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الحضارة المصرية من عصور ما قبل التاريخ حتى نهاية الدولة القديمة
بدأ التاريخ المكتوب لمصر عام 3200 قبل الميلاد بعد أن توحدت الدولة تحت قيادة ملك واحد .. وظهرت البوادر الأولى للعلامات والحروف والكلمات والأرقام التى سجلت طبقا لقواعد الكتابة الهيروغليفية
ولكن هل يعنى ذلك أن مصر قبل "الوحدة" كانت بلا تاريخ ؟ أو هل ظهرت الدولة المصرية هكذا فجأة واعتبرت أول دولة فى تاريخ العالم وأول حكومة مركزية أنشئت للناس ؟!!
يتناول هذا الكتاب الفريد قصة قدماء المصريين الذين عاشوا قبل بداية التاريخ بآلاف السنين .. كيف بدأوا الزراعة .. وكيف اشتغلوا بالصناعة .. وكيف ابتدعوا الفن .. وما هى الآثار الرائعة التى تركوها شاهدا على حضارتهم الرائدة التى بلغت أعلى ذراها فى عصر الدولة القديمة وعصر بناة الأهرام .. وهو العصر الذى تجسدت فيه كل الجهود التى بذلها المصريون الأوائل لترسيخ علوم الحساب والهندسة والكيمياء والطب والفلك .. ولإرساء قواعد فنون العمارة والنحت والتصوير والتلوين والتعامل مع أقسى وأصلب أنواع الصخور والأحجار .. بالإضافة إلى اكتشاف طرق تجميل الحياة الدنيا وجعلها حياة سعيدة بقدر الإمكان .. فتفننوا فى سبل الرياضة والسباحة, وطرق تصميم الأزياء من أرق أنواع الكتان المنسوج, وأنعم جلود الحيوانات المدبوغة, وأجمل فنون صياغة الذهب وتجميله بالمجوهرات والأحجار الكريمة, وأرقى أنواع قطع الأثاث المنزلى المصنوعة من خشب الأبنوس المزخرفة بصفائح ورقائق الذهب والفضة والصدف والعاج والفيروز ..
ولكن هل يعنى ذلك أن مصر قبل "الوحدة" كانت بلا تاريخ ؟ أو هل ظهرت الدولة المصرية هكذا فجأة واعتبرت أول دولة فى تاريخ العالم وأول حكومة مركزية أنشئت للناس ؟!!
يتناول هذا الكتاب الفريد قصة قدماء المصريين الذين عاشوا قبل بداية التاريخ بآلاف السنين .. كيف بدأوا الزراعة .. وكيف اشتغلوا بالصناعة .. وكيف ابتدعوا الفن .. وما هى الآثار الرائعة التى تركوها شاهدا على حضارتهم الرائدة التى بلغت أعلى ذراها فى عصر الدولة القديمة وعصر بناة الأهرام .. وهو العصر الذى تجسدت فيه كل الجهود التى بذلها المصريون الأوائل لترسيخ علوم الحساب والهندسة والكيمياء والطب والفلك .. ولإرساء قواعد فنون العمارة والنحت والتصوير والتلوين والتعامل مع أقسى وأصلب أنواع الصخور والأحجار .. بالإضافة إلى اكتشاف طرق تجميل الحياة الدنيا وجعلها حياة سعيدة بقدر الإمكان .. فتفننوا فى سبل الرياضة والسباحة, وطرق تصميم الأزياء من أرق أنواع الكتان المنسوج, وأنعم جلود الحيوانات المدبوغة, وأجمل فنون صياغة الذهب وتجميله بالمجوهرات والأحجار الكريمة, وأرقى أنواع قطع الأثاث المنزلى المصنوعة من خشب الأبنوس المزخرفة بصفائح ورقائق الذهب والفضة والصدف والعاج والفيروز ..
222 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1965
10 people are currently reading
446 people want to read
About the author
Cyril Aldred
97 books13 followersCyril Aldred was a British Egyptologist, art historian and author. He also served as the Keeper of Art and Archaeology for the Royal Scottish Museum.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
June 12, 2021
رحلة جميلة في الاسر الستة من الدولة القديمة العظيمة من الحياة السياسية وسرد التاريخ والفنون والأدب في الحضارة المصرية العريقة
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December 11, 2010تم الاستعانة بهذا الكتاب فى مقالات، بدايات المصريين
We referred to this book in our articles, Beginnings of Egyptians
We referred to this book in our articles, Beginnings of Egyptians
August 19, 2012
My first thought, when I saw this book, was: where were you when I was writing that totally dorky high school assignment on the Fall of the Old Kingdom?!
Now that I've actually read Egypt to the End of the Old Kingdom, I'm disappointed. I doubt it would have been spectacularly useful for that assignment, as I don't actually feel like it covers the Old Kingdom satisfactorily. Half the book discusses the pre-dynastic and archaic periods, while the other half outlines the architecture and sculpture of the Old Kingdom.
So, while I was expecting a good discussion of Egypt's Old Kingdom – overview of the time period, biographies of the kings, how the civilisation of Egypt was developed beyond unification, discussion of what caused the fall of the Old Kingdom – what I got was the history of pre-dynastic Egypt and artistic and architectural commentary in Old Kingdom funerary monuments and sculptures. Which is useful, I suppose, but so not the only thing I wanted to read about the Old Kingdom – and I doubt I'm alone.
The book also brief. It's 143 pages long, with 10 pages of notes, bibliography and index. While it is already expanded from a chapter Aldred had wrote for another book, there is room for more expansion that wouldn't have made the book so disappointing to me.
On the positive side, the discussion of the architecture and sculpture is really well done and in depth. Aldred writes in an accessible, scholarly manner so it's clear that his information was accurate for the time he was writing in. The book is also well-illustrated and logically laid out.
Those looking for a discussion of Old Kingdom buildings and sculptures will probably get the most out of Egypt to the End of the Old Kingdom.
Those looking for a book on pre- or early dynastic Egypt might be satisfied with this, or they might be better satisfied with Toby Wilkinson's Genesis of the Pharaohs or Early Dynastic Egypt . Neither of which I've read, but they're more recently published (2003 and 1999 respectively) and thus more up to date with all the latest discoveries and theories, which this book (published in 1965) naturally isn't.
If anyone has found a decent book on that overviews Egypt's Old Kingdom, please let me know.
Now that I've actually read Egypt to the End of the Old Kingdom, I'm disappointed. I doubt it would have been spectacularly useful for that assignment, as I don't actually feel like it covers the Old Kingdom satisfactorily. Half the book discusses the pre-dynastic and archaic periods, while the other half outlines the architecture and sculpture of the Old Kingdom.
So, while I was expecting a good discussion of Egypt's Old Kingdom – overview of the time period, biographies of the kings, how the civilisation of Egypt was developed beyond unification, discussion of what caused the fall of the Old Kingdom – what I got was the history of pre-dynastic Egypt and artistic and architectural commentary in Old Kingdom funerary monuments and sculptures. Which is useful, I suppose, but so not the only thing I wanted to read about the Old Kingdom – and I doubt I'm alone.
The book also brief. It's 143 pages long, with 10 pages of notes, bibliography and index. While it is already expanded from a chapter Aldred had wrote for another book, there is room for more expansion that wouldn't have made the book so disappointing to me.
On the positive side, the discussion of the architecture and sculpture is really well done and in depth. Aldred writes in an accessible, scholarly manner so it's clear that his information was accurate for the time he was writing in. The book is also well-illustrated and logically laid out.
Those looking for a discussion of Old Kingdom buildings and sculptures will probably get the most out of Egypt to the End of the Old Kingdom.
Those looking for a book on pre- or early dynastic Egypt might be satisfied with this, or they might be better satisfied with Toby Wilkinson's Genesis of the Pharaohs or Early Dynastic Egypt . Neither of which I've read, but they're more recently published (2003 and 1999 respectively) and thus more up to date with all the latest discoveries and theories, which this book (published in 1965) naturally isn't.
If anyone has found a decent book on that overviews Egypt's Old Kingdom, please let me know.
February 15, 2022
A great read - even for those only mildly interested in Ancient Egypt and its impressive history. The Old Kingdom spanned barely five hundred years, yet in this short period in the 3,000 year history of Ancient Egypt more than two dozen pyramids were constructed by the Old Kingdom pharaohs. These included the largest one built by Pharaoh Khufu on the Giza Plateau, as well as the first monumental building made of stone ever to be constructed - the step pyramid of Pharaoh Djoser.
Cyril Aldred was the Keeper of the Department of Art and Archaeology of the Royal Scottish Museum, Edinburgh and though Egyptologist and scholar, the book is written in an easy to read style for the general reader. More than 130 illustrations, many in colour are also included as well as a short introduction to the pre-history of Egypt; this was the period leading up to the Old Kingdom. The book is short - only 143 pages, but is written in a style both to educate and entertain the reader. How did the Ancient Egyptians plan for the After Life in the construction of their tombs? Which pharaoh built the first pyramid? How did the pyramid complexes look when first constructed. What influenced the unique Egyptian style of art and sculpture? These and many other questions are examined in the book through text and illustrations.
If you want to walk in the footsteps of the early pharaohs and their queens and gain a broader knowledge of their world, then this is the book to read. +5 stars!
Cyril Aldred was the Keeper of the Department of Art and Archaeology of the Royal Scottish Museum, Edinburgh and though Egyptologist and scholar, the book is written in an easy to read style for the general reader. More than 130 illustrations, many in colour are also included as well as a short introduction to the pre-history of Egypt; this was the period leading up to the Old Kingdom. The book is short - only 143 pages, but is written in a style both to educate and entertain the reader. How did the Ancient Egyptians plan for the After Life in the construction of their tombs? Which pharaoh built the first pyramid? How did the pyramid complexes look when first constructed. What influenced the unique Egyptian style of art and sculpture? These and many other questions are examined in the book through text and illustrations.
If you want to walk in the footsteps of the early pharaohs and their queens and gain a broader knowledge of their world, then this is the book to read. +5 stars!
December 4, 2013
This being an essay by a respected, mainline Egyptologist, I read it as a corrective to the more speculative books written by amateurs. At some point I hope to be able to form my own opinions about the origins of Egyptian civilization.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews