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Ancient Egypt: A History From Beginning to End
Ancient Egypt * * *Download for FREE on Kindle Unlimited + Free BONUS Inside!* * * Read On Your Computer, MAC, Smartphone, Kindle Reader, iPad, or Tablet. Ancient Egypt was a highly developed civilization that lasted for thousands of years and left behind fascinating clues in the form of impressive structures and monuments. It was a culture balanced between the lush fertility of the Nile Valley and the barrenness of the surrounding vast deserts. The same balance holds true for our knowledge of the history of Egypt. In spite of the evidence we have, so much remains hidden and yet to be fully understood. Inside you will read about... ✓ The Nile ✓ The Gods and Goddesses ✓ The Book and the Dead ✓ The Pyramids ✓ Magic, Plagues and Curses ✓ Famous Pharaohs ✓ Immortality New methods of scientific investigation reveal new ways of interpreting the ancient evidence. As the shifting desert sands overflowed and then disclosed the Great Sphinx, after thousands of years of study ancient Egypt still holds much that has yet to be revealed.
104 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 16, 2017
406 people are currently reading
432 people want to read
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Hourly History
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
December 14, 2022
Brief.. that's the word to use.
I did like this booklet. Didn't fell for it but it's a very likeable book with loads of information packed into few pages. Starts with the Nile, and ends with Cleopatra, they have tried their best to put as much info as they can and I'd say it's a success. I've learnt a truck load of new things. How the Sphinx came to sit on the desert, the reason why King Tut changed his name, process of mummification and endless disputes. Wiping people off the earth, defacing monuments, destroying any hard evidence, they seem to be a thing among the royals back in the day.
It was interesting to read about how the first pyramid structure came to be. The designing, their uses, I never knew they were used as grain stores and libraries. That was genius.
It's not encyclopedia. But it gives a brief insight of the ancient Egyptians. How rich and knowledgeable their culture was, the things they gave to the modern people. I think it's worth the time spent on this book.
Book #66 of 2022.
I did like this booklet. Didn't fell for it but it's a very likeable book with loads of information packed into few pages. Starts with the Nile, and ends with Cleopatra, they have tried their best to put as much info as they can and I'd say it's a success. I've learnt a truck load of new things. How the Sphinx came to sit on the desert, the reason why King Tut changed his name, process of mummification and endless disputes. Wiping people off the earth, defacing monuments, destroying any hard evidence, they seem to be a thing among the royals back in the day.
It was interesting to read about how the first pyramid structure came to be. The designing, their uses, I never knew they were used as grain stores and libraries. That was genius.
It's not encyclopedia. But it gives a brief insight of the ancient Egyptians. How rich and knowledgeable their culture was, the things they gave to the modern people. I think it's worth the time spent on this book.
Book #66 of 2022.
January 9, 2021
I’d say the book is complete. It’s brief in simple-plain English, yet it’s ripe with abundant in-form'ation.
(Kindle Ed. p. 3)
...The Nile River is the longest river on Earth. The whole 4,258-mile length is comprised of the White Nile and the Blue Nile and flows through eleven nations, including Egypt. Viewed from above, the river is a wide ribbon of blue and green parting vast expanses of arid brown. Every year, tropical rains beginning in July cause the Nile to flood and in ancient times overflow into the surrounding land. When the water receded again, it left behind thick, black, fertile soil it had gathered throughout its length. This allowed Egyptians to farm and raise livestock very successfully, whereas beyond the Nile’s flood plain, lack of rainfall made this very difficult...
I've known Egypt all my life, but to be honest this is the first time I have ever learned why and how the Nile River floods.
(Kindle Ed. pp. 3-4)
...In recent years, the construction of the Aswan Dam, an engineering marvel in its own right, has brought the river under control. In order for the dam to be constructed, engineers relocated the ancient temple of Abu Simbel. The temple was recorded and deconstructed carefully and then reassembled, piece by piece, on higher ground. The relocation project took four years to complete and gave archaeologists and engineers a unique perspective on the construction techniques used by the ancient builders.
Good to know that they did not destroy the temple, but relocated it to a safer place.
