Customer Reviews

The Lost Tomb

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

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.

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.

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.

I thought this book was well imformed. Though it is not exactly a step by step work on the tomb KV 5 itself, it does give insight into the difficulties and emotions that one goes through during an excavation. It also makes valid points about the lack of conservation that the Egyptian officials have been willing to do. The building of the Dam destroyed so much, and it is well known that many of the floods that destroy tombs in the Valley of the Kings could be stopped if the Egyptian officals would devote the money to it. This book is good for anyone who is intrested in Egyptology causally.

And a note:
There have been a couple of reviews that have been quite negative, and I think without basis. Given, it is bad that one of the mummies in a picture is mis-marked, but that could be the editors fault. And the review came from a 'student' of Egyptology, who also happens to be in high school, and his/her claims presurpose that they know much more than Weeks.

I am in college and actually major in Egyptology. I know that indescrepancies occur, and this is because of different theories and interpretations that come from the translations of heiroglyphics.

Read the book and judge for yourself how good this book is!

Upon receiving this book as a Christmas gift, I was elated beyond description. Granted, it took me a while to finish the book (I'll admit, the jumps from one topic to another are prevalent) but upon it's completion, I was ever the more so inclined to work my butt off to earn my education money to study the shared passion of Dr. Weeks and myself - Egyptology. This book is a must read for anyone even remotely interested in the anthropological field. Dr. Weeks does not write under the false pretense that his book is meant to be a source of technological procedures used in archaeological digs. He comes right out and says that if you want to read HOW to dig, this book isn't going to teach you. For a book taken from journals/diaries and personal experiences, it is simply amazing. The historical information provided is wonderfully unpatronizing. Dr. Weeks does not assume the reader knows nothing of anthropology, and yet it is understandable, not overly pretentious of his achievements in his chosen field. I highly reccommend this book to anyone going into anthro/archaeology, as well as to those who just have a general interest in the topic.

I loved reading this book and found it well written. I'm not expert on the subject, but I felt this was a great book. And he seems very well qualified to have written on this subject!

I enjoyed the book but felt it was more of a personal diary than a truely descriptive work, and was therefore somewhat lacking in continuity and organization. It tends to bounce from biographical information on the author to accounts of workers and their lives to actual discussions of the excavation of KV5, sometimes within the same chapter. Some of the descriptions of the excavation were painfully detailed--to the centimeter of debris removed--and might not necessarily be of interest to the average nonprofessional for whom the book is probably intended. The final chapters were mostly a compendium of data and professional opinions (with heavy emphasis on the latter) regarding late 18th and early 19th dynasty kings and queens and what they might share in common. Most interesting to me was the information regarding some of Ramesses' sons, though very little is known of most of them.

Most interesting and informative. This is a wonderful book for the novice in the field of Egyptology, and I would suppose it would appeal to professionals as well because of the significance of the author's work.

Weeks details not only his personal history with Egypt, but gives a pretty good overview of the current consensus about the New Kingdom. I found the description of KV5 and the various drawings of the Valley tombs to be the best part of the book.

This is part adventure story, with the understanding that the adventures are true. The book is worth reading for the amusing tale of the way in which the first comprehensive map of the Valley was begun using aerial photography.

Buy it, read it, enjoy it.

See also "The Murder of Tutankhamen" by Bob Brier

I found the book very interesting for those who - like myeself - are interested in Egypt only as a general subject. I think other readers'criticisms about this book are unfair if you are aware that it is not meant to be a professional survey of the exploration of the tomb.