Adventures in Egypt and Nubia: The Travels of William John Bankes (1786-1855) (None) (Hardcover)

~ Patricia Usick (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Bankes appeared to have it all, he was rich, confident, handsome, he had been educated at Cambridge where he became friends with Byron, he travelled extensively and was a passionate explorer. His travels on the Grand Tour left him with a great love for archaeology and he amassed a wealth of notes, manuscripts and drawings in subsequent visits to Egypt and the Near East between 1915 and 1919. However, scandal in his private life put an end to his promising parliamentary career and his two arrests for homosexual offences led him to seek exile in Italy, leaving his unpublished archive behind in England. This is the story of Banke's life, travels and his contribution to Egyptology.

About the Author

Patricia Usick received a PhD in 1998 for her thesis on Bankes' portfolio of drawings and manuscripts. She has published a number of articles on Bankes and other early travellers to Egypt.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 244 pages
• Publisher: British Museum Press; First UK Edition edition (October 1, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0714118036
• ISBN-13: 978-0714118031
• Product Dimensions: 10 x 7.7 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,462,890 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fine legacy of an intrepid explorer, July 21, 2007

By	Pieter "Toypom" (Johannesburg) - See all my reviews (TOP 50 REVIEWER)

This work of bibliography and history tells the story of pioneer Egyptologist William Banks (1786 - 1855), the heir of the Kingston Lacy estate in Dorset. From 1815 to 1819 he journeyed through Egypt and the Middle East compiling a huge portfolio of manuscripts, notes, drawings and paintings by himself and artists with him. The accuracy of these makes it a unique and valuable record of ancient inscriptions and monuments that are now damaged or lost.

Besides describing his travels with frequent quotes from his correspondence, the book also appraises his substantial contribution to Egyptology. The chapters follow his life from his political career in the UK through his travels in Egypt, Nubia, the Sinai, Syria, Greece, Asia Minor to Jerusalem, Petra, the Dead Sea plus his subsequent explorations down the Nile. The 2nd Nubian voyage reached the second cataract and the third reached the ruins of Meroe. Chapter 12 looks at his collection and his legacy.

The quotes from his notes and correspondence are often humorous, provide insight into the people and places that he visited and open a window on the England of his time and the contacts that existed between various famous explorers of the Near East. The book has a Chronology of Egyptian rulers from the predynastic period to Roman times, a Glossary, copious Notes, an extensive Bibliography and an index.

The real treasure of the book is the plates, a set of about 112 drawings, paintings and photographs. These are in colour and black & white and includes inter alia portraits of Bankes and Lord Byron, drawings by Bankes, Henry Salt and Henry W Beechey and paintings by Louis Maurice Linant and Alessandro Ricci. Not only monuments and inscriptions are depicted; there are also portraits of local rulers and illustrations of village life among the Nubian people.

Life, Letters, and Journals of Lord Byron

Belzoni's Travels: Narrative of the Operations and Recent Discoveries in Egypt and Nubia

Medieval Kingdoms of Nubia: Pagans, Christians and Muslims in the Middle Nile

The Kingdom of Kush: Handbook of the Napatan-Meriotic Civilization (Handbook of Oriental Studies/Handbuch Der Orientalistik)

The White Nile