea in the fifteenth century. The photography of Stephane Compoint serves as a spectacular complement to the text. Includes a historical chronology and description of architectural development in Egypt. Alice Joyce

Language Notes

Text: English (translation)
Original Language: French

Product Details

• Hardcover: 135 pages
• Publisher: George Weidenfeld & Nicholson, Ltd.; 1st.ed. edition (June 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 3763245898
• ISBN-13: 978-3763245895
• ASIN: 0297821806
• Product Dimensions: 12.3 x 10.6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,377,930 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars AN AMAZING ACHIEVEMENT, December 22, 2000

By 

r. e. b. (MPLS. MN) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Alexandria (Hardcover)

I have seriously studied ancient history and archeology for over thirty years. I have rarely come upon a book in the field that compares with ALEXANDRIA: THE SUNKEN CITY in combining visual pleasure and intellectual illumination with literary brilliance and grace. This book is an amazing achievement.

1.0 out of 5 stars A breathlessly silly book, but some good photographs, January 21, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Alexandria (Hardcover)

Many of the underwater photographs are interesting, and some make a great impression, but the text of this book is of the lowest order -- silly, gabbling, breathless, not at all as if by an informed and serious writer. No stars for the author. Nor for the editors and publishers who went for trash when they should have aimed for gold.

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Mysterious World Recommended Book, October 5, 2003

By 

Doug Elwell "Publisher, Mysterious World" (http://www.mysteriousworld.com) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Alexandria (Hardcover)

Alexandria: The Sunken City is an top-quality photographic essay of Jean-Yves Empereur's 1995 underwater expedition off the coast of Alexandria, Egypt. There, Empereur and crew found a gold mine of archaeological artifacts, including massive stone sculptures, pillars covered with Egyptian hieroglyphics, and even numerous sphinxes. This now-submerged part of ancient Egyptian history is considered to be one of the greatest archaeological finds of the twentieth century, and Alexandria: The Sunken City covers the subject well in a simply written, lavishly illustrated coffee-table-sized book that is a must have for anyone interested in underwater archaeology, Egyptology, the ancient history of the Mediterranean, and related disciplines.