A Companion to Ancient Egypt: Two Volume Set (Blackwell Companions to the Ancient World)

This companion provides the very latest accounts of the major and current aspects of Egyptology by leading scholars. It is delivered in a highly readable style and extensively illustrated; published in two volumes, it offers unprecedented breadth and depth of coverage, giving full scope to the discussion of this incredible civilization. Provides the very latest and, where relevant, well-illustrated accounts of the major aspects of Egypt’s ancient history and culture Covers a broad scope of topics including physical context, history, economic and social mechanisms, language, literature, and the visual arts Delivered in a highly readable style with students and scholars of both Egyptology and Graeco-Roman studies in mind Provides a chronological table at the start of each volume to help readers orient chapters within the wider historical context A COMPANION TO ANCIENT EGYPT A COMPANION TO ANCIENT EGYPT “The Companion is a well-edited, comprehensive approach to the history, culture, literature, and high art of ancient Egypt ... In bringing together some of the best authors on their respective topics, Lloyd has assembled an in-depth complement to ancient Egyptian studies.” Near Eastern Archaeology “The aim of this companion is to provide a competent and authoritative overview on ancient Egypt. This has been accomplished well. All articles are concise, with comprehensive summaries which reflect the most recent scholarship. The interested reader, student, or scholar will find a very helpful and satisfactory platform to start from with this companion. It will guide him or her to further reading and in their own research.” Bryn Mawr Classical Review “This Companion is a current, readable and, on occasion, illustrated account of all major events, aspects of history and culture in ancient Egypt....it has a broad appeal with an extensive range of subjects covered in differing depths allowing the reader to dip in for pleasure or study.” Reference Reviews “For anyone interested in ancient Egypt ... Recommended. All levels/libraries.” Choice “Part of a highly regarded series, this work offers the student, interested general reader, and specialist a thorough and up-to-date resource on ancient Egypt. Written by curators and academics at museums and institutions in Egypt, Europe, and North America, the chapters present definitions and context in framing the current state of the question for each topic, with the time frame deliberately extended into the Greco-Roman period.” Book News, Inc. Offering unprecedented breadth and depth of coverage, and delivered in a highly readable style, this Companion provides the very latest, well-illustrated accounts of the major and current aspects of Egyptology. A Companion to Ancient Egypt gives full scope to the discussion of Ancient Egypt, whose development lasted well over three and a half millennia. Areas of discussion have been divided into physical context, history, economic and social mechanisms, language, literature, and the visual arts while historically oriented chapters reveal an emphasis on thematic issues. Lloyd provides a chronological table with additional historical comment at the start of each volume, allowing readers to locate each historical chapter in its overall context. The Companion brings together nearly 50 newly commissioned essays by an international team of leading scholars to provide new and illustrative coverage of one of the most successful civilizations the world has ever seen. A COMPANION TO ANCIENT EGYPT VOLUME I 5 Contents 7 List of Illustrations 11 Notes on Contributors 16 Preface 23 Acknowledgments 25 List of Abbreviations 26 Chronology 34 Maps 46 PART I The Land of Egypt 49 1 The Physical Context of Ancient Egypt 51 PART II Historical Narratives 71 2 Prehistory 73 3 The Early Dynastic Period 96 4 The Old Kingdom 111 5 The First Intermediate Period and the Middle Kingdom 129 6 The Second Intermediate Period and the New Kingdom 149 7 Libyans and Nubians 168 8 Saites and Persians (664–332) 188 9 The Ptolemaic Period 207 10 The Roman Period 228 PART III State and Economic Structures 247 11 The Pharaoh and Pharaonic Office 249 12 Administration and Law: Pharaonic 266 13 Administration and Law: Graeco-Roman 285 14 Priests and Temples: Pharaonic 303 15 Egyptian Temples and Priests: Graeco-Roman 322 16 The Economy: Pharaonic 339 17 The Economy: Graeco-Roman 357 18 Settlements – Distribution, Structure, Architecture: Pharaonic 374 19 Settlements – Distribution, Structure, Architecture: Graeco-Roman 398 20 Transport in Ancient Egypt 418 21 Science and Technology: Pharaonic 438 22 Science and Technology: Alexandrian 457 23 Military Institutions and Warfare: Pharaonic 473 24 Military Institutions and Warfare: Graeco-Roman 494 PART IV The Social Order 515 25 Social Structure and Daily Life: Pharaonic 517 26 Social Structure and Daily Life: Graeco-Roman 539 27 Religion in Society: Pharaonic 555 28 Religion in Society: Graeco-Roman 574 Bibliography 595 A COMPANION TO ANCIENT EGYPT VOLUME II 695 Contents 697 List of Illustrations 701 List of Abbreviations 708 PART V Language and Literature 717 29 Language, Scripts, and Literacy 719 30 Middle Kingdom Literature 741 31 New Kingdom Literature 763 32 Late Period Literature 787 33 Coptic and Coptic Literature 810 34 Greek Literature in Egypt 833 PART VI The Visual Arts 857 35 Temple Architecture and Decorative Systems 859 36 Mortuary Architecture and Decorative Systems 882 37 Early Dynastic Art and Iconography 904 38 Old Kingdom Sculpture 931 39 Sculpture of the Middle Kingdom 960 40 New Kingdom Sculpture 991 41 Late Period Sculpture 1022 42 Ptolemaic and Romano-Egyptian Sculpture 1048 43 Pharaonic Painting through the New Kingdom 1068 44 Mosaics and Painting in Graeco-Roman Egypt 1086 45 Egyptian Art of Late Antiquity 1110 PART VII The Reception of Egyptian Culture 1143 46 The Reception of Pharaonic Egypt in Classical Antiquity 1145 47 The Reception of Egypt in Europe 1164 48 The Reception of Pharaonic Egypt in Islamic Egypt 1187 49 Ancient Egypt in the Museum: Concepts and Constructions 1207 Bibliography 1232 Index 1291