NEW HCDJ Chronicle of a Pharaoh Intimate Life Amenhotep

Chronicle of a Pharaoh: The Intimate Life of Amenhotep III by Joann Fletcher.

DESCRIPTION: Hardback with Dust Jacket: 176 pages. Publisher: Oxford University Press; (2000). ISBN: 0195216601. Discover the fascinating life of one of Egypt’s greatest pharaohs, King amenhotep III. Taking an eye-opening new approach to Egyptian history, “Chronicle of a Pharaoh” presents a unique and intimate portrait of Amenhotep III, the man and self-proclaimed god who presided over the zenith of Egypt's greatness. Through an unprecedented wealth of detail, from the day-to-day running of a huge empire to his clothes, cats, and bedroom habits, the private and public faces of a pharaoh are vividly brought to life as never before.

Drawing on the very latest theories and discoveries, author Joann Fletcher explores Amenhotep's private and public life in a compelling year-by-year account, drawing on firsthand and previously unpublished material. Among the many subjects covered are his daily schedule, such as bedchamber ceremonies and meetings with ministers; his relations with rulers of other ancient superpowers, recorded in a lively correspondence covering topics from new wives to the price of silver; his family life, including the remarkable role of his wife, Queen Tiy; the superlative art of the reign; and his monumental construction projects, among them the great temple of Luxor and the magnificent royal palace of Malkata.

Amenhotep III also established the cult of Aten, the sun disk, and after Amenhotep's death his son, the rebel pharaoh Akhenaten, became fanatically obsessed with the god. Illustrated with spectacular full-color photographs, maps, and artifacts, many of which are published here for the first time, from monumental stone carvings to personal artifacts, “Chronicle of a Pharaoh” provides the full context for understanding the monarch who presided over the magnificent flowering of Egyptian civilization.

CONDITION: Light shelf wear, remainder mark on top, otherwise clean and Like New.

PLEASE SEE IMAGES BELOW FOR SAMPLE PAGES FROM INSIDE OF BOOK.

PLEASE SEE PUBLISHER, PROFESSIONAL, AND READER REVIEWS BELOW.

PUBLISHER REVIEW:

REVIEW: A gloriously illustrated biography of Amenhotep III, the pharaoh whose 38 year reign marked the zenith of ancient Egypt’s power and prestige. “Chronicle of a Pharaoh” reveals the king’s private life in astounding detail, from the decoration on his bedroom ceiling and the visitors to his bedchamber, down to his favorite recipe and the name of the family cat. It describes the extraordinary personal correspondence between Amenhotep and the rulers of other ancient superpowers, as well as the famous “scarab bulletins” that he issued to mark major events of his reign.

The book brings the king and his court, as well as the world of ancient Egypt, to life for the modern reader through a very detailed year-by-year account. It traces in depth the most fascinating themes of Amenhotep’s reign, including his day-to-day management of Egypt’s vast empire, his relations with foreign kings, daily life in his residence at Thebes, the role of his remarkable queen Tiy, and his ambitious building program. “Chronicle of a Pharaoh” contains more than 130 illustrations, including photographs of treasures and artifacts rarely seen before.

Dr. Joann Fletcher is Honorary Research Fellow at York University and consultant Egyptologist at Harrogate Museums and Arts. She specializes in the history of mummification and has studied mummies on site in Egypt, Yemen and South America as well as in museum collections around the world. Recently she led groundbreaking work in Egypt's Valley of the Kings to re-examine three royal mummies, one of which may be that of Nefertiti; news that has attracted international coverage. She has made numerous appearances on television as well as radio, and writes for both The Guardian newspaper and the BBC's History Online website. Her publications include “Egypt's Sun King: Amenhotep III”, “Ancient Egypt: Life, Myth and Art”, “The Oils and Perfumes of Ancient Egypt”, and has contributed sections in several major guide books to Egypt.

PROFESSIONAL REVIEWS:

REVIEW: This attractive, richly illustrated little book relates the life of Amenhotep III, who ruled Egypt in the 14th century B.C. He was a remarkable figure, and during his reign, Egypt was the world superpower, enjoying unparalleled economic growth and peace, both at home and with its neighbors. Amenhotep was a brilliant politician, best known today as the builder of the magnificent temple of Luxor and the royal palace of Malkata. Yet Fletcher, a well-known freelance Egyptologist based in England, focuses equally on some of the more intimate details of Amenhotep's life.

