Product Description
In his newest book, Egypt's leading archaeologist takes readers on a personal tour of the fascinating sites he has excavated over the last 33 years. His stirring descriptions of his life's work, accompanied by many previously unpublished photographs, take us from the famous monuments at Giza, where he has supervised the restoration of the Sphinx and the Great Pyramid and excavated the cemetery of the pyramid builders, to the Valley of the Golden Mummies in Bahariya Oasis, perhaps the most significant and spectacular discovery in recent years. Zahi Hawass, recently named to the top antiquities job in Egypt, spins true tales of tomb robbers, explains how he negotiates with local Egyptians whose homes may lie directly above important sites, and describes in detail the exhilarating experience of entering an ancient tomb for the first time after thousands of years. Dr. Hawass is a spellbinding storyteller; in his hands archaeology becomes the stuff of enthralling adventure, danger, and wonder. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

The sophisticated past and power of Ancient Egypt.
Dr. Zahi Hawass has documented his discovery of ancient Egypts spectacular past with passion, color, detail and a priceless plethora of wonderful photo's of his archaeogical finds.His work, dedication, respect and reverence for these newly found Egyption relics explained in his book -"Secrets From The Sand" comes shining through as adventurous and thrilling experiences bound to fascinate and inspire any reader as well as all potential and budding young Egyptologists.His down to earth research of how some of these remaining ruins of gigantic statues, temples and above all the mysterious Pyramids of Giza were constructed without the aid of slaves is outstanding.His observations of the many Manufacturers, Merchants, Engineers, Doctors, Lawyers, Brewmaster, Bakers, Artists, Scribes and lifestyles which existed in Egypt over 5000 years ago is a riveting enlightment.This is a book you will want to keep.I treasure "Secrets From The Sand" and plan to read more Dr. Hawass's writings.

Excellent bio and story of modern archeology
Zahi Hawass is well-known to anyone interested in Egyptology... aside from his duties with the Egyptian government he has also been seen in many programs which have aired on cable TV about recent Egyptian discoveries. Currently, he has his own reality show about archeology. But who is Zahi Hawass?

Mr. Hawass recounts how he got involved in archeology and in doing so discusses some of the archeological digs and projects he's been on. Illustrated with photographs, Secrets From the Sand looks at several sites where recent digs have revised our understanding of ancient Egypt and Hawass also looks at issues such as conservation vs. tourism (a big deal in Egypt). In this book you really get a feel for why the rediscovery of Egypt's past is so important to him. You don't have to be an egyptologist to like this book... it's just that good.

great
This book is wonderful, and if you are intersted in ancient egypt at all this is a great book to read and find out first hand from Dr. Hawass the great treasures of ancient egypt.

Secrets From the Sand
I have several books by Zahi Hawass, and this is probably my favorite. I would love to meet this man in person, as his spirit of adventure must be greatly contagious! I love this book; the stories he shares, and the photography is fantastic! My hope is to someday visit some of these sights. I guarantee you won't be disappointed with this visit to Egypt's past.

"Why Only Four Stars?"
Dr. Hawass's book, "Secrets From the Sand" is a delight in many ways.Having been in Egypt and having seen many of the sites he has described, I thoroughly enjoyed re-living some of my time there.However, I must take exception to his belittling remarks of other people with whom he disagrees. I am referring to the remarks about Edgar Cayce, founder of the A.R.E. in Virginia Beach.One certainly has the right to disagree with another's phylosophy, but it would be courteous, to say the least, to get the facts right.Mr. Cayce was not a "poor carpenter", he was a photographer. He did not cure his son
s eyes, when a flash powder went off and blinded the boy, by some hocus-pocus magic, but with a sensible medical treatment.He mentions Hugh Lynn Cayce,Edgar's son, and calls him Hylan. In fact, the entire small section seemed to me to be an unsportsmanlike attempt to denigrate anyone who disagrees with him. Dr. Hawass has had enough recognition and enough honors in his field, richly deserved I may add, not to need to put in print his dislike of another's beliefs, however much it may disagree with his own.If this one section had been left out, I would have given the book the highest praise for its content, photographs, and manner of writing. As it is, I feel that it takes away from the character of the man whose work I have followed with great interest for many years, and who has done so much to bring his country's rich heritage to the attention of the world.
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Customer Reviews (19)

Diving for Dragons
In the South China Sea off the coast of Vietnam, author Frank Pope joins archaeologist Mensun Bound, and a large crew of divers and specialists as they locate the shipwreck of a 14th century cargo ship they dub the Hoi An.