(Kindle Ed. p. 4)
In order to have successful farming seasons, ancient Egyptians needed to keep track of when the Nile was expected to flood and recede. Crops were planted as soon as the waters receded, and had to be harvested before the next flood. To do this, they developed a calendar that was based on a 365-day year, broken into twelve months. This calendar led to organization and documentation similar to that we still use today...
Egyptians had the time concept closer to our mod'ern stand'ard than the Sumerians did then. First time, again, I learn this.
(Kindle Ed. pp. 4-5)
...The sheets could be combined into longer documents in the form of scrolls. In the dry Egyptian climate, these scrolls preserved well. Archaeologists have discovered papyrus scrolls that date to 2550 BCE that are still legible. The comparative abundance of written material that has survived the millennia via these papyrus scrolls is a gift to modern historians as well.
This is why we Humans are to depend on existing knowledge learned from long experiences like the ways they built these surviving papyri; there are pros and cons in this, and ask Galilei what those cons would be.
The book definitely starts with informative and thoughtful entr’/ intr’o-duct’ion, and I do feel like I’m thinking and learning something new by reading this book.
(Kindle Ed. pp. 1-5)
In 1817, archaeologist Giovanni Battista Caviglia began excavations around the base of a monolithic stone head that seemed to be peering over the desert sand on the edge of the Giza Plateau, west and south of Cairo, Egypt, the barren desert the ancient Egyptians had called “the land of the dead.” He was able to unearth a neck and shoulders descending underground before he was forced to suspend excavation in 1819; it would take another one hundred and nineteen years before further digs by Emile Baraize finally uncovered the body of the Great Sphinx of Egypt...The overwhelming influence of the Nile, its movements and flood patterns, the strangeness of ancient Egyptian gods, the interactions between the many deities and their shifting, chimera-like forms, the strange written symbols that have arguably yet to be fully deciphered, the fascinating and astonishing architecture, and the elements of the supernatural that were a part of everyday life have combined to leave modern archaeology with an ever-changing puzzle that continues to fascinate and surprise. As the shifting desert sands overflowed and then disclosed the Great Sphinx, after thousands of years of study ancient Egypt still holds much that has yet to be revealed...There are many archaeological sites in and around the delta area, including the city of Tanis, which was recently discovered to have been lost and buried by the drift in the river location. The city of Heracleion was once the flourishing port on the Mediterranean, at the mouth of the Nile. Goods from Phoenicia, Greece, and then Rome passed through the city during its day. The ruins of the city were recently discovered on the sea floor, miles off the Egyptian coast...
Yes, the reality to dis-cap'/ -cup'/ -cov'er, or ex-cav'ate, something historical is always tough and demands some good luck as well, since it is usually buried deep under the dust of the time; to find something from 2000 years ago we gotta dig at least 5 to 10 meters in general, which means they are mostly found by luck only if there is a huge construction project digging more than 5 meters for the structure's base.
What do you think of these lines? I see two weird spots to edit:
(Kindle Ed. p. 12)
The Book and the Dead “O great one, go in and say to the writer of the scripts, the guardian of the door of Osiris that I am come, blessed and as a divine being to save my own soul.” —Egyptian Book of the Dead
Sounds a lot like the “doctr’ine” of Chr’ist-ian “author’ity”:
(Kindle Ed. p. 14)
...As the final test, the soul was thought to be called before the gods Osiris, Thoth, and Anubis to be judged. The person’s heart would be weighed and balanced against the weight of a feather. If the heart was heavier than the feather, thanks to the weight of evil thoughts and deeds, then the soul would be devoured by the goddess Amit, who had the jaws of a crocodile...The skills of the scribe were so highly valued by Egyptian society that they were considered a part of the aristocracy. They also were not required to perform manual labor for community projects as most citizens were.
And the last Chapter 7 does-n’t/ -not carr’y the title "conclusion", yet, feels like it is a smooth way to con-close/ -clude the book. With that good conclusion the book's complete and ready to be read for learning!
