This fascinating study brings to life the people who lived and died at Deir el-Medina over three thousand years ago--the workers who built the tombs of the pharaohs in the nearby Valley of the Kings. Dr. Bierbrier draws on the thousands of documents, letters, literary texts, and drawings found at the site to give an intimate glimpse of life in the village.

In Dr David's study, the builders of the pyramids are revealed as simple people with ordinary preoccupations: who worried about their families, grumbled about working conditions - and even planned a strike to improve them.

World-renowned archaeologist Zahi Hawass weaves a spellbinding narrative about how the pyramids were built and why, new in paperback Nearly five thousand years ago, the fourth dynasty of Egypt’s Old Kingdom reigned over a highly advanced civilization. Believed to be gods, the royal family lived amid colossal palaces and temples built to honor them and their deified ancestors. In Mountains of the Pharaohs, Zahi Hawass brings these extraordinary historical figures to life, detailing a soap opera-like saga complete with murder, incest, and the triumphant ascension to the throne of one of only four queens ever to rule Egypt. It was during this dynasty that the magnificent pyramids of Giza were built. These monuments attest not only to the dynasty’s supreme power, but also to the engineering expertise and architectural sophistication that flourished under its rule. Hawass tells the complete story of the pyramids, weaving archaeological data with a history of Egypt’s powerful pharaohs, and argues that the pyramids—including the Great Pyramid of Khufu, the only one of the Seven Wonders of the World still standing—were built by skilled craftsmen who took great pride in their work. Illustrated with black-and-white photographs and drawings, Mountains of the Pharaohs is a compelling account of one of civilization’s greatest achievements.

With over 200 photographs, the author draws on historical fact to reveal the spiritual aspects of a unique architecture and building technique.

A world-renowned archaeologist and the official guardian of Egypt's timeless treasures weaves the latest archaeological data and an enthralling family history into spellbinding narrative.

Howard Carter's discovery of King Tutankhamen's tomb in 1923 sparked worldwide fascination about ancient Egypt, and the mysteries of the Egyptians still loom large. The Pyramids, the Sphinx, mummies, surviving artwork, and more all hold priceless clues about what life was like in ancient Egypt. This book takes a closer look at the information that archaeology has revealed and the lasting impact of these findings.