Saqqara: The Royal Cemetery of Memphis- Excavations and Discoveries Since 1850 [Hardcover]

Jean-Philippe Lauer (Author)

Product Details

• Hardcover: 248 pages
• Publisher: Thames & Hudson Ltd (February 9, 1976)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0500050244
• ISBN-13: 978-0500050248
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 7.5 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,053,901 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A SUPERB HISTORY OF THE GREATEST CEMETERY OF EGYPT, November 24, 2000

By 

Robert (Buenos Aires, Capital Federal Argentina) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Saqqara: The Royal Cemetery of Memphis- Excavations and Discoveries Since 1850 (Hardcover)

This title is a marvelous, authoritative, not-boring, complete (as far as it can be asked for a popular account), well-illustrated and better documented and researched, as it cannot be otherwise from the hands of Dr. Lauer, the famous re-discoverer of the Step Pyramid of Djoser at Saqqara. His intimate knowledge of what he is writing about is the best guaranty for an amusing and nice "guided-tour" to Saqqara, the impressive cemetery of the royal city of Memphis and the greatest indeed in Egypt, not only in size but also in span of time covered by the monuments, which range as from the earliest dynasties till the latest Christian and Arabic periods. A real must for everyone: recommendation: You Must Own One of This!

5.0 out of 5 stars The complete (and virtually only) book on Saqqara, January 27, 2010

By 

Edward H. Carlson (Okemos Michigan) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Saqqara: The Royal Cemetery of Memphis- Excavations and Discoveries Since 1850 (Hardcover)

I agree with the first review, but feel that some added comments will clarify the nature of this book. I am usually leery of buying popular editions on Egyptology that are published before about 1990, as color plates were very expensive then, and sometimes even the black and white photos are of poor quality. This Thames and Hudson edition is done with their usual high quality, in a decent sized format: 10 by 7.5 inches. It has 197 photos, 20 in color, and 14 diagrams. Few are full page, most are 2 to 4 per page. In addition, it has a very detailed map of the Saqqara area, occupying two adjacent pages, and not disappearing into the center binding, as so often annoyingly happens. It is written in a relaxed, somewhat scholarly style, but with a general audience in mind. It gives an overview of the subject, interspersed in the running text with comments on each photo, colored plate, and figure, numbered in the margin for ease in finding them.

I had been looking for a good book about Saqqara, and was pleased when my copy (used of course) arrived. Twice I have been to Saqqara, with a tour group. All the standard sites for tourism are covered in this book, including the Step Pyramid, the Mastaba of Ti, (with floor plan and color photos), and the Pyramid of Teti. All the further important sites in Saqqara that one reads about are also well covered.

I would like to mention another book, Abusir, Realm of Osiris by Miroslav Verner, 13 by 9.5 inches, 248 pages, published by the American University in Cairo Press in 2002. It has many colored photos and some drawings and diagrams. Its text is very informative and interesting. This beautiful book is also a treasure, and I recommend it especially to readers who do not necessarily want a book specifically about Saqqara. It concerns the necropolis of Abusir, adjacent to Saqqara to the north. Many of the photos are full page or double page in size, and some are included to treat us with the beauty of the landscape or for human interest.