(Kindle Ed. p. 3)
...The Nile River is the longest river on Earth. The whole 4,258-mile length is comprised of the White Nile and the Blue Nile and flows through eleven nations, including Egypt. Viewed from above, the river is a wide ribbon of blue and green parting vast expanses of arid brown. Every year, tropical rains beginning in July cause the Nile to flood and in ancient times overflow into the surrounding land. When the water receded again, it left behind thick, black, fertile soil it had gathered throughout its length. This allowed Egyptians to farm and raise livestock very successfully, whereas beyond the Nile’s flood plain, lack of rainfall made this very difficult...
I've known Egypt all my life, but to be honest this is the first time I have ever learned why and how the Nile River floods.
(Kindle Ed. pp. 3-4)
...In recent years, the construction of the Aswan Dam, an engineering marvel in its own right, has brought the river under control. In order for the dam to be constructed, engineers relocated the ancient temple of Abu Simbel. The temple was recorded and deconstructed carefully and then reassembled, piece by piece, on higher ground. The relocation project took four years to complete and gave archaeologists and engineers a unique perspective on the construction techniques used by the ancient builders.
Good to know that they did not destroy the temple, but relocated it to a safer place.
(Kindle Ed. p. 4)
In order to have successful farming seasons, ancient Egyptians needed to keep track of when the Nile was expected to flood and recede. Crops were planted as soon as the waters receded, and had to be harvested before the next flood. To do this, they developed a calendar that was based on a 365-day year, broken into twelve months. This calendar led to organization and documentation similar to that we still use today...
Egyptians had the time concept closer to our mod'ern stand'ard than the Sumerians did then. First time, again, I learn this.
(Kindle Ed. pp. 4-5)
...The sheets could be combined into longer documents in the form of scrolls. In the dry Egyptian climate, these scrolls preserved well. Archaeologists have discovered papyrus scrolls that date to 2550 BCE that are still legible. The comparative abundance of written material that has survived the millennia via these papyrus scrolls is a gift to modern historians as well.
This is why we Humans are to depend on existing knowledge learned from long experiences like the ways they built these surviving papyri; there are pros and cons in this, and ask Galilei what those cons would be.
The book definitely starts with informative and thoughtful entr’/ intr’o-duct’ion, and I do feel like I’m thinking and learning something new by reading this book.
(Kindle Ed. pp. 1-5)
In 1817, archaeologist Giovanni Battista Caviglia began excavations around the base of a monolithic stone head that seemed to be peering over the desert sand on the edge of the Giza Plateau, west and south of Cairo, Egypt, the barren desert the ancient Egyptians had called “the land of the dead.” He was able to unearth a neck and shoulders descending underground before he was forced to suspend excavation in 1819; it would take another one hundred and nineteen years before further digs by Emile Baraize finally uncovered the body of the Great Sphinx of Egypt...The overwhelming influence of the Nile, its movements and flood patterns, the strangeness of ancient Egyptian gods, the interactions between the many deities and their shifting, chimera-like forms, the strange written symbols that have arguably yet to be fully deciphered, the fascinating and astonishing architecture, and the elements of the supernatural that were a part of everyday life have combined to leave modern archaeology with an ever-changing puzzle that continues to fascinate and surprise. As the shifting desert sands overflowed and then disclosed the Great Sphinx, after thousands of years of study ancient Egypt still holds much that has yet to be revealed...There are many archaeological sites in and around the delta area, including the city of Tanis, which was recently discovered to have been lost and buried by the drift in the river location. The city of Heracleion was once the flourishing port on the Mediterranean, at the mouth of the Nile. Goods from Phoenicia, Greece, and then Rome passed through the city during its day. The ruins of the city were recently discovered on the sea floor, miles off the Egyptian coast...
Yes, the reality to dis-cap'/ -cup'/ -cov'er, or ex-cav'ate, something historical is always tough and demands some good luck as well, since it is usually buried deep under the dust of the time; to find something from 2000 years ago we gotta dig at least 5 to 10 meters in general, which means they are mostly found by luck only if there is a huge construction project digging more than 5 meters for the structure's base.