Pope has the reader totally engrossed as he details one of the largest underwater archaeological finds to date. Step by step he brings you into the world of what it takes to begin a maritime recovery endeavor of this magnitude. As you start the early pages Pope pulls you down quickly into the unknown depths and new frontiers that the lure of the sea always brings. The magic realm of what lies beneath sun sparkled crested waves can soon turn into an abyss of danger if diving protocols and precautions are not adhered to.

Starting with a brief history of some of the pioneer divers and oceanographers such as Jacques Cousteau, and of the evolution of the technology and diving equipment they used and developed over the years, Frank Pope swims steadily along as he provides the reader with an up-front and personal look at the many tasks and challenges the crew encounters every inch of the way. From finally finding the Hoi An, and describing every gliche and conquest against what seemed like an endless amount of insurmountable odds, to the end result of finding a treasure that far exceeded what they had expected to unearth beneath the sea, this true story is a top-notch adventure ride. The intended hoard that is expected to be lifted topside is a large cache of close to one million pieces of Vietnamese ceramics. Thousands of hand painted dishes, ewers, pots, boxes, and other items of personal possessions that might have belonged to crew members, or passengers, were raised up to the surface day after day.

With obstacles such as tight budgets, a greedy financer who overworks the divers into sessions of dangerous exhaustion, the fear of improper decompression regulations, multiple high level storms during Typhoon Season, and the curious difficulty of dating the wreck and the uncertainty of whether the treasure is worth hauling up, this book is an informative and an exciting read. Any shipwreck or treasure hunter enthusiast would find this an intriguing book of exploration that offers up both the mystery and thrills of archaeology, as well as a hardnosed realistic point of view of the high price that is paid in both investment of funds, time, and in physical danger.From the first splash dive to the anti-climactic auction at Butterfield's, this an eye-opening read both sensational and scary. I thoroughly enjoyed Dragon Sea and only have one small gripe. It needed photographs. The author inserts fanciful hand drawings but a center section of color glossy site and artifact photos would have enhanced the presentation of this book 100%.

How to lose $12 million
I had a very hard time connecting with this book. It tells the story of a $14 million treasure hunt for ta15th century Vietnamese sunken ship full of porcelain located off the coast of Vietnam. The author tries hard to build an exciting story around the dive and subsequent auction by introducing the historical significance of the finding. Yet, what is lost is not history surrounding the invention of porcelain in China or its manufacturing process spill into Vietnam, but the essence of what makes people lust after a sunken treasure, the excitement of finding that treasure and the minute by minute experience of bringing that treasure to the surface.

For a truly exciting diving story, try Shadow Divers.

The incredible recovery of 500+ yr. old porcelin
This book was written by FRANK POPE(Archeological Director or Project Manager), who was on the salvage ship while all this was going on.The recovery of this pottery was RIFE with DANGER,THIEVERY and EGOS(this is real life). The story takes you from spark of interest to auction house and is a wealth of facts and backround info on the Chinese Junk(flat-bottomed boat,HUGE),WHO was on it (THAI crew),WHERE they were going and why, the resulting tragic wreck at sea, and the heroic salvage of some of the OLDEST pottery EVER recovered. I have several pieces and highly recommend this book!

Dragon Sea
I first heard this book on a CD from the library.It's full of SCUBA diving details in treacherous seas and covers an extended time span of raising pottery and antiquity treasures from sunken ships over several hundred years.Loved it because it's a TRUE adventure.
Fiction is good, but details of a true story are complex and amazing.Read or Buy for divers, sea story addicts, collectors of rare antiques and adventure junkies.I've given this book to 6 people and never heard a ho-hum.

Dragon Sea a brilliant read
Reading a great adventure that is also a true story really adds another dimension to my enjoyment of a book - Dragon Sea by Frank Pope really drew me in like few books have, where I felt I was living Frank's adventure on the South China Sea with him. Brilliant accessable writing allows the escape but it also has fascinating history seamlessly slipped into the tale. I had a similar experience with Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts, another book I couldn't put down once I started reading it.After reading Shantaram, the thought of living a life in organised crime in India was strangely appealing.Similarly, after reading Dragon Sea, the temptation to throw myself into the madness of deep sea wreck recovery and archaeology is bouncing around my head.

