The Pyramids of Giza are 4,000-year-old tombs built for three Egyptian pharaohs. Though all have been looted over the years, they still hold many surprises and curiosities. And they reflect much about Egyptian culture at that time. This comprehensive volume covers the structures’ histories, including still-controversial theories about how they were built, and the latest excavations and discoveries. Modern photographs will give readers an idea of the pyramids’ magnitude, while a timeline will make them realize how truly enduring these extraordinary monuments are.

The great pyramids in Egypt have boggled the minds of archaeologists and historians for many years. Why were they built? Who built them? Over time, historians have been able to answer these questions through examining artifacts that have been found inside and by analyzing mummified bodies and attempting to identify the people buried inside. This book provides readers with information conveyed through text and full-color photographs. Fact boxes and sidebars supplement the text and give further insight into what these historical structures were used for.

Andreu describes the Egyptians as they spend a day in the marshes with family and friends. They glide on light skiffs through the papyrus plants, stopping occasionally to marvel at the marsh creatures: frogs, butterflies, kingfishers, ibises, herons, lapwings, weasels, and mongooses. Because the marshes also shelter crocodiles and hippopotamuses, the day is not without its perils.

Absolutely fascinating, and very, very convincing. Knight and Butler's findings provide compelling scientific evidence of the existence of an advanced, technological civilisation in remote antiquity.' - Graham Hancock, author of Fingerprints of the Gods 'Knight and Butler's stunning discovery could completely change the way we view our remote past... and origins' - Robert G. Bauval, author of The Orion Mystery The suggestion that the Giza pyramids were laid out to represent the stars of Orion's belt, with the position of the River Nile reflecting the Milky Way, was first put forward by the renowned author Robert Bauval in his bestselling book The Orion Mystery. In Before the Pyramids Knight and Butler reveal that the British henges were arranged in the same formation - but much earlier. They also present irrefutable evidence that the astronomical calculations determining the layout of the pyramids could only have been made from the site of the henges in North Yorkshire. From this they can conclude that the pyramids of the pharaohs were conceived and planned in Britain! Their next stunning discovery takes us to modern times. They have found evidence that the whole Megalithic measuring system has survived into the 20th century. There are examples in Washington, DC - even in the positioning and construction of the Pentagon, which was only commenced in 1942 and is an exact copy of the dimensions of Stonehenge, dating to 3,000 BC.

"The Egyptian Old Kingdom (c. 2650-2150 BC) was an era of extraordinary artistic achievement-the period that gave us the Sphinx and the pyramids as well as a rich legacy of private tombs, wall paintings, reliefs, statuary, jewelry, and decorative arts. This book, the companion volume to a major traveling exhibition organized by New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Louvre in Paris, showcases the most impressive assemblage of Egyptian art and artifacts since the Tutankhamun exhibition of the late 1970s. Scholarly essays and 650 illustrations bring to life a remarkable panoply of Old Kingdom objects-temple and tomb reliefs, striking gold jewelry, handsome stone vessels, monumental statues, stelae, and exquisite statuettes. Together, text and images create a stunning tribute to the world of the Pharaohs"--Publisher's description.

An army officer and politician, Richard William Howard Vyse (1784-53) also made his mark as an Egyptologist. This three-volume work, published in 1840-2, has remained an instructive resource in Egyptology up to the present day. Adopting the style of a journal, with illustrations and diagrams throughout, it narrates in detail his excavations at Giza, surveying and measuring the pyramids. Following Vyse's return to England, the work was continued by the engineer and surveyor John