What do you think of these lines? I see two weird spots to edit:
(Kindle Ed. p. 12)
The Book and the Dead “O great one, go in and say to the writer of the scripts, the guardian of the door of Osiris that I am come, blessed and as a divine being to save my own soul.” —Egyptian Book of the Dead
Sounds a lot like the “doctr’ine” of Chr’ist-ian “author’ity”:
(Kindle Ed. p. 14)
...As the final test, the soul was thought to be called before the gods Osiris, Thoth, and Anubis to be judged. The person’s heart would be weighed and balanced against the weight of a feather. If the heart was heavier than the feather, thanks to the weight of evil thoughts and deeds, then the soul would be devoured by the goddess Amit, who had the jaws of a crocodile...The skills of the scribe were so highly valued by Egyptian society that they were considered a part of the aristocracy. They also were not required to perform manual labor for community projects as most citizens were.
And the last Chapter 7 does-n’t/ -not carr’y the title "conclusion", yet, feels like it is a smooth way to con-close/ -clude the book. With that good conclusion the book's complete and ready to be read for learning!
May 6, 2021
Brief history of ancient Egypt covering almost everything that took place at that time. Very little written about the rulers and dynasties.
July 25, 2021
Short but a nice primer
A very good story about Ancient Egypt.
Good book but generally nothing newsworthy.
Recommended for the person who hasn't read about the subject.
A very good story about Ancient Egypt.
Good book but generally nothing newsworthy.
Recommended for the person who hasn't read about the subject.
July 19, 2021
Worst book of the hourly series. Nothing in this book was worth reading.
October 1, 2017
This is a short summary of Ancient Egyptian history (before the Roman Empire) by Hourly History focusing on the lifestyle, the structures they left behind and the type of rule in Egypt.
The book starts with the Egyptian mythology - the story of Isis, Osiris and Set and eventually, how these led to a lot of their traditions such as mummification and the importance they gave cats in their society. The book also touched upon the importance of the Nile River and also, about the structures that they built.
The book picked out some of the most popular aspects of Ancient Egypt, being the mummification, the Great Pyramids of Giza and the Sphinx and the various possible purposes why they might have been built (no, it was not necessarily a tomb, contrary to popular belief). The book also elaborately explained Ancient Egyptian mythology and the reasons as for the traditions of Ancient Egyptians. It also talked about some of the popular pharaohs such as Tutankhamun and even talked about a less known fact of his birth name being different; which he changed to end the legacy of the unpopular previous pharaoh.
However, while the book covered the well known facts about Egyptian history, it hardly touched upon the less known facts, such as their conflicts with the Hittites. The book also tried too hard to connect the events in Ancient Egypt to biblical references which I felt was not necessary (for instance, the story of Moses during the reign of Ramesses II was mentioned at least thrice).
This book is good for those who wish to know about the some well known facts of the Ancient Egyptian civilisation and yeah, it is not exactly the author's fault that a lot of the mysteries surrounding the civilisation is yet to be discovered. On the whole, I would award the book a three on five.
The book starts with the Egyptian mythology - the story of Isis, Osiris and Set and eventually, how these led to a lot of their traditions such as mummification and the importance they gave cats in their society. The book also touched upon the importance of the Nile River and also, about the structures that they built.
The book picked out some of the most popular aspects of Ancient Egypt, being the mummification, the Great Pyramids of Giza and the Sphinx and the various possible purposes why they might have been built (no, it was not necessarily a tomb, contrary to popular belief). The book also elaborately explained Ancient Egyptian mythology and the reasons as for the traditions of Ancient Egyptians. It also talked about some of the popular pharaohs such as Tutankhamun and even talked about a less known fact of his birth name being different; which he changed to end the legacy of the unpopular previous pharaoh.
However, while the book covered the well known facts about Egyptian history, it hardly touched upon the less known facts, such as their conflicts with the Hittites. The book also tried too hard to connect the events in Ancient Egypt to biblical references which I felt was not necessary (for instance, the story of Moses during the reign of Ramesses II was mentioned at least thrice).
This book is good for those who wish to know about the some well known facts of the Ancient Egyptian civilisation and yeah, it is not exactly the author's fault that a lot of the mysteries surrounding the civilisation is yet to be discovered. On the whole, I would award the book a three on five.