Fletcher has organized the book in short chapters, each corresponding to roughly one year of Amenhotep's life, allowing Fletcher to present a plethora of extraordinary documents, paintings and sculptures that shed light on specific problems or events of Amenhotep's reign. For example, she includes charming details of the pharaoh's three jubilee festivals, and examines how he mourned the death of his loved ones and his marriage to the remarkable Queen Tiy. In addition, the author presents fascinating details of her subject's diplomatic relations with neighboring states and of how Amenhotep utilized religion to bolster his reign. This aesthetically pleasing, small volume imparts a taste of Amenhotep's persona, making the reader feel closer to this figure who lived so long ago.

REVIEW: A renowned Egyptologist offers some previously unpublished data in this year-by-year account of the nearly 40-year reign enjoyed by the famous pharaoh. The minutia of daily life for ancient Egyptian royalty is explained through colorful drawings, reproductions, and diagrams. Summaries at the start of each year in his life set the scene for the descriptions to come.

One section, entitled "The Education of a Prince," describes the schooling and clothing of the young Amenhotep, and even includes a translation from a text of the time. Toys and games favored by children are described and a photograph of a wooden lion with jaws that can snap offers visual evidence of a similarity to present-day toys. Other topics include the five titles given to Amenhotep at his birth; the translations of letters to him from other rulers; descriptions of fashion and jewelry; and the events such as Opet, a yearly revival of the pharaoh's powers that lasted for two to four weeks.

Fletcher describes how scholars have traditionally dismissed Amenhotep's achievements, while in actuality he may have been the most significant of the ancient pharaohs. The book is readable, yet scholarly, and presented in a colorful format that is easy and interesting to use. It should make a good addition to traditional reference sources for research on ancient Egypt.

REVIEW: [Brian Fagan] A delightful archaeological jigsaw puzzle assembled from myriad historical fragments. Joann Fletcher has written a stimulating and unusual biography of one of Egypt’s most magnificent pharaohs. I strongly recommend it as an intimately vivid account of royal life over 3,000 years ago.

READER REVIEWS:

REVIEW: It is rather surprising that a book-length biography of a king who lived three thousand years ago could be accomplished. Naturally, there are few amusing anecdotes or personal recollections to draw on, and it is not possible to come up with even a biographer's speculations about how the character of the subject was formed. What Dr. Fletcher can do is look at the monuments, paintings, and written records to show aspects of what Amenhotep III did from year to year, and from his possessions make inferences as to what was important to him. It is as full a biography of this ancient as we could expect.

For instance, it is possible to get some idea of what the prince's upbringing was like. Children of the royal nursery were taught to read and write hieratic, the "cursive" variety of hieroglyphics by the scribe Menkheper. He also would have learned cuneiform script, the language of diplomatic correspondence of the time, and he would use it prolifically during his reign. A primer of the time advises students: "You have to do your exercises daily. Don't be idle... Ask from those who know more than you, and don't be weary - try to understand what your teacher wants, listen to his instructions."

Maybe such exhortations worked, but obviously not always: a contemporary proverb says, "A boy's ear is on his back: he hears when he is beaten." It was not all work and no play, however. There is a palette of six blocks of paints which bears the name of Amenhotep III, and his playroom (shared by children of the royal generations) in the palace of Amarna has paint marks on the floor and lower walls.

“Chronicle of a Pharaoh” is a beautifully illustrated book, with pictures on most of its pages. Some of the descriptions of life in ancient Egypt will seem as if they are taken from the ruling classes of our own times, but most interesting are the descriptions of customs, dress, and religion which are nothing like our own. Amenhotep III lived a full reign of 38 years, mostly with his nation at peace, and prosperous from good weather and big harvests. He had many construction projects, notably the temples at Luxor. He was a capable administrator and had a sense of humor (shown by the cache of diplomatic correspondence displayed here). The details of life in the times, and the lovely pictures, are captivating.

REVIEW: Chronicle of a Pharaoh is a readable in-depth look at pharaoh Amenhotep III, one of the three greatest kings of ancient Egypt. The layout is superb as it chronicles his life with a year-by-year format. Contains a generous amount of personal minutiae, reinforced with pictures and plates on almost every page. Outstanding in all respects, this one is a keeper.

REVIEW: First of all, the design of the book is exquisite; it's a pleasure to leaf through this book, full of colorful high-quality illustrations. This book would be great for someone with a newly found interest in Ancient Egypt. It gives a good general overview of what life might have been like during the New Kingdom.

REVIEW: A very nice hard-cover book with wonderful full color plates and a wealth of information concerning his intimate life, not overly concentrating on his building projects but more on his personal life.

REVIEW: I agree that it's amazing that Joann Fletcher has pieced together so much about Amenhotep and presents it in a way that conveys an actual life. The little details, like the name of his family cat, make this book tons of fun. An all-around beautiful book.

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