The Curse of the Mummy: And Other Mysteries of Ancient Egypt

by Charlotte Booth

Discover the truth behind the greatest mysteries of ancient Egypt.

There are many mysteries associated with ancient Egypt that have perplexed scholars and laymen alike. Egyptologist Charlotte Booth selects ten of the most famous and explores the recent theories and outlandish guesses put forward by leading archaeologists, scientists and historians.

Using the latest archaeological evidence to separate fact from fiction, Booth unravels the riddle of the Exodus and the real cause of Tutankhamun’s death, and reveals a fascinating world of cursed tombs, mystical lands, and even a cross-dressing king. Guaranteed to delight and inform, this book spans thousands of years from the construction of the pyramids to Ancient Egypt’s decline and illuminates the true brilliance of one of the greatest civilizations in the history of humankind.

Genres: Egypt, Nonfiction, Archaeology

224 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 2008

Reviews

[Stuart Hill · Rating 4 out of 5]

Most are no doubt familiar with the notion of the 'curse of the pharoahs' bringing down misfortune on the explorers of Tutankhamen's tomb, and the theory of the Pyramids being the creation of aliens also became popular due to the likes of Erik Von Daniken.

The Curse of the Mummy examines the evidence for such theories rigorously and effectively shows these ideas to be fallacies. In some cases the lack of solid evidence such as an account of how the Pyramids of Giza were constructed has allowed free rein for overly imaginative writers to create far-fetched 'explanations' which often disregarded the evidence which had become available to archaeologists such as the tombs of the labour force on the Gizan plateau.

Some aspects of Egyptian history are particularly lacking in terms of definitive evidence to support any single theory and intriguingly we may never know exactly what happened in such cases. The only accounts of Cleopatra's reign for example were written 200 years after her death, and although these were based on contemporary sources the latter have now been lost unfortunately.

Both scholarly and entertaining this was an enjoyable read and can be recommended to those looking for an introduction to Egyptology.

[Samantha · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very interesting and enlightening book. The author did the best with the information available to describe the building of the sphinx and the pyramids, told about several important pharaohs, and even told about the myths of curses. I learned several things through this book and it also ignited an interest in Egyptian history. Unfortunately, it couldn't definitively answer all the questions I had, but it did help me form conclusions that I can live with.

[J.M. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not bad but a bit dense, like a textbook. With so appealing a cover, I expected something a bit more approachable, but I enjoyed the book nonetheless. A less reader more interested in the specifics of Egyptology and only wanting a breezy read might not like it as much, though.

[Simon · Rating 4 out of 5]

A clear and concise debunking of most of the big areas of Egypt-related pseudo-science.