January 17, 2021
Bought for free through Amazon.
In keeping with the author's goal of writing a history that takes about an hour to read, this book is a quick, plainly-written refresher on the long and complex story of ancient Egypt. Chapters cover a handful of topics, including the pyramids, mummification rituals, and ancient Egyptian mythology.
Although this history is surprisingly (given its short length) comprehensive and informative, the authors overemphasize white European Egyptology-- for example, chapter epigraphs are usually quotes about Egypt by white men, rather than excerpts from ancient Egyptian writings that pertain to the topic at hand. A digression about the curse of King Tut, although interesting, covers events of the 1920s and takes up time and words that could have gone to lesser-known and more pertinent facts.
Tl; dr: A good starter book or refresher on ancient Egypt, especially for those with limited free time. Not sorry that I read it, and I even learned a few things.
In keeping with the author's goal of writing a history that takes about an hour to read, this book is a quick, plainly-written refresher on the long and complex story of ancient Egypt. Chapters cover a handful of topics, including the pyramids, mummification rituals, and ancient Egyptian mythology.
Although this history is surprisingly (given its short length) comprehensive and informative, the authors overemphasize white European Egyptology-- for example, chapter epigraphs are usually quotes about Egypt by white men, rather than excerpts from ancient Egyptian writings that pertain to the topic at hand. A digression about the curse of King Tut, although interesting, covers events of the 1920s and takes up time and words that could have gone to lesser-known and more pertinent facts.
Tl; dr: A good starter book or refresher on ancient Egypt, especially for those with limited free time. Not sorry that I read it, and I even learned a few things.
July 22, 2021
A book to whet your appetite
Ok, this is a very short book about a land whose history fills the ancient world. Unlike other short summaries, it interestingly brings up archeological (what’s in those pyramids?), Biblical (Moses, and who was Pharaoh at the time of the Exodus), , occult (the Mummy’s Curse, Aleister Crowley) and traditional historical theories (how did those stones get up there? How did King Tut die?). Fascinating. Recommended.
Ok, this is a very short book about a land whose history fills the ancient world. Unlike other short summaries, it interestingly brings up archeological (what’s in those pyramids?), Biblical (Moses, and who was Pharaoh at the time of the Exodus), , occult (the Mummy’s Curse, Aleister Crowley) and traditional historical theories (how did those stones get up there? How did King Tut die?). Fascinating. Recommended.
May 27, 2023
Egypt 🇪🇬
A fascinating read, as like all other books 📚 of archeology on Egypt. Biblically speaking, the Exodus out of Egypt is a significant element of Christianity per se. The chosen people of God, Israel 🇮🇱 saved from Egypt 🇪🇬 to the promised land. The book has much detail on Ancient Egypt and civilisations as cross referenced in archeology documentaries and books on Egypt and the Great Pyramids .
A fascinating read, as like all other books 📚 of archeology on Egypt. Biblically speaking, the Exodus out of Egypt is a significant element of Christianity per se. The chosen people of God, Israel 🇮🇱 saved from Egypt 🇪🇬 to the promised land. The book has much detail on Ancient Egypt and civilisations as cross referenced in archeology documentaries and books on Egypt and the Great Pyramids .
October 25, 2019
This book took a long period of time and tried to condense it into one hour. for the most part they did a decent job. Good overview..alot of points missed, but some of the more salient points...such as Cleopatra's full name and some factoids ( such as she was the first Ptolemic ruler to speak the native language, as well as her full name) included
October 16, 2021
Simple book well written easy to understand
I enjoyed reading this book. It is well written and easy to understand. I like the simplicity of it. The author did a pretty good job if you want to have a little bit better understanding of Egyptian history religion or customs yeah do not have a lot of time, read this book.
I enjoyed reading this book. It is well written and easy to understand. I like the simplicity of it. The author did a pretty good job if you want to have a little bit better understanding of Egyptian history religion or customs yeah do not have a lot of time, read this book.
December 10, 2023
Ancient Egypt: A History From Beginning to End
A 37 page history of a civilization that lasted 4,500 years.
