Treasures of Tutankhamun

by I.E.S. Edwards (editor)

Foreword
The Discovery of Tutankhamun's Tomb
Tutankhamun & His World
Color Plates
Catalogue
Bibliography

Genres: History, Art, Nonfiction, Egypt, Reference, Art History, Egyptology

176 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1972

About the author

Iorwerth Eiddon Stephen Edwards CBE, FBA— known as I. E. S. Edwards— was an English Egyptologist considered to be a leading expert on the pyramids.

Edwards attended Merchant Taylors' School where he studied Hebrew and later at Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge Cambridge University, gaining a 'First' in Oriental Languages. He was awarded the William Wright studentship in Arabic and received his doctorate in 1933.

In 1934 he joined the British Museum as Assistant Keeper in the Department of Egyptian and Assyrian Antiquities. He published Hieroglyphic Texts for Egyptian Stellae. in 1939. During World War II he was sent to Egypt on military duty. In 1946 he wrote The Pyramids of Egypt, which was published by Pelican Books in 1947. In 1955 he was appointed the Keeper of Egyptian Antiquities at the British Museum and organized the Tutankhamun exhibition in 1972. He remained there until his retirement in 1974.

On leaving the British Museum he worked with UNESCO during the rescue of the temple complex at Philae. He was also Vice-President of the Egypt Exploration Society, a Fellow of the British Academy (1962) and was awarded the CBE in 1968 for his services to the British Museum.

Reviews

[P.S. Winn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing book because the discovery was such an amazing thing. This book is complete in that it tells of the discovery, show about what was found and some other great tidbits of treasure.

[Jenny · Rating 5 out of 5]

This catalogue is so charming, as it depicts the treasures that were in the 1977 Tutankhamun exhibit at the Field Museum. It's really fun to see all the artifacts as they appeared a few decades ago; it was apparent that most had been restored to a better-looking state, comparing their state in '77 and how they are now (or in '06/'07). Those that have been drastically restored are the wooden artifacts, particularly the statue depicting the upper portion of Tutankhamun (deliberately without arms) and the oblong and bald head of Tutankhamun, coming out of the center of a blue lotus bud.

However, there are some artifacts that were in the '77 exhibit that were not (SADLY!) in the 2006/07 exhibit, namely the golden funeral mask of Tutankhamun. 'Course, Egypt had every right to refrain from allowing this to cross the Atlantic: though nothing happened to the funeral mask itself, a single artifact led to Egypt's museum not allowing it back in a traveling exhibit--that artifact was the gilded wood statue of Selket, which got dinged in transit. Poor girl, she already looks sad, now she has a reason to be pouty: she got brained!

[Shawn · Rating 4 out of 5]

In 1976 I was 9 years old and our class went to the Metropolitan Museum of Art to see the touring exhibit of King Tut (just like in the Steve Martin song!). I bought this book (or, more likely, it was bought for me as it cost $8.00 and I probably had .73 cents to my name at the time - and plans to spend that treasure buying MAN-THING or HOUSE OF MYSTERY comic books, or Wacky Packages bubblegum cards). I've had it ever since and that exhibit, this book (and, let's be honest, the Universal movie series starring Kharis) were fuel for my fascination with Egypt. A beautiful book full of color and black & white photos, my copy is very beat-up but, sadly, I lifted it out of the storage box to find that it had mildewed and the cover is now also torn away - a modern book didn't last even half as long as the treasures of the boy king...

[HeavyReader · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book repeatedly as a child. I owned it, but where did it come from? I have a vague memory of buying it with my own money at a discount store. Can that be right? I was a child in the days before Wal-Mart came to town, so did I buy it at Woolco or TG&Y? I don't think it came from a mall bookstore, but I could be totally wrong about all of this.

What I do remember is that I loved loved loved this book. I mostly looked at the full color photographs and wished I could go to Egypt.

(I'm putting it on the "found" shelf because I did have to do a bit of poking around to figure out what book it was I fondly remembered.)

