The Lost Tomb [Hardcover]

Kent R. Weeks (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 2, 1998

Kent Weeks made international headlines when, seventy feet below the surface of Egypt's Valley of the Kings, he found the largest and most complicated mausoleum yet discovered, the tomb of Ramesses II's sons. Now, for the first time, Weeks shares up-to-the-minute details on the thrilling discovery -- and contemplates what the tomb, called KV5, will reveal as the excavation moves forward. Built in the age of Exodus, the tomb could potentially transform ancient and biblical history. Its lower levels, possibly containing mummies of Ramesses II's sons, may shed new light on many of the mysteries of the Old Testament, including the story of Moses and the flight of the Israelites from Egypt.

Weeks draws on his own diaries, as well as those of his wife and his foreman, to describe the excitement and risks that surround such a significant find. From floodwaters that threatened the opened tomb and the precarious crawl spaces deep within it, to thieving tourists and scorpions, this adventure is not for the weak of heart. Photographs and sketches illustrate the crew's progress and the objects and decorations found in the tomb's chambers and hallways. The result -- a true-life, impossibly thrilling Raiders of the Lost Ark -- will entrance readers from beginning to end.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Working for the American university in Cairo in 1988, Kent Weeks embarked on an archeological dig into KV5, the sparsely explored fifth tomb in the Valley of the Kings, burial ground of Egypt's major Pharaohs. In 1995, he discovered the T-shaped burial complex of Ramses II's 50 sons--arguably the most significant discovery since Howard Carter unearthed King Tut's tomb in 1922. Weeks's account of this historic event is filled with a sense of awe and wonder. "[I]n my imagination," he writes, recalling a vision of the statue of Osiris, god of the afterlife, "I could see the ancient funerals that took place three thousand years ago. I could hear ancient priests chanting prayers and shaking tambourines ... I could smell incense and feel priestly robes brush my arm as the funeral procession moved slowly past. For an instant I felt transported back in time: it was 1275 BCE and this was ancient Thebes."

Weeks also points out what his discovery may tell us about the powerful, redhaired pharoah who ruled ancient Egypt for 67 years (1279-1212 BC), including the possibility that he was the pharaoh of Exodus. He elaborates upon his profession's risks, from excavations in narrow, debris-filled and claustraphobic surroundings to working under the gunfire of terrorist attacks. And he reminds us that his discovery by no means brings Egyptology to a conclusion: "Every generation of Egyptologists asks different questions of its data and data are a finite resource. We will leave parts of KV5 undug so that archeologists of the future, armed with new questions and new excavation techniques, can seek new answers to old questions and to others we haven't even dreamed of." --Eugene Holley Jr.

From Publishers Weekly

In 1995, Weeks, a noted Egyptologist and professor at the American University in Cairo, and his archeological team discovered a tomb in Luxor's Valley of the Kings. Labeled KV5, it was hailed as the lost burial chamber of the sons of Ramesses II. Weeks's Egyptological leanings were a long time in coming. He starts by chronicling his childhood dreams and their eventual fulfillment some 10 years ago. By 1989, Weeks, his wife, Susan, and his team had been working in the Valley of the Kings for 10 years. Intrigued by so-called missing tombs of the Valley that had been only cursorily explored, Weeks decided to look for one in particular, KV5, which, if early maps were correct, was in the path of projected highway building. Using the journals and maps of two earlier explorers?James Burton, who first came to Luxor in 1825, and Howard Carter, noted for many discoveries, including that of King Tut's tomb (1922)?Weeks and his team began digging. Their search resulted in the discovery of the largest mausoleum in the area, which Weeks makes a convincing case for identifying as the burial site of Ramesses's sons. In the final chapters, Weeks provides readers with an introduction to the world of Ramesses II and the 18th and 19th dynasties, indicating the possibility of further finds in KV5 that would clarify aspects of ancient and biblical history. But most of all, by drawing on his diaries, Weeks gives a sense of immediacy in the reconstruction of a fascinating story that fully conveys the thrill of discovery after years of painstaking work. Color and b&w photos not seen by PW. 7-city author tour.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 330 pages
• Publisher: William Morrow; 1st edition (October 2, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 068815087X
• ISBN-13: 978-0688150877
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.2 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (33 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,393,847 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Waiting for Vol 2., February 4, 2000

By 

Richard S. Sullivan (Santa Fe, New Mexico) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Lost Tomb (Hardcover)

This is your book if:

-You have had a casual interest in things ancient and Egyptian for over 50 years.

-You have had fantasies of being an archeologist yourself at one time.

-You are not going to lose any sleep over a mislabeled mummy in an illustration.

-You are not totally focused on the KV5 tomb - there's more here.

-You would like an inside peek at archeology in the works.

-You have no interest in playing a role in the inside politics of contemporary Egyptology.

-You bust a gut laughing over the idea that Martians built the pyramids.

-And you have some time to spend; because once you start, you won't want to put it down.

A terrific tour de force. I loved the side trips and comments about working in a tourist Mecca much like monkeys in a zoo, I didn't find it disjointed or fragmented either.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic story on a historic discovery, August 17, 2000

By 

Jeffrey Jotz "You'll know him when you find him" (Rahway, NJ USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Lost Tomb: In 1995, An American Egyptologist Discovered The Burial Site Of The Sons Of Ramesses Ii--this Is His (Paperback)

I became interested in this book after reading a favorable review in the NY Times book review, and being new to Egyptology, I was pleased to find that Weeks did a remarkable job of providing plenty of background information on the Valley of the Kings, history of some of the Pharoes of Egypt, various explorers who have visited the area (and KV5) in the past, the people who have joined his crew on the exploration of KV5 and the effects of modern life on the condition of the tombs.

He does an excellent job of holding the narrative together, and I eagerly awaited each new page to see what (if anything), Weeks and his team would discover next. He made no attempt to hide his excitement with each new discovery (and disappointment into running into dead ends and other obstacles), and does a competent job in placing the reader alongside him in the tomb.

This is my first book on Egyptology, and both the seasoned Egyptologist and general reader will find this to be a fascinating tale of archaeology in action.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating account of the re-discovery of KV5, February 6, 2000

By 

Vincent Lau - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Lost Tomb (Hardcover)

This is an fascinating account of the discovery, or, to be precise, re-discovery, of the sprawling KV5 tomb in the Valley of the Kings. Dr. Kent Weeks, who heads the excavation project, provides us with a lucid narrative of the events in which the inquisitive mind and perseverence of archeologists and others who're involved in the venture finally led to the unveiling of one of the most amazing tombs in dynastic Egypt. The author has adopted a matter of fact approach and thankfully does not sensationalise matters or make wild predictions that are unsupported by facts. Nevertheless, the story is embellished by rich details, a sense of humour and some human touches, making it an enjoyable read from beginning to end. Furthermore, the reader can also know something about the not-too-glamorous side of archeology (which often involves tedious work in highly uncomfortable and even claustrophobic environment) and this, by itself, can be quite eye-opening to the uninitiated. On the other hand, the sense of awe and amazement on the part of those who first entered the "lost tomb", as well as the sense of disappointment at some other stages in the excavation, is palpable. With its friendly writing style and interesting subject matter, I believe that this book would not only appeal to those who're already steeped in Egyptology or archeology in general, it should also be easily appreciated by the general reader.