The funniest part was this quote:
"When the god Anubis helped Isis ritually prepare the corpse of Osiris, it is thought the art of mummification was inspired" That says that the idea came from an actual event? Wow.
A 37 page history of a civilization that lasted 4,500 years.
The funniest part was this quote:
"When the god Anubis helped Isis ritually prepare the corpse of Osiris, it is thought the art of mummification was inspired" That says that the idea came from an actual event? Wow.
January 14, 2018
Well.....
Okay. I have to admit. This one fell flat. I found it interesting but at the same time, boring. I feel rather let down. After the excitement of Ancient Greece, I was very excited for this volume. Not too sure if I would recommend this one.
Okay. I have to admit. This one fell flat. I found it interesting but at the same time, boring. I feel rather let down. After the excitement of Ancient Greece, I was very excited for this volume. Not too sure if I would recommend this one.
November 11, 2019
This Hourly Ancient Egypt History book is a good introduction to the mysterious Egyptian world, it contains Geography as how the Nilo had an important part in the success of Egypt, learning, and knowledge as the hieroglyphic and some other cultural facts about fascinating Egypt.
January 8, 2025
Worthwhile
Enjoyable, and informative, but lacking photos. Photos would have proved helpful for those pyramids of recent discovery. The scans which show still uncover would have great.
Enjoyable, and informative, but lacking photos. Photos would have proved helpful for those pyramids of recent discovery. The scans which show still uncover would have great.
June 3, 2025
Ancient Egypt - land of mystery, mummies and mythos. Yep, that about sums it up. Much is unknown, some of that which is "known" is conjecture and yet I found this book to be interesting, well-written and a quick read [no bogging down].
Read
November 22, 2025This was a super brief overview of ancient Egypt. I didn’t really learn much I didn’t already know but I think these books are really quick if you want a good place to start and see which topics you want to explore more deeply
March 3, 2018
Very much for beginners...but alright.
March 17, 2018
This is a good overview of Egyptian history.
June 23, 2019
Ancient Egypt
I thought I knew about ancient Egypt but there is always something new to learn. Great review of Egypt’s history.
I thought I knew about ancient Egypt but there is always something new to learn. Great review of Egypt’s history.
February 9, 2020
Shorter than I thought
This was shorter than I thought it was, but so intriguing. Worth the read! I read this in about 3 hours.
This was shorter than I thought it was, but so intriguing. Worth the read! I read this in about 3 hours.
July 30, 2020
Brief introduction to Egypt
Very short summary of 3000 years of Egyptian history. No details of anytime. This would be a good book for a third grader.
Very short summary of 3000 years of Egyptian history. No details of anytime. This would be a good book for a third grader.
January 2, 2021
Quick and simple read
It was a concise summation of a huge chapter in history. I enjoyed it. Was surprised at its brevity but that was also a good thing.
It was a concise summation of a huge chapter in history. I enjoyed it. Was surprised at its brevity but that was also a good thing.
March 23, 2021
I expected the approach to be related to the historical thread of Egypt, not to the pieces of various aspects related to ancient Egypt.
May 15, 2021
Worth the time to learn about Egypt.
November 4, 2021
Good
A bit out of date and still gets to the wonder of ancients. I enjoyed the sense of movement down the Nile. I'm not as thrilled with the specific religious references.
A bit out of date and still gets to the wonder of ancients. I enjoyed the sense of movement down the Nile. I'm not as thrilled with the specific religious references.
July 18, 2022
Do not read this book or you will be more uninformed than when you started. Lots of nonscientific claptrap and myths from Bronze Age propaganda. Terrible waste of time
December 28, 2022
Quick read, easy grasp basics.
December 31, 2022
Short, sweet and succinct
In very few pages a vital essence of Egypt has been captured.. a quick read and enough to give a brief history of Egypt to a traveller
In very few pages a vital essence of Egypt has been captured.. a quick read and enough to give a brief history of Egypt to a traveller
August 18, 2024
It’s what I expected. Short but an interesting summary. I would have expected to contain more details but good so far. It was included in the kindle unlimited
Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews