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Cleopatra: The Search for the Last Queen of Egypt
Beautiful, mysterious, and tragic, Cleopatra remains one of the most mesmerizing women of all time—and here is her story, based on the latest archaeological research. Secrets unfold in the official companion book to the new exhibition cosponsored by National Geographic, opening in Philadelphia in May 2010 and touring the United States for several years. Written by the inimitable Zahi Hawass in collaboration with underwater archaeologist Franck Goddio, this richly illustrated book chronicles the life of Cleopatra and the centuries-long quest to learn more about the queen and her tumultuous era, the last pharaonic period of Egyptian history. For the crowds nationwide who will visit the blockbuster exhibit—as well as the huge readership for popular illustrated histories such as this— Cleopatra and the Lost Treasures of Egypt holds rare glimpses and stunning revelations from the life of a star-crossed queen.
256 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2010
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
June 10, 2012
Cleopatra has been fastinating people ever since she took the throne, and she didn't even have a modern PR person. This book was the companion to the National Geographic travelling show, which I did not see.
First, the pictures are stunning. It's worth the cost of the book alone. Nice underwater photos. Beautiful.
However, the infromation about Cleopatra is very general and highlights her sexuality more than her political presence. I lost count how many times "pleasure palace", "lover affair", "beautiful" were mentioned. It is unclear if this is the authors' own leanings, (Both Hawass and Goddio wrote parts of the book)or if it was done as marketing, which seems more likely.
It seems that a good part of the book is to argue that Cleopatra is buried at Taposiris Magna. This theory was first put forward by Kathleen Martinez who, interstingly, doesn't have a piece here. Why? Hawass gives her credit, he gives her alot of credit, so why not have piece by her in this book? Because she would focus on Cleopatra's brain and not her body?
Maybe, but that omission is what makes me give the book three stars. Yet the price for the book is well worth it just to look at the amazing pictures.
First, the pictures are stunning. It's worth the cost of the book alone. Nice underwater photos. Beautiful.
However, the infromation about Cleopatra is very general and highlights her sexuality more than her political presence. I lost count how many times "pleasure palace", "lover affair", "beautiful" were mentioned. It is unclear if this is the authors' own leanings, (Both Hawass and Goddio wrote parts of the book)or if it was done as marketing, which seems more likely.
It seems that a good part of the book is to argue that Cleopatra is buried at Taposiris Magna. This theory was first put forward by Kathleen Martinez who, interstingly, doesn't have a piece here. Why? Hawass gives her credit, he gives her alot of credit, so why not have piece by her in this book? Because she would focus on Cleopatra's brain and not her body?
Maybe, but that omission is what makes me give the book three stars. Yet the price for the book is well worth it just to look at the amazing pictures.
January 1, 2015
First off, the photos of the findings in the Alexandria region thus far are beautiful. The statues are what one would expect to find in the region, and the jewelry found is profoundly similar to today's. The small essays on the Ptolemies, the region and Cleopatra herself were informative on an introductory scale. Overall, the book was beautiful and I only hope to be able to see many of the pieces in person. Note to National Geographic: I sincerely hope you come to Denver, as I do not think it is any less a hotbed of attraction for Cleopatra than Cincinnati.
I did feel there were some issues with the book, namely the book claiming to be about the world of Cleopatra. Yes, the drive behind the findings is to find the tomb of Cleopatra and Mark Antony (which will thrill me to no end when they do), but the artifacts they exhibited in the book were mostly in the Roman time period (years or centuries after Cleopatra was even alive). Plus anything they have found which has a central connection to Cleopatra was not included in the book--the one statue they state may have been a bust of Cleopatra (of which it would be the only one remaining) was not even included in the book. I would love an explanation for that one! So while the book barely contained anything to do with Cleopatra, aside from some of the essays, I did enjoy the beauty of the book. I only hope they do discover the tombs (hopefully soon) and I greatly look forward to the puzzle pieces of information we can attain from such a massive find!
I did feel there were some issues with the book, namely the book claiming to be about the world of Cleopatra. Yes, the drive behind the findings is to find the tomb of Cleopatra and Mark Antony (which will thrill me to no end when they do), but the artifacts they exhibited in the book were mostly in the Roman time period (years or centuries after Cleopatra was even alive). Plus anything they have found which has a central connection to Cleopatra was not included in the book--the one statue they state may have been a bust of Cleopatra (of which it would be the only one remaining) was not even included in the book. I would love an explanation for that one! So while the book barely contained anything to do with Cleopatra, aside from some of the essays, I did enjoy the beauty of the book. I only hope they do discover the tombs (hopefully soon) and I greatly look forward to the puzzle pieces of information we can attain from such a massive find!
July 24, 2017
This was a well written book, although it seems a little hastily put together in some spots where there were very small mistakes. The photos are amazing and give you an idea of the amount of work put into the search for one of the most intriguing female characters of ancient history. Makes you wish you were on the dive or archaeological team seeing all these discoveries for the first time with them!
November 5, 2018
This really makes me wish I'd been able to see the exhibit when it was open. These are beautiful artifacts, and I love what depth they've brought to the age of Cleopatra.
February 13, 2019
The photos are incredible and this was a well-written book. The photos give you an idea of the amount of work put into the search of ancient history.
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January 18, 2011Cleopatra...ancient beauty.
Cleopatra...temptress of Rome.
Cleopatra...last Pharaoh of Egypt.
Over 2000 years after death by her own hand, Cleopatra continues to fascinate us. She oversaw Egypt's twilight years and sealed its death with her own. But what do we really know about this enigmatic woman?
She was famous for her beauty, but the only images we have of her fail to show this. She was alleged to live in opulent luxury, but her palace has been submerged by the Mediterranean for the last 2,000 years. Shakespeare claimed that a victorious Octavian had her buried in royal splendor with Marc Antony, but no evidence of such a tomb has ever been discovered.
However, thanks to Frank Goddio and the IEASM (the European Institute of Underwater Archaeology) all this is changing. For they have been excavating the sunken and long-thought lost, cities of Cleopatra and discovering that Cleopatra's past is not so lost after all.
"Cleopatra: the Search for the Last Queen of Egypt" contains some of the details of these excavations, as well as hundreds of artifacts retrieved from the sea and reclaimed for humanity. Everything from common pottery bowls to l lavish gold jewelry was unearthed. In the process, these underwater archaeologists have rediscovered the important cities of Canopus (a city of pleasure and festivities) and Heracleion (a commercial entrance and major pilgrimage site) as well as portions of Alexandria driven under the water by rising sea level over the centuries.
Along with these discoveries this book also discusses Zahi Hawass' own excavations at Taposiris, an important religious site to Cleopatra and now considered as a possible site for her tomb (no hint of which has ever been found). Though no definitive proof of this has yet to come to light, excavations have yielded a wealth of artifacts.
"Cleopatra: the Search for the Last Queen of Egypt" was a fascinating look at both the life of an enigmatic woman and the excavations seeking to shed more light on that long-past world. It doesn't present many conclusions or answers, but the excavations are ongoing and so this is to be expected. However, I would have liked to have had more information on the individual items. But the real stars of this book were the artifacts themselves, beautifully preserved and photographed. Also, it is written in a style that is accessible to the casual reader of history and to those not familiar with archaeology or Egyptian history without coming off as "dumbed-down" to other more knowledgeable readers.
In conclusion, I recommend "Cleopatra: the Search for the Last Queen of Egypt" to anyone with an interest in history in general, in Egypt specifically or in Cleopatra personally, though it is a fascinating read such that anyone should be able to enjoy it.
Cleopatra...temptress of Rome.
Cleopatra...last Pharaoh of Egypt.
Over 2000 years after death by her own hand, Cleopatra continues to fascinate us. She oversaw Egypt's twilight years and sealed its death with her own. But what do we really know about this enigmatic woman?
She was famous for her beauty, but the only images we have of her fail to show this. She was alleged to live in opulent luxury, but her palace has been submerged by the Mediterranean for the last 2,000 years. Shakespeare claimed that a victorious Octavian had her buried in royal splendor with Marc Antony, but no evidence of such a tomb has ever been discovered.
However, thanks to Frank Goddio and the IEASM (the European Institute of Underwater Archaeology) all this is changing. For they have been excavating the sunken and long-thought lost, cities of Cleopatra and discovering that Cleopatra's past is not so lost after all.
"Cleopatra: the Search for the Last Queen of Egypt" contains some of the details of these excavations, as well as hundreds of artifacts retrieved from the sea and reclaimed for humanity. Everything from common pottery bowls to l lavish gold jewelry was unearthed. In the process, these underwater archaeologists have rediscovered the important cities of Canopus (a city of pleasure and festivities) and Heracleion (a commercial entrance and major pilgrimage site) as well as portions of Alexandria driven under the water by rising sea level over the centuries.
Along with these discoveries this book also discusses Zahi Hawass' own excavations at Taposiris, an important religious site to Cleopatra and now considered as a possible site for her tomb (no hint of which has ever been found). Though no definitive proof of this has yet to come to light, excavations have yielded a wealth of artifacts.
"Cleopatra: the Search for the Last Queen of Egypt" was a fascinating look at both the life of an enigmatic woman and the excavations seeking to shed more light on that long-past world. It doesn't present many conclusions or answers, but the excavations are ongoing and so this is to be expected. However, I would have liked to have had more information on the individual items. But the real stars of this book were the artifacts themselves, beautifully preserved and photographed. Also, it is written in a style that is accessible to the casual reader of history and to those not familiar with archaeology or Egyptian history without coming off as "dumbed-down" to other more knowledgeable readers.
In conclusion, I recommend "Cleopatra: the Search for the Last Queen of Egypt" to anyone with an interest in history in general, in Egypt specifically or in Cleopatra personally, though it is a fascinating read such that anyone should be able to enjoy it.
October 12, 2012
This is a companion book to the currently traveling Cleopatra exhibit and is worth the read both to anyone who is planning to visit the exhibit or to anyone interested in Cleopatra and the time period.
I recently visited the exhibit AFTER having read this book and I can say without a doubt that if I hadn't read the book I would have been very disappointed with the exhibit. But more on that later.
The book is basically a coffee table picture book that catalogs many of the items that have been found in various locations that are associated with Cleopatra. Of course no items found can be said to be 100% touched by Cleopatra herself (even the papyrus with her "signature") so it's all of the "she might have touched them or seen them" variety, but that's fine by me since anything of the era is still of enormous interest.
The book is broken up into sections, mostly by location of the archaeological sites where the items were found. Other sections shed light on underwater archaeology or on Cleopatra herself. Each section starts with an introductory text followed by photographs of the items. Most of the items are accompanied by a short explanation while some items have longer explanations, usually to provide more detailed historical matter.
I found all the items pictured here incredibly interesting. I read every word and description and while I found the introductory stuff in each section illuminating (and sometimes simplistic or boilerplate), it's really all about the individual items. The pictures of statues, rings, coins, amphora, earrings, all of it, are amazing. More amazing are pictures of the items found underwater, at their moment of discovery in the water.
The only downside to this book is if you don't get a chance to see the exhibit after reading it, or even worse, if you bought this book in the gift shop at the end of the exhibit because now you'll know how much information the exhibit left out.
The exhibit itself only showcases a small chunk of the items in the book, and they are really spectacular artifacts at that, but unfortunately the exhibit itself doesn't provide very many details about many of them. I walked through the exhibit recognizing all the artifacts, remembering the details the book provided, but I was mystified as to why those details weren't included on the informational plaques on the displays. Truly a lost opportunity on the part of the exhibit.
This book is a great treasure trove of information and pictures of items from around Cleopatra's time. Nothing can beat this older, more comprehensive book about Cleopatra artifacts, but this newer book is a great addition to anyone's library of Cleopatra books.
I recently visited the exhibit AFTER having read this book and I can say without a doubt that if I hadn't read the book I would have been very disappointed with the exhibit. But more on that later.
The book is basically a coffee table picture book that catalogs many of the items that have been found in various locations that are associated with Cleopatra. Of course no items found can be said to be 100% touched by Cleopatra herself (even the papyrus with her "signature") so it's all of the "she might have touched them or seen them" variety, but that's fine by me since anything of the era is still of enormous interest.
The book is broken up into sections, mostly by location of the archaeological sites where the items were found. Other sections shed light on underwater archaeology or on Cleopatra herself. Each section starts with an introductory text followed by photographs of the items. Most of the items are accompanied by a short explanation while some items have longer explanations, usually to provide more detailed historical matter.
I found all the items pictured here incredibly interesting. I read every word and description and while I found the introductory stuff in each section illuminating (and sometimes simplistic or boilerplate), it's really all about the individual items. The pictures of statues, rings, coins, amphora, earrings, all of it, are amazing. More amazing are pictures of the items found underwater, at their moment of discovery in the water.
The only downside to this book is if you don't get a chance to see the exhibit after reading it, or even worse, if you bought this book in the gift shop at the end of the exhibit because now you'll know how much information the exhibit left out.
The exhibit itself only showcases a small chunk of the items in the book, and they are really spectacular artifacts at that, but unfortunately the exhibit itself doesn't provide very many details about many of them. I walked through the exhibit recognizing all the artifacts, remembering the details the book provided, but I was mystified as to why those details weren't included on the informational plaques on the displays. Truly a lost opportunity on the part of the exhibit.
This book is a great treasure trove of information and pictures of items from around Cleopatra's time. Nothing can beat this older, more comprehensive book about Cleopatra artifacts, but this newer book is a great addition to anyone's library of Cleopatra books.
July 29, 2013
Pottery shards are not sexy. Unless you're into that kind of thing.
But add the name of Cleopatra, and everybody's ears perk up.
This is a companion book to the traveling National Geographic exhibition, and as such, a great keepsake and explores in more detail items that a physical exhibition can only touch on.
By emphasizing the tie of these land and sea explorations to Cleopatra, it almost feels like they have done a bait-and-switch. They haven't, of course; when exploring an archaeological site where people lived for centuries, before and after the life/reign of ANYONE, it is impossible to ONLY look at artifacts from that life/reign. Still it felt like sometimes there was a big stretch to make a Cleopatra connection: "here's an amphora that was common during that time period," "here's a statue from a temple where Cleopatra might have brought offerings," "here's an earring similar to ones Cleopatra would have worn."
It is all interesting material, the photographs are impressive, and some items, like a huge stone head that is almost certainly modeled after Cleopatra's son, Caesarion, can be tied to her without too much effort. Underwater (and traditional) archaeology in itself is fascinating, as are the stories of the site explored here: Alexandria, Canopus, Haracleion, and more.
But if you pick this up thinking you are going to learn all about Cleopatra's life and the location of her tomb, you will be disappointed.
But add the name of Cleopatra, and everybody's ears perk up.
This is a companion book to the traveling National Geographic exhibition, and as such, a great keepsake and explores in more detail items that a physical exhibition can only touch on.
By emphasizing the tie of these land and sea explorations to Cleopatra, it almost feels like they have done a bait-and-switch. They haven't, of course; when exploring an archaeological site where people lived for centuries, before and after the life/reign of ANYONE, it is impossible to ONLY look at artifacts from that life/reign. Still it felt like sometimes there was a big stretch to make a Cleopatra connection: "here's an amphora that was common during that time period," "here's a statue from a temple where Cleopatra might have brought offerings," "here's an earring similar to ones Cleopatra would have worn."
It is all interesting material, the photographs are impressive, and some items, like a huge stone head that is almost certainly modeled after Cleopatra's son, Caesarion, can be tied to her without too much effort. Underwater (and traditional) archaeology in itself is fascinating, as are the stories of the site explored here: Alexandria, Canopus, Haracleion, and more.
But if you pick this up thinking you are going to learn all about Cleopatra's life and the location of her tomb, you will be disappointed.
September 8, 2014
I have mixed feelings about this one. On one hand, you can't get more authoritative on Egypt than Hawass and Goddio. The concept of this book is fascinating; researchers went to underwater cities to see what they could find out about Cleopatra, and to one spot on land to see if her tomb could be found. The facts are interesting, and the diving pictures are stunning. I also loved all of the information of the variety of artifacts found. I do wish there would have been more size comparisons but I guess when you only have so much room that becomes tricky. For example, there was a massive statue pictured- then on the next page there was a picture of the statue being brought up by the divers, and you could appreciate how huge it was. My biggest problem with the book - and this is why it took so long to get through - is that while the book is heavy on the pictures (a good thing), the mercifully short introductory chapters to each section were hard to read. I question the sanity of whomever decided that a spiderweb thin font at what looked to be 80 percent black would be a good choice. Couple this with the fact that much of this font was overlaid on a 10 percent gray screen... yeah, talk about tough to read. That was frustrating.
June 28, 2013
This companion book to the CLEOPATRA: THE SEARCH FOR THE LAST QUEEN OF EGYPT exhibition is filled with good information about the finding of the pieces on view. There isn't a great deal of new historical details, but the background of the search for her final resting place is intriguing.
In the final analysis, it is amazing that we know so little about this most famous of Egyptian queens. Indeed, I was surprised to learn that most of the images on the artifacts I saw in the exhibition were most likely not of her.
Buyers of this book are probably most interested in the pictures, and they are in abundance. Those who want to learn more of her story would probably find as much background on Wikipedia.
In the final analysis, it is amazing that we know so little about this most famous of Egyptian queens. Indeed, I was surprised to learn that most of the images on the artifacts I saw in the exhibition were most likely not of her.
Buyers of this book are probably most interested in the pictures, and they are in abundance. Those who want to learn more of her story would probably find as much background on Wikipedia.
December 29, 2010
This book was FANTASTIC! I love the fields of anthropology and archeology, so the second I saw this book was coming out, I knew I had to read it. This book is unbelievably beautiful just for the photography alone. Yet, Dr. Hawass has managed to give interesting background information so far. I cannot wait for this exhibition to come to Chicago and already have it on my calender to attend.
August 10, 2011
A Brilliant Companion to the Exhibition of the same title. The Book is divided into chapters grouping the objects by either topic, or place of discovery. It is as close to a snapshot as can be had now of this mysterious queen without making too much speculation. Hurry to see the exhibit in Cincinnati before it leaves!
June 8, 2011
Beautiful book
July 24, 2013
This book was fun to read and educational. I would recommend it to anyone who has a interest in Egyptian history. Very good read.
August 14, 2017
I loved this exibit.
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