[Steve · Rating 4 out of 5]

I poured over the images in this book as a wee lad during the Egyptology craze of the early 80s. I still reminisce upon the awe it stirred in me. It was from that age and that silly book that I would learn what a fallen civilization was, what myth was, and how dangerous both of these concepts are.

But really, MUMMIES!

[Lucy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nothing really quite like 1. seeing Tut's funerary goods in person, and 2. seeing his mummy resting in his tomb. No matter how many documentaries one has seen or books one has read....nothing quite like it.

[Carlos · Rating 3 out of 5]

In this small volume the editors have managed to convey to the reader both the outstanding spectacle that was the discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb as well as the life and reign of this famous mummy. Combined with superb pictures of the treasure throve found in the tomb the editors also show, through marvelous photographs of the dig, the tomb as it was found after several thousand years in complete obscurity. All in all, while this book might have a bit more historical information than the lay reader may care for, the volume has enough material to marvel curious readers, historical buffs and art history lovers.

[Peter Tillman · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have fond memories of this show, which I saw in New Orleans, hmm, 40 years ago. Red beans and rice in Audubon Park, under the big live oaks, waiting in line....

My copy of the catalog had gone astray, so I picked one up at the library book sale for a dollar. Color printing is not up to current standards, but wow: the art is amazing!

[Conner · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book shows Tutankhamun's tomb and the treasures that lie inside. It is a very informational book that shows a lot of information on the objects in the tomb. Overall a good book for those interested in Ancient Egypt.

[Bai · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really amazing what they found in Tut's tomb, I really love the bow, the jewelry and the Canopic coffins. The coffins are probably my favorite artifacts that they found. I just wish I could see the real thing in person.

[Penny · Rating 4 out of 5]

The pictures and quotes from Howard Carter are awesome. I just wish this book was even bigger. I could have easily been three times larger.

[Tabi · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you like ancient Egyptian history, you will love this book

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a beautiful catalog of the traveling exhibition that traveled the US in the 1970s when I was a child. It was a beautiful exhibit and this is a lovely catalog of it. It isn't just a pretty picture book. The color photos taken especially for it are beautiful and perfectly reproduced. In addition to that the later part of the book expands on information about the individual pieces, illustrated by black and white photos taken by Carter's photographer Harry Burton.

[Wade Walker · Rating 3 out of 5]

I just love all things ancient Egyptian, and this book was $1 at a thrift store. It was sold during the worldwide tour of the King Tut exhibit, and therefore contained intricate details of the pieces from the tour. Though I found these details boring and confusing, an art history student would probably enjoy the descriptions and understand them better than I. I wish it had more info on the discovery of the tomb by Howard Carter, but I enjoyed the full-color photos of the relics.

[Marita · Rating 5 out of 5]

This if my favorite "picture book". I would have loved even more color pictures but when one takes into consideration that most of the black and white photos are from the original 1922 excavation then they become amazing.

[Erik Graff · Rating 3 out of 5]

This exhibition review is not to be confused with Edwards' The Treasures of Tutankhamun. While short essays by a couple of contributors are appended, the bulk of it consists of photographs and their descriptions.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book! The pictures are lovely and the descriptions are great!

[Foxtower · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the most beautiful books I've seen as it has so many wonderful color photos of the works as well as black and white photo's from the tomb when it wqas opened. Beautiful and fascinating!

[Payton Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn't get the opportunity to see the exhibit, but this gave me a chance to see some of the exhibits with descriptions.

[Little Timmy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amazing pics, most are life size, of the treasures recovered from the Tomb of the boy-king. Excellent back history of both The discovery of the tomb and the King. Very recommended

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Getting a bit outdated now, but definitely one to add to your collection if you're into Ancient Egyptian art and Tutankhamun in particular.

[H · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great resource on funerary objects in King Tut-ankh-Amun.s tomB, the color plates are fantastic and very descriptive catalogue to accompany.

[Anne]

Bought this book about 20 years ago and still have it. Very nicely illustrated

[Katie · Rating 3 out of 5]

amazing photographs