You don't need to have an interest in ancient porcelin to enjoy this book - an interest in adventure, suspense and intrigue is enough.Enjoy! ... Read more

Product Description
In this unique interactive book, the reader becomes an archeologist exploring the tomb of an Egyptian woman named Nenufar.A paper "lamp" reveals the fascinating images hidden within acetate overlay pages, including a tunnel to the tomb, ancient paintings, dishes, and Nenufar's mummy! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Clever Book
A clever visual slight of hand makes this a fun book for children and adults. I couldn't get it away from my six year old long enough to really explore all the contents. ... Read more

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Discusses how the pyramids of Egypt were built and what they looked like in their original state and explores the various theories about pyramids and their "powers." ... Read more

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Travel to Turkey, where Asia and Europe meet at the bridge over the Bosphorus. Learn how Turkey’s diversity of cultures make it one of the world’s melting pots. Discover how Atatürk became the father of modern Turkey. Meet the many Muslims who live within this secular, Western-oriented republic. ... Read more

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The timeless message of the New Testament applies to people of every culture and generation. Yet there is great value in understanding the world in which that message was first revealed - its social manners, politics, religious customs, and culture. Exploring the New Testament World, written by classics and Bible scholar Dr. Albert A. Bell, Jr., illuminates the living context of the New Testament, immersing its readers in the intriguing world of Jesus and the early church.

An authority on ancient Greek and Roman language, culture, and history, Dr. Bell writes in a readable style that is accessible and enjoyable to any reader - an uncommon accomplishment among New Testament scholars today. Surveying Jewish factions of the era, the social and political structure of the Roman Empire, and the philosophies and religions that surrounded the early church, Dr. Bell helps his readers learn to think like first-century Jews, Greeks, and Romans, illuminating puzzling New Testament passages for clear understanding. Comprehensive Scripture and Subject Indexes make this volume even more useful as a "manners and customs" Bible companion.

This authoritative guide receives high praise from college professors and Sunday school teachers alike, proving its appeal to both popular and academic audiences. A "must-have" reference for every pastor and an indispensable resource to any Bible reader. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Unless Someone Guides Me
Albert Bell sees this book as beginning while he was yet in high school. At some point, he says, he made the connection that the authors he read in his Latin class"lived in the same world as the people who wrote the books I studied on Sunday." Now as an instructor at Hope college in Holland, MI, Bell asks the question of how we can believe something that we simply do not understand. Will we be like the Ethiopian eunuch of Acts 8.26-40 who asked, " How can I (understand) unless someone guides me?"

As an illustration of what he means, Bell says he once heard a minister tell the story of Paul's imprisonment in Rome. In his story, the minister told of clanking chains and a foul-smelling dungeon. But in ancient Rome, the law was that prisons were for holding people for trial and not for punishment. More accurately, Paul as under house arrest. He was chained during moves but even in Rome he was allowed to by himself in his own hired dwelling with a guard.

There are ten major sections to Bell's book ranging from the Judaic background of the NT to Roman law, religion, and philosophy to Greco-Roman society and morality to a section on time, distance, and travel. In the section on Roman Law, Bell covers Pliny the Younger, the powers of Roman governors, and so on. in the section on Greco-Roman religion Bell notes the story of Vespasian's healing of the blind man; such stories succeeded, says Bell, because "the popular mentality of the time accepted such things happening"

I heartily endorse the study of non-canonical writings in order to study the cultural milieu of a text. Time and again Bell guides the reader through the world in which the writers of the New Testament wrote.

First-rate study of New Testament background
This is a masterful study of the Graeco-Roman culture of the first century AD which underlies the New Testament.Bell examines a wide variety of topics, from dress to how meals were eaten, from child-rearing to the treatment of slaves, and discusses the dominant philosophical and religious movements of the day.Knowing such things enables a reader of the New Testament to delve more deeply into the meaning of the text and to dig out new levels of understanding. ... Read more

Product Description
The bulk of [this] material is furnished by some early texts, written towards the close of the third millennium B.C. They incorporate traditions which extend in unbroken outline from their own period into the remote ages of the past, and claim to trace the history of man back to his creation. They represent the early national traditions of the Sumerian people, who preceded the Semites as the ruling race in Babylonia; and incidentally they necessitate a revision of current views with regard to the cradle of Babylonian civilization. The most remarkable of the new documents is one which relates in poetical narrative an account of the Creation, of Antediluvian history, and of the Deluge. It thus exhibits a close resemblance in structure to the corresponding Hebrew traditions, a resemblance that is not shared by the Semitic-Babylonian Versions at present known. But in matter the Sumerian tradition is more primitive than any of the Semitic versions. In spite of the fact that the text appears to have reached us in a magical setting, and to some extent in epitomized form, this early document enables us to tap the stream of tradition at a point far above any at which approach has hitherto been possible.

