Ancient Records of Egypt: The First Through the Seventeenth Dynasties, Vol. 1 (Paperback)

~ James Henry Breasted (Editor) "76. The content of this document, remarkable as it is, is perhaps not more valuable than the revelation it furnishes of the existence of royal..." (more)
Key Phrases: making mortuary offerings, malachite country, mortuary stela, Lower Egypt, Twelfth Dynasty, Upper Egypt (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

In 1906, Breasted, America's first noted Egyptologist, published this series in which he presents a history of the golden age of Egypt gleaned from its records, many of which he was the first scholar to be allowed to study. This edition, the first in paperback, offers a new introduction by historian Peter A. Piccione, who places Breasted's work in a modern context. A solid series for academic libraries and priced so that public libraries also can afford them.
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

"In 1906, Breasted, America's first noted Egyptologist, published this series in which he presents a history of the golden age of Egypt gleaned from its records, many of which he was the first scholar to be allowed to study. This edition, the first in paperback, offers a new introduction by historian Peter A. Piccione, who places Breasted's work in a modern context. A solid series for academic libraries and priced so that public libraries also can afford them." -- "Classic Returns," Library Journal "The republication of this seminal work after nearly a century, by the University of Illinois, is as welcome as it is unexpected." -- Josef Wegner, Odyssey

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Product Details

• Paperback: 400 pages
• Publisher: University of Illinois Press; annotated edition edition (May 17, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0252069900
• ISBN-13: 978-0252069901
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #791,483 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A good place to start., August 30, 2001

By	L. D. Bores "grumposaurus" (Scottsdale, AZ United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This collection is - as Dr. Piccione points out - somewhat dated, assembled as it was - almost 100 years ago (hence only 4 stars). At the time of its original publication it was the pinnacle of its kind and collected together all extant memorials with new translations.
More material - much more - has been garnered since and some of the historical perspectives of Breasted will have - perforce - been pushed off the mark. Still and all - this series gathers togther all of that earlier material that laid the foundation for the egyptology today. Much of that material was then (and is likely still) available only in obscure articles, locations, manuscripts. Here it all is.
By all means, adjust the dates of certain epochs in the light of modern 'knowledge'; but that adjustment is just gravy. Here's the meat.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars excellent, September 15, 2001

By	Francesca Jourdan (Montreal, Canada) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

These volumes, written by a distinguished American Egyptologist, were first published in 1906 and 1907. In his introduction to this re-edition, Egyptologist Peter Piccione provides a short biography of the author as well as a historical account of the 5 tomes. Volume 1 discusses the First through the Seventeenth Dynasties; Volume 2, the Eighteenth Dynasty; Volume 3, the Nineteenth Dynasty; and Volume 4, the Twentieth through Twenty-Sixth Dynasties. Volume 5 contains supplementary bibliographies and indices for the previous volumes; Piccione has added a more recent bibliography that proves to be quite useful. Each book offers a description of texts along with comments on historicity and significance, before continuing onto easy-to-understand translations. Many of the texts included are never-before-seen passages, while others are quite popular: the Palermo Stone, Letter of Pepi II, Tale of Sinuhe, Tomb of Rekhmire, Capture of Kadesh, Papyrus Harris, Adoption Stela of Nitocris, and so on. This is the most complete, easy-to-consult translation of Egyptian historical texts ever available in the field of Egyptology. A highly recommended ressource for students and scholars.