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  • A World Beneath the Sands

  • The Golden Age of Egyptology
  • Written by: Toby Wilkinson
  • Narrated by: Graeme Malcolm
  • Length: 14 hrs and 19 mins
  • 2.5 out of 5 stars (2 ratings)

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A World Beneath the Sands

Written by: Toby Wilkinson
Narrated by: Graeme Malcolm
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Publisher's Summary

A thrilling history of the West’s scramble for the riches of ancient Egypt by the foremost Egyptologist of our time.

From the decipherment of hieroglyphics in 1822 to the discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb by Howard Carter and Lord Carnarvon a hundred years later, the uncovering of Egypt’s ancient past took place in an atmosphere of grand adventure and international rivalry.

In A World Beneath the Sands, acclaimed Egyptologist Toby Wilkinson chronicles the ruthless race between the British, French, Germans, and Americans to lay claim to its mysteries and treasures. He tells riveting stories of the men and women whose obsession with Egypt’s ancient civilization helped to enrich and transform our understanding of the Nile Valley and its people and left a lasting impression on Egypt, too. Travelers and treasure-hunters, ethnographers and archaeologists: whatever their motives, whatever their methods, a century of adventure and scholarship revealed a lost world, buried for centuries beneath the sands.

©2020 Toby Wilkinson (P)2020 Audible, Inc.

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Worthwhile!

This substantial work describes in relative detail the inception and development of Egyptology, from Napoléon Bonaparte in 1798 to Howard Carter in 1922. The rivalry between France, Great Britain and Germany is described as well as the political and economic evolution of Egypt that occurred concurrently.

Things are not presented in strict chronological order, however, what entails some repetitions and may produce some confusion. Oddly, the author refers to Leghorn and Livorno as if they were distinct cities. Though this is a negligible error, some readers may be concerned that it reflects a lack of rigour for elements that are not as well known. Also, it would certainly be interesting to learn in a follow-up book what has happened since 1922, including the construction of the Grand Egyptian Museum at Giza.

In the audio version, the narrator does a fine job of delivering the text in a lively but yet natural tone. He must be commended for his respectful pronunciation of French and German names and titles. Sadly however, sound quality varies as if different microphones has been used, with changes at times in the middle of a sentence. This may be due to recording conditions imposed by the pandemic.

Overall, this work will prove of great interest to all interested in Egypt or in archeology in general.


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