Egyptian Life (Paper Only) (British Museum) - Softcover

This is a remarkably vivid and wide-ranging picture of life in ancient Egypt. Stead utilizes numerous photographs and illustrations from the British Museum to paint a refreshingly new view of Egyptian life. She asserts that Egyptians were not a pessimistic race of people obsessed with religion and death, but were, rather, excited by the prospects of continuing their enjoyable life after death. To prove her thesis, Stead enters into a lively discussion of various elements of social history. "Egyptian Life" is one of a series of small but well-organized studies of materials in the British Museum...It is not intended to be a comprehensive survey of Egyptology, but rather a very well-illustrated and readable series of chapters dealing with the home, village life, family and society, agriculture and diet, crafts and craftsmen, dress, recreation, popular religion and magic. And the book treats these topics clearly and well..."Egyptian Life" offers remarkably good coverage of ancient Egyptian culture and society. It is to be recommended for bringing that fascinating world to life. -- Kent R. Weeks "International Journal of African Historical Studies" clearly and well..."Egyptian Life" offers remarkably good coverage of ancient Egyptian culture and society. It is to be recommended for bringing that fascinating world to life. religion and death, but were, rather, excited by the prospects of continuing their enjoyable life after death. To prove her thesis, Stead enters into a lively discussion of various elements of social history. [Stead] utilizes numerous photographs and illustrations from the British Museum to paint a refreshingly new view of Egyptian life. She asserts that Egyptians were not a pessimistic race of people obsessed with religion and death, but were, rather, excited by the prospects of continuing their enjoyable life after death. To prove her thesis, Stead enters into a lively discussion of various elements of social history. ""Egyptian Life" is one of a series of small but well-organized studies of materials in the British Museum...It is not intended to be a comprehensive survey of Egyptology, but rather a very well-illustrated and readable series of chapters dealing with the home, village life, family and society, agriculture and diet, crafts and craftsmen, dress, recreation, popular religion and magic. And the book treats these topics clearly and well..."Egyptian Life" offers remarkably good coverage of ancient Egyptian culture and society. It is to be recommended for bringing that fascinating world to life." --Kent R. Weeks, "International Journal of African Historical Studies""This is a remarkably vivid and wide-ranging picture of life in ancient Egypt." --"Science Books and Film""[Stead] utilizes numerous photographs and illustrations from the British Museum to paint a refreshingly new view of Egyptian life. She asserts that Egyptians were not a pessimistic race of people obsessed with religion and death, but were, rather, excited by the prospects of continuing their enjoyable life after death. To prove her thesis, Stead enters into a lively discussion of various elements of social history." --"School Library Journal"

Contrary to the popular view that they were a people obsessed with religion and death, the ancient Egyptians were in fact very much concerned with the enjoyment of life--so much so that they desired their civilized, often exuberant existence to be continued for ever in the afterlife. Thus they equipped their tombs with all the trappings of life on earth and decorated the walls with colorful scenes depicting their many activities, pleasures and pastimes. With the aid of a wealth of illustrations from the British Museum's rich Egyptian collections, Miriam Stead combines the evidence from the tombs with that of excavation and written sources to recreate a remarkably vivid and wide-ranging picture of life in ancient Egypt.