The Complete Tutankhamun: The King, the Tomb, the Royal Treasure (King Tut) [Paperback]

Nicholas Reeves (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0500278105 | ISBN-13: 978-0500278109 | Publication Date: April 1995

The tomb of Tutankhamun, with its treasures, has exerted a hold over the popular imagination ever since its discovery in 1922. This book is a detailed and comprehensive account of this great archaeological discovery. The story of the boy-king, buried in splendour at the height of Egyptian civilization; the determined quest for his tomb by Howard Carter and Lord Carnarvon; the unforeseen riches eventually revealed - these are important events in the history of archaeology. However, despite the publicity at the time of the discovery and since - made more intriguing by the linking of Carnarvon's early death with the legend of the pharoah's curse - it remains a story only partly told. Carter never produced a complete account of his excavations. The Tutankhamun exhibitions of the 1960's and 1970's generated a spate of books but none added significantly to what Carter had already published about the tomb. This book is a revealing account of the subject.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

As the owner and occupant of the most spectacular tomb to be excavated under modern archaeological conditions, Tutankhamun is synonymous with the mystery and wealth of ancient Egypt. In this comprehensive study, Tut's life and background, the architecture of the tomb, and the artifacts discovered in situ are examined in some detail. Archaeology books tend to be either pretty or important, but Reeves has produced a beautiful book with significant new information. The extent, wealth, and quality of the illustrations alone make it an important and attractive book. The text synthesizes the most current findings in the field. If your library can afford only one book on Tut, this one is it.
- Mary Morgan Smith, Northland P.L., Pittsburgh, Pa.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

"Bound to book you on the 'boy-king' and his rich tomb all over again."

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Thames & Hudson (April 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0500278105
• ISBN-13: 978-0500278109
• Product Dimensions: 9.9 x 7.4 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #342,037 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #40 in Books > History > Ancient > Africa

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Splendors Of The Boy Pharaoh, November 25, 2004

By 

Simon Davis (Melbourne, Australia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Complete Tutankhamun: The King, the Tomb, the Royal Treasure (King Tut) (Paperback)

Since the sensational discovery of the Boy Pharaoh Tutankhamun's almost intact tomb in the Valley of the Kings in 1922 there has been a regular stream of books dealing with the tomb, its discovery, and the rich bounty of treasures found in the burial. The books vary greatly in quality but I have to say that Nicholas Reeves' 1990 work on the subject "The Complete Tutankhamun: The King, the Tomb, the Royal Treasure", is without a doubt one of the very best on the subject and is full of informative information and historical background, and beautifully presented colour and black and white photographs on the subject all displayed in an easy to read format that has a logical flow to it. Indeed "The Complete Tutankhamun", is a small jewel box in itself and is essential reading for all budding Egyptologists or people interested in the customs and religious beliefs of ancient civilisations such as Egypt.

Beginning with a highly appropriate forward written by the present Seventh Earl of Carnarvon the format of the book is very well thought out and takes the reader firstly through the time that Tutankhamun lived in which of course was the controversial Amarna period created by the "Heretic Pharaoh", Akhenaten. This section provides much needed information on Tutankhamun's life much of which is still largely unknown to us. It deals with the Pharaoh's childhood and his eventual succession to the throne of Egypt as a 8 year old God and most interestingly looks at other monuments that Tutankhamun was responsible for creating during his short 9 year reign, most of which were usurped by later rulers. Later sections explore in detail the search for the tomb of the mysterious boy Pharaoh and its eventual discovery and excavation by Howard Carter. The tomb itself , small and largely undecorated compared to other Pharaoh's tombs is examined in an often interesting manner using three dimensional drawings to show its layout and side views. Finally the burial and the tomb's magnificent treasures encompassing golden shrines, jewellery, solid gold coffins, exotic animal figurines, and clothing are examined in detail. This section of the book is in particular a treat as the stunning colour photography really shows each piece described to its best advantage.

When one thinks of Tutankhamun's tomb one always thinks of gold and jewels however one of the great strengths of "The Complete Tutankhamun", is that good coverage is given to the myriad of personal and domestic objects that accompanied a Pharaoh on his journey to his new life. Interesting examinations of food stuffs, clothing, board games, and even touching family heirlooms like a boyhood bow and arrow belonging to Tutankhamun's childhood and a lock of Tutankhamun's Grandmother Queen Tiye's hair are examined and it is these less spectacular items that go a long way towards showing the reader more about just who Tutankhamun was as both boy and Pharaoh. Each section of the book is accompanied by a huge selection of photographs that are both from the time of the discovery of the Tomb of Tutankhamun and more recent ones photographed at the Cairo Museum. Those photos that are contemporary with the discovery of the tomb are of great interest and reveal the painstaking work involved in the clearing and cataloguing of even a small tomb such as Tutankhmaun's. Rarely has a book on this subject managed to incorporate photos of so many of the items from Tutankhamun's tomb which helps make "The Complete Tutankhamun", one of the definitive sources of information for the modern reader about a Pharaoh's burial and of Tutankhamun and Egypt near the end of the Eighteenth Dynasty.

"The Complete Tutankhamun", is one of my most cherished books on Ancient Egypt and I strongly recommend it to history and art lovers as one of the best sources of information on the Egypt of the glorious Eighteenth Dynasty. Egpyt of the time of the Pharaohs always seems to have a real attraction to even those people not greatly interested in history and this beautiful book is just the thing to satisfy anyone curious with this fascinating young ruler during Egypt's golden age. Make this gem part of your history library soon it is sure to become a treasured acquisition that you will find yourself returning to time and time again.

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Complete Tutankhamen, December 29, 2000

By 

Alvin R Morty (Cape Town, South Africa) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Complete Tutankhamun: The King, the Tomb, the Royal Treasure (King Tut) (Paperback)

I found this book to be one of the best amongst the many books I own on Egyptology. The book is richly illustrated and leaves the reader in awe as to the immensity and grandeur of King Tut's dynasty. I often refer to this particular book when doing research on him. Although I have had this book for some years now (1995 - Soft cover) and many more on the same king have been subsequently published, The Complete Tutankhamen still ranks as my favourite source of reference. The authors have spared no effort in bringing the mystery of King Tut into the homes and lives of the average layman. I am waiting in anticipation for more revelations on this mysterious Age of Kings.

13 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The tomb and its "treasures" are the real focus., October 23, 2002

By 

TammyJo Eckhart "TammyJo Eckhart" (Bloomington, Indiana United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: The Complete Tutankhamun: The King, the Tomb, the Royal Treasure (King Tut) (Paperback)

If you want a multitude of pictures and a fair discussion of the tomb's discovery and the objects found in it, then this is an excellent book. We used this in a grad/undergrad level seminar I took back at Columbia University because it is so detailed on the tomb and its discovery. However, when it comes to information about Tutankhanum himself there are only 20 pages that look at his life and the historical context of his life, most of that is spent on his family and the dynasty he is part of. 20 pages out of 200+?! This is why I'm giving this book only 4 stars -- the cover and the summary offered by the book itself suggests the book has three parts and this first one is barely there.