Book review: The Pharaoh: life at court and on campaign

Garry J Shaw

Garry Shaw’s guide to ancient Egyptian kingship is beautifully illustrated with colour photographs of sculpture, artefacts – including stunning royal regalia – and details of temples and palaces. From the role’s semi-mythological origins with Menes, the ‘first unifier of Egypt’, to its eventual extinguishing amid Roman conquest, this lively and authoritative book goes behind the scenes to explore ‘being pharaoh’, including daily routines, rituals, and political responsibilities, always with reference to written and material evidence.

This article is an extract from the full article published in World Archaeology Issue 55. Click here to subscribe