A Gift of Geology - Ancient Egyptian Landscapes and Monuments

"While much is known about Egypt's towering pyramids, mighty obelisks, and extraordinary works of art, less is known about the role played by Egypt's geological history in the formation of pharaonic culture's artistic and architectural legacy. The fertile soils that lined the Nile Valley meant that the people of Egypt were able to live well off the land. Yet what allowed ancient Egypt to stand apart from other early civilizations was its access to the vast range of natural resources that lay beyond the Nile floodplain. In this engagingly written book, Colin Reader invites readers to explore the influence of geology and landscape on the development of the cultures of ancient Egypt. After describing today's Egyptian landscape and introducing key elements of the ancient Egyptian worldview, he provides a basic geological toolkit to address issues such as geological time and major earth-forming processes. The developments that gave the geology of Egypt its distinct character are explored, including the uplifting of mountains along the Red Sea coast, the evolution of the Nile river, and the formation of the vast desert areas beyond the Nile Valley. As the story unfolds, elements of Egypt's archaeology are introduced, together with discussions of mining and quarrying, construction in stone, and the ways in which the country's rich geological heritage allowed the culture of ancient Egypt to evolve. Ideal for non-specialists and specialists alike, and supported with over one hundred illustrations, A Gift of Geology takes the reader on a fascinating journey into Egypt's geological landscape and its relationship to the marvels of pharaonic culture."--

Sommario

List of Figures
Introduction
Chapter 1 The Egyptian Landscape
Chapter 2 An Introduction to Geology
Chapter 3 The Geology of Egypt Part 1- The Pre-Cambrian
Chapter 4 The Geology of Egypt Part 2 – The Palaeozoic and Mesozoic
Chapter 5 The Geology of Egypt Part 3 – The Cenozoic: a land of rivers
Chapter 6 The Evolution of the River Nile
Chapter 7 The Eastern Desert
Chapter 8 The Western Desert Part 1
Chapter 9 The Western Desert Part 2
Chapter 10 Mining and Quarrying.
Chapter 11 Building in Stone in Ancient Egypt
Chapter 12 The Interaction of Monuments and Landscape
Chapter 13 A Gift of Geology
Further Reading

Info autore

Colin D. Reader

Riassunto

An introduction to the geology of Egypt and its influence on ancient Egyptian culture

While much is known about Egypt’s towering pyramids, mighty obelisks, and extraordinary works of art, less is known about the role played by Egypt’s geological history in the formation of pharaonic culture’s artistic and architectural legacy. The fertile soils that lined the Nile Valley meant that the people of Egypt were able to live well off the land. Yet what allowed ancient Egypt to stand apart from other early civilizations was its access to the vast range of natural resources that lay beyond the Nile floodplain.

In this engagingly written book, Colin Reader invites readers to explore the influence of geology and landscape on the development of the cultures of ancient Egypt. After describing today’s Egyptian landscape and introducing key elements of the ancient Egyptian worldview, he provides a basic geological toolkit to address issues such as geological time and major earth-forming processes. The developments that gave the geology of Egypt its distinct character are explored, including the uplifting of mountains along the Red Sea coast, the evolution of the Nile river, and the formation of the vast desert areas beyond the Nile Valley. As the story unfolds, elements of Egypt’s archaeology are introduced, together with discussions of mining and quarrying, construction in stone, and the ways in which the country’s rich geological heritage allowed the culture of ancient Egypt to evolve.

Ideal for non-specialists and specialists alike, and supported with over one hundred illustrations, A Gift of Geology takes the reader on a fascinating journey into Egypt’s geological landscape and its relationship to the marvels of pharaonic culture.

Prefazione

An introduction to the geology of Egypt and its influence on ancient Egyptian culture

Dettagli sul prodotto

• Autori: Colin D Reader, Colin D. Reader
• Editore: The American University in Cairo Press
• Lingue: Inglese
• Formato: Tascabile
• Pubblicazione: 10.01.2023
• EAN: 9781649032188
• ISBN: 978-1-64903-218-8
• Pagine: 240
• Dimensioni: 138 mm x 214 mm x 22 mm
• Peso: 590 g
• Categorie: Saggistica > Storia > Altro; Scienze umane, arte, musica > Storia > Tematiche generali, enciclopedie