Description
Book SynopsisA richly illustrated account of the rulers of the first three dynasties of the ancient Egyptian civilization, written by renowned Egyptologist Aidan Dodson
The five centuries that followed the unification of Egypt around 3100 BC—the first three dynasties—were crucial in the evolution of the Egyptian state. During this time all the key elements of the civilization that would endure for three millennia were put in place, centered on the semidivine king himself. The First Pharaohs: Their Lives and Afterlives looks at what we know about the two-dozen kings (and one queen-regent) who ruled Egypt during this formative era, from the scanty evidence for the events of their reigns, through to their surviving monuments. It also considers how they were remembered under their successors, when some of the earliest kings’ names were attributed to allegedly ancient ideas and events, and the ways in which some of their monuments became tourist attractions or were even wholly repurposed.
Aidan Dodson recounts how two centuries of modern scholarship have allowed these rulers to emerge from an oblivion so total that some archaeologists had come to doubt their very existence outside the works of ancient chroniclers. Then, within a decade at the end of the nineteenth century, archaeological discoveries revealed a whole series of tombs and other monuments that not only confirmed these rulers’ existence, but also showcased the skills of Egyptian craftsmen at the dawn of history.
Trade Review"A comprehensive, well-written, and profusely illustrated survey of what is known about the pharaohs of the first three dynasties of ancient Egypt . . . Recommended"—CHOICE
"Aidan Dodson is steadily building up quite a library of well-presented coffee table books (his Lives and Afterlives series) aimed at the general reader, each focusing on a specific pharaoh. While this is possible for New Kingdom rulers, we of course know far less about the earliest kings of Egypt. So this latest volume covers the monarchs of the first three dynasties, but within the same framework, detailing their lives and monuments, their immediate legacy and their afterlives in modern times. "—Ancient Egypt Magazine
Praise for Nefertiti, Queen and Pharaoh of Egypt
"Well-produced and sumptuously illustrated and a fine addition to this welcome biographical series."—Morris Bierbrier, Egyptian Archaeology
"Bravo!! Buy this book."—Stephen Harvey, Stony Brook University
"Impressively informative, exceptionally well organized, and a skillfully presented work of simply outstanding and meticulously detailed scholarship."—Midwest Book Review
Praise for Aidan Dodson
"Professional Egyptology at its best." —Brian Fagan, on Amarna Sunset
"Highly Recommended." —CHOICE, on Poisoned Legacy
"With copious illustrations, this book supplies intriguing insights into pharaonic politics, arrived at through meticulous, knowledgeable research." —Book News, on Poisoned Legacy
"An excellent book, well researched, well written and well-illustrated throughout." —Egyptian Archaeology, on Afterglow of Empire
"A masterpiece of meticulous scholarship . . . . ideal for non-specialist general readers with an interest in ancient Egyptian history." —Reviewer's Bookwatch, on Amarna Sunset
Table of ContentsPreface
Abbreviations and Conventions
Introduction
The First Dynasty
The Second Dynasty
The Third Dynasty
Limbo
Resurrection
Appendices
1. Chronology
2. Royal Names
3. Dimensions of Royal Tombs
4. The First Three Dynasties According to the Surviving Extracts from Manetho
Notes
Bibliography
Sources of Images
Index
