The Animals of Ancient Egypt Then and Now

About this book

The Animals of Ancient Egypt: Then and Now provides a simultaneous guide to some 60 species of mammal, bird, reptile, amphibian, fish and invertebrate recorded in modern Egypt and also portrayed in the tombs and temples or as mummies and gods in ancient Egypt – or even earlier in the case of the cave art from the Gilf Kebir.

Accompanied by contemporary photographs of the living animals alongside tomb carvings or paintings, each species is described in terms of its current characteristics (size, habits and habitats, and range in modern Egypt) as well as the animal’s religious and practical significance to ancient Egyptians. The introduction covers biogeography, ancient Egypt and its wildlife, modern developments, a chronology of ancient Egypt, the relevant gods and goddesses of ancient Egypt and a glossary.

Customer Reviews

Biography

Richard Hoath is a leading naturalist based in Egypt, who has travelled extensively throughout the Middle East. He is the author and illustrator of A Field Guide to the Mammals of Egypt (paperback edition, 2009), and many other books and articles on the wildlife of the region. He is a founder member of, and serves on, the Egyptian Ornithological Rarities Committee, is a longtime member of the Ornithological Society of the Middle East (OSME) and is currently on the faculty of the American University in Cairo.

Salima Ikram is Distinguished University Professor at the American University in Cairo and has excavated in Egypt for more than 30 years. Her specialities include animals in ancient Egypt, mummification, ancient Egyptian food and drink, rock art, and the preservation and presentation of cultural heritage. She has directed the Animal Mummy Project at the Egyptian Museum (Cairo), the Amenmesse Mission KV10 and KV63, and the North Kharga Oasis Darb Ain Amur Survey. A member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and a Fellow of the British Academy, she has published extensively for adults and children on a variety of topics.