Thus our new material enables us to check the age, and in some measure the accuracy, of the traditions concerning the dawn of history which the Greeks reproduced from native sources, both in Babylonia and Egypt, after the conquests of Alexander had brought the Near East within the range of their intimate acquaintance. The third body of tradition, that of the Hebrews, though unbacked by the prestige of secular achievement, has, through incorporation in the canons of two great religious systems, acquired an authority which the others have not enjoyed. In re-examining the sources of all three accounts, so far as they are affected by the new discoveries, it will be of interest to observe how the same problems were solved in antiquity by very different races, living under widely divergent conditions, but within easy reach of one another. Their periods of contact, ascertained in history or suggested by geographical considerations, will prompt the further question to what extent each body of belief was evolved in independence of the others. The close correspondence that has long been recognized and is now confirmed between the Hebrew and the Semitic-Babylonian systems, as compared with that of Egypt, naturally falls within the scope of our enquiry.

Excavation has provided an extraordinarily full archaeological commentary to the legends of Egypt and Babylon; and when I received the invitation to deliver the Schweich Lectures for 1916, I was reminded of the terms of the Bequest and was asked to emphasize the archaeological side of the subject. Such material illustration was also calculated to bring out, in a more vivid manner than was possible with purely literary evidence, the contrasts and parallels presented by Hebrew tradition.

For more titles like this, type “dreamz-work” into the search field or go to http://dreamz-work.com
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Explores the mysteries of the mummification process, tomb robbing, x-raying of mummy bundles, and myths about mummies. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Great book for anyone interested in Egyptian mummification
Wrapped for Eternity gives the reader a detailed description of how the Ancient Egyptians mummified their dead.It is a wonderful resource for anyone interested in Egyptian pyramids, mummies, King Tut, and the Egyptian afterlife. ... Read more

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Periodical. Feature articles include: The Masterpiece Minbar (Marrakech); Georgetown's Bridge of Faith (Georgetown University Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding); The Last Port of Call (Underwater Archeology Museum, Bodrum's Castle) ; Nomads and Pharohs (Medjay People). ... Read more

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Sand in their bread caused serious tooth problems for the ancient Egyptians, peasants and pharaohs alike.Skull surgery was commonly performed by the Inca Indians of Peru. A thick soup made of grain and seeds was a typical winter meal in Denmark during the Iron Age. How can we be so sure of what ancient life was like? Largely because, in recent years, mummies have begun to "talk" to scientists who study them for clues to the distant past. X-rays reveal mumm ies that have never been unwrapped. The shape of the face appears, and resemblances may establish family relationships. In the bones of a mummy, medical scientists can read age at death, signs of disease, fractures that healed. Teeth yield information about diet and health. Sometimes a mummy offers a surprise: an Egyptian mummy is found to have two skulls; another, long thought to be the child of a high priestess, turns out to be a baboon. Sometimes a mummy tells a moving story: examination of a girl's mummy shows she lived her short life in considerable pain; a man's mummy, with broken bones and slit throat, proves he met a violent death.Generously illustrated with photographs ranging from the gruesome to the starkly beautiful, Tales Mummies Tell is a remarkable account of mummies -- intriguing talebearers from the pastand of the ways scientists unlock their secrets.

Customer Reviews (4)

WONDERFUL YOUTH BOOK OF INTRODUCTION TO A FASCINATING SUBJECT.
What an informative, interesting and well done work this is!First though, please note that Amazon seems to have mixed their books up just a bit with this title.I note that when I typed in the title of the book I was taken to a work of only 32 pages which seems to be some sort of teachers guide to the actually book being reviewed here.The one I have is 117 pages and the text is supplemented with some very nice black and white photographs. If you order this book, take care that you are ordering the correct one.Now, that being said...

This book, while geared for the younger reader, i.e. the young adult, it is actually quite an interesting read for anyone interested in mummies, and let's face it, who isn't?Kids flock to books of this subject and I know many adults who have quite extensive libraries covering such matters.This work is quite appropriate for the adult reader who has a curiosity concerning the subject but does not want to get bogged down in an 800 page book on the history of Egypt.No, the information here is pretty basic but on the other hand I have seldom seen a youth reader that is packed with more accurate information that this little volume.

The author has addressed the burial practices of several ancient civilizations with the emphasis placed on the mummification of the remains after death.Of course Egypt plays a prominent role in this work, but the author has also given us a fascinating look at ancient South American cultures, the Bog People of Europe and Native Americans of the Southwest.Ms. Lauber even addresses "shrunken heads; how they are made and why.Knowing a bit about this subject (the mummification process, not shrinking heads), I can attest to the fact that the author has done a wonderful job on her research and has accomplished an amazing task in separating fact from fiction and legend.

The text of this work is very nicely done and is easy to read while at the same time not being one bit condescending toward her younger readers.Facts are given, accurate facts, in a nonacademic way which will be quite appealing to all who take the time to read it.The author has supplied a large number of quality black and white photographs of various mummies from around the world and from different eras and cultures.I was gratified that the emphasis was placed on scientific research and not on a bunch of tall tales usually associated with this subject.Great emphasis is places on the analysis of the data received through the study of these ancient bodies.How did the people live, what was their diet, how did they die, what methods were used to preserve the human body for thousands of years and why was this process done?I was also gratified that the author has taken several unflattering shots at grave robbers throughout history and amateur archeologists who have rather mucked things up for the past several hundred years.Tomb raiders are not on this author's popularity list...with no insult to Laura Croft, I am sure.

For those young people who are into the study of ancient civilizations this work is a wonderful supplement to any reading or study program.I have to admit that I picked up some pretty nifty bits of trivia here and there and received a bit of an education myself.

An interesting read and I do recommend this one highly.

Don Blankenship
The Ozarks

Great Book
This book has information and pictures of some mummies that aren't in a lot of other books. Although some famous mummies like Otzi and Juanita aren't in here, other mummies that you might not find in most places are here. If you want to build your 'mummy repertoire,' you'lll find a few new ones here.

The Best Non-Fiction Book Ever
I found the book Tales Mummies Tell fascinating.This book is a mix of mystery and fact all in one!I recommend this book to people from years 11-adult because of the interesting,comprehendable information in it.I enjoyed this book because of my curiousity for it's subject.The book tells about preservation of mummies, the mummification proccess of mummies in Ancient Egypt, bodies found in bogs in Denmark, Ramesses III, and many more mindboggling facts.So if you are interested in this topic then I would suggest you read this book.

The Best Non-Fiction Book Ever
I found the book Tales Mummies Tell fascinating.This book is a mix of mystery and fact all in one!I recommend this book to people from years 11-adult because of the interesting,comprehendable information in it.I enjoyed this book because of my curiousity for it's subject.The book tells about preservation of mummies, the mummification proccess of mummies in Ancient Egypt, bodies found in bogs in Denmark, Ramesses III, and many more mindboggling facts.So if you are interested in this topic then I would suggest you read this book. ... Read more

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DK Action Packs: Pyramid includes a board game, model pyramid, and hieroglyph decoder. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

wonderful little gem of a book!
This book was a real treat for me - I've been bogged down in scholarly treatises of late, and it came as a breath of fresh air to find this small, simple, and concise overview of the scrolls and their impact some 40 years after discovery.The controversies, the gossip, and most importantly (to me), the impact on textual criticism - all are discussed in a clear and understandable way.Its easy to underestimate the value of a small, simple book, but believe me, wordiness does not equal value, and good things still come in small packages...this one is a gem!

Never a Dead Issue
A little on the old side now (1992) The Dead Sea Scrolls After Forty Years is a nice little overview of the history of the Scrolls: their discovery, their origin, their translation, and the contention over their intellectual "ownership."The slender volume is a printed version of a symposium conducted at the Smithsonian Institute and given by three prominent scholars (Vanderkam, McCarter, and Sanders) and introduced and moderated by Hershel Shanks, the founder, editor and publisher of Biblical Archaeology Review among other periodicals.The book is divided into four sections, the last three followed by a question and answer session, themselves very informative.The lectures reveal that the process of Biblical textual analysis is always a work in progress--and that what is extracted reflects as much on the evolution of our modern society as on the ancient one.An interesting little book.

Basic
Very general and introductory view on the scrolls at Qumran, atleast in my opinion. But, that was because this is a collection of speeches and discussion, so its understandable.I liked having scholars of different thoughts conversing together, and answering some FAQ.But really, one needs to read more than this to really learn about the Dead Sea Scrolls in any amount of depth.(try Norman Golb's book)Also, this book is outdated, 1990. (prior to the 1991 first publication of many of the texts.) INFORMATIONAL: features Hershel Shanks James C. Vanderkam P. Kyle McCarter, Jr.James A. Sanders ... Read more