Tutankhamun: Egypt's Most Famous Pharaoh

by Bill Price

In 1922 Howard Carter uncovered what is still regarded as the most spectacular archaeological discovery ever made. Tutankhamun's tomb had remained hidden in the Valley of the Kings for more than 3000 years and its discovery caused a media sensation, elevating the previously little-known Egyptian Pharaoh into the position of an international celebrity. The contents of the tomb were found almost entirely intact, including the Pharaoh's mummified body, still wearing its solid gold funeral mask. Tutankhamun lived in an era when the Egyptian Empire, centred on the royal city of Thebes, was at its pinnacle and when the wealth and power of its Pharaoh was at its greatest. This was also a period of enormous religious upheaval. Akenaten, the heretical Pharaoh and, more than likely, Tutanhkamun's father, had introduced a new religion, exclusively worshipping the sun god Aten. Under Tutanhkamun, the old religion, with its many gods and goddesses, was restored, putting an end to the heresy. In recent years research has shed new light on Tutankhamun's life and, in particular, on his death. Public interest in the boy king is as strong as ever and our knowledge of the sophisticated and complex society over which he reigned continues to grow.

Genres: History, Egypt, Nonfiction

160 pages, Hardcover

First published May 1, 2007

About the author

Bill Price is originally from Herefordshire and now lives in North West London. After working in various areas of the UK book trade for fifteen years, he become a full time freelance writer and is now the author of ten books. Most of these have reflected his interest in the history of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries and, in particular, the First World War.

Reviews

[Les Wilson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quite informative for it’s size.

[Dan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an informative book about basic information regarding Tutankhamen, the Armana Period, and Carter’s discovery of the tomb. It’s easy to read and digest and would definitely recommend this to any newbie to Egyptian history, or to someone who has always wanted to understand more about the ‘most famous Pharaoh’.

I found myself getting a little frustrated with the lack of extra information needed to pull everything together. This was about Tutankhamen, but it also deviated a lot to fill space. I understand the background needed to be set, but the author spent just as much time on Ankhenaten and Nefertiti as he did on Tutankhamen. There really isn’t much new in here.

[Dale Noble · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a compact little hardback that provides a good, concise coverage of the historical figure, Tutankhamun. Though the author occasionally wanders from the topic to discuss details that are distantly connected, the overall contents of the book present a superb insight into the archaeology, history and questions surrounding Tutankhamun himself and the burial site.

This is a must-have for history enthusiasts and those looking for a quick study into Tutankhamun and the 18th Dynasty of Pharaohs.

[Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Was really informative

[Dane Cobain · Rating 4 out of 5]

This beautiful little hardback tells you everything you might want to know about Egypt’s most famous pharaoh. I first picked this up at around the time that I went to see an exhibit of the artefacts that Howard Carter excavated from his tomb, which made for a fascinating read – the right book at the right time.

You can pretty much imagine what to expect here – it’s a fun, fact-filled account of everything you might want to know about Tutankhamun, from his life to the circumstances surrounding his death and discovery, as well as some interesting new insights that have been unearthed by recent technology. The subject matter is well-researched and the book is well-written, and the book feels like an artefact in itself. It might not be much fun for the average reader, but if you have a love of Egypt then you’ll enjoy this.