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Abydos: Egypt's First Pharaohs and the Cult of Osiris (New Aspects of Antiquity) Paperback – April 1, 2011

by David O'Connor (Author)

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“O’Connor presents the rich fruits of his long labors in this volume certain to appeal to scholars and Egyptophiles alike.”—KMT

The ancient site of Abydos lies between the towering cliffs of the Egyptian high desert and the lush green floodplain of the Nile. As both the burial place of the first kings of Egypt and a cult center for Osiris, god of the dead, this sacred area has long tantalized archaeologists with incredible finds.

With over forty years’ experience of excavation and research at Abydos, David O’Connor is in an unrivaled position to provide the most authoritative and up-to-date account of this unique Egyptian site. Here, for the first time, Professor O’Connor not only explains the complex history of Abydos but also vividly evokes the power that the sacred landscape held for contemporary Egyptians. This beautifully illustrated book will be of interest to anyone who has ever wondered about the origins of one of the greatest civilizations in world history. 11 color and 102 black-and-white illustrations

Abydos: Egypt's First Pharaohs and the Cult of Osiris (New Aspects of Antiquity)

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Product Details

Series: New Aspects of Antiquity
Paperback: 216 pages
Publisher: Thames & Hudson; First Edition Thus edition (April 1, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 050028900X
ISBN-13: 978-0500289006
Product Dimensions: 0.7 x 0.1 x 1 inches
Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #825,270 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #778 in Books > History > Ancient Civilizations > Egypt
- #1911 in Books > History > Historical Study & Educational Resources > Archaeology
- #12484 in Books > Arts & Photography > Photography & Video

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Invaluable - a Must Have

By JLee VINE VOICE on June 26, 2009

Format: Hardcover Verified Purchase

David O'Connor has been excavating at Abydos since 1967 -- probably his most famous find is the series of boats near the enclosures of Khasekhemwy (Shunet el Zebib) and the Western Mastaba -- and so is well-qualified to author this valuable and comprehensive work on the site. O'Connor pulls together the history of the development of the site and its excavation, as well as discussing the significance of various discoveries. It is an excellent, and well thought out compendium. The book is easy to read and well written, but intended for those with at least some knowledge of the subject matter, not absolute beginners.

Especially valuable, and sometimes difficult to find elsewhere, is the information on more recent discoveries and theories. To provide a few examples: he discusses the excavations by Stephen Harvey at the Ahmose complex, Janet Richards at the North and Middle Cemeteries, Josef Wegner at the Senwosret III complex, Mary-Ann Pouls Wegner's survey of the cultic landscape, the Akhenaten talatat found at the Ramesses II temple, and the theories of Gunter Dreyer regarding the early hieroglyphic signs from Tomb U-j. This is almost priceless information - much of it is only available in more expensive, subscription or foreign language publications. The discussions here are, of course, often much briefer than are available elsewhere, and O'Connor does supply a bibliography for further reading (and I've added a few links at the end of this review).

O'Connor deals with many theories (tomb development, the meaning of various symbolic elements such as mounds and pyramids, etc.), and he is one of the few Egyptologists who seems willing to say that in many cases the limited data available is sometimes open to more than one interpretation.Read more ›

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Informed, informative, and thoroughly 'reader friendly'

By Midwest Book Review on August 17, 2009

Format: Hardcover

Every year that passes sees more and more contributions to our understanding of ancient Egypt through continuing archaeological discoveries. Drawing upon his more than forty years of experience and expertise in excavation and research at Abydos, David O'Connor (Professor of Ancient Egyptian Art, Institute of Fine Arts, New York University) presents a superbly organized and impressively illustrated history of this seminally important site positioned between the towering cliffs of the Egyptian high desert and the green agricultural floodplain of the Nile river where Egypt's ancient royalty were entombed and which became a major cult center for Osiris, the Egyptian god of the dead. The culture, history, and archaeological discoveries superbly presented in "Abydos: Egypt's First Pharaohs And The Cult Of Osiris" are informed, informative, and thoroughly 'reader friendly'. A seminal contribution to academic library Egyptology reference collections, and especially recommended to the attention of non-specialist general readers with an interest in the culture and history of ancient Egypt.

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Another very nice Thames & Hudson book on the ancient world

By Larry N. Stout on September 9, 2013

Format: Paperback

David O'Connor's authoritative book on Abydos is interesting and enlightening -- a very worthwhile addition to my library. The book is not as beautifully coherent in its organization as Barry Kemp's "Amarna", which likewise focuses on a particular ancient Egyptian city, but that may well be because Abydos itself, in its incomparably longer occupation, was and is considerably incoherent, just as archaeological investigations there have been (necessarily) less than comprehensive, and, especially in earlier times, uncoordinated and variously rather unmethodical. As another reviewer has noted, the lengthy credits to the author's colleagues who have worked or are working at Abydos are quite a digression, and should have been relegated to an afterword. Expansive interpretations of the Osiris cult and of the "sacred landscape" at Abydos are perhaps unconstrained, but nevertheless interesting. Unfortunately, the comprehensive chronological table for ancient Egypt at the back of the book in some notable respects conflicts materially with the dates and assignments adopted in the text (e.g., p. 87); presumably the table was lifted from other sources and inserted by the series editors without consulting Prof. O'Connor(?), and certainly without bothering to cross-check for agreement with the text.Read more ›

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Excellent graphics

By physics student on February 20, 2010

Format: Hardcover Verified Purchase

One would wish to like this book, but it can hardly be described as well written. Mostly
it reads like an expansion of an after-dinner speech fulsomely praising the author's former
and present colleagues, with little asides about their achievemets. It is impossible to
read very far without one's train of thought being interrupted by an incomplete personal reference that distracts without informing. Really,
the prospective audience could likely handle footnotes and endnotes! After all, we are
assumed to know (and do know) who Khasekhemwy was!

I note the problems with this book with particular sensitivity because I am also reading
Martin Veltman's book on particle physics, in which he attempts something similar, with complete success. Veltman uses a layout in which personal information and anecdotes are
placed in boxes independent of the main text.

But it is the man, not the method, that solves the problem. I have read numerous books
on Egyptology which mix the subject and the excavators in a manner which is both
agreeable and informative. Michael Hoffman, in particular, achieved this in his
"Egypt before the Pharaohs: the Prehistoric Foundations of Egyptian Civilization", which is
my favorite book on Egyptology.

However, the graphical material - photographs, computer graphics, drawings, maps - is
truly excellent. I would suggest that a second edition be prepared, in which all of the
current text is stripped out and rewritten by a capable graduate student or post-doctoral
fellow, with the graphics and images maintained "as is".

My three stars are mainly given for the imagery.

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Most Recent Customer Reviews

Beautiful, informative book

Superb coverage of this exceptionally important early site with great illustrations.

Published 11 months ago by Larissa Taylor

Excellent book.

Highly interesting, well documented.

Published 16 months ago by JAN MELLEGERS

Ancient Egypt Revisited

Very well written and explained, excellent illustrations supplied, helped me better to understand the development and history of ancient Egypt.

Published on December 29, 2013 by abraham ben-naftali

Well written, and generously illustrated.

A well written, excellent source of Abydos history, through the ages. I particularly enjoyed the chapter on Seti I's temple.

Published on October 14, 2013 by Joan A. Lansberry

Abydos

This book is beautifully presented, detailed and informative. The line drawings are clear and it covers many aspects of Abydos.

Published on July 8, 2013 by Dr Mac

Very informative, a real gem!

David O'Connor gives a broad view of the history and discoveries, of a so important place as ancient Abydos and the cult of Osiris, in ancient Egypt. Read more

Published on April 12, 2013 by Frans Henraat

For the scholar.

Technically there is nothing wrong with this book. The author is extremely knowledgable. Scholars of Ancient Egypt will be rewarded with new, detailed information. Read more

Published on August 28, 2012 by Bob Russell

Excellent documentation

I recently had the pleasure of traveling to Abydos and visiting the Temple of Seti I. This book is an excellent record of that experience. I wish I could have had it with me.

Published on June 12, 2011 by Gerald A. Vanslambrouck

Well, we kind of already knew that....

If you are interested in the excavations that have taken place in Abydos, then this is the book for you. Read more

Published on April 26, 2011 by James Goza

Satisfaction

I am very satisfied because the volume has been received on time inside a very safe package.

Published on October 8, 2009 by Paolucci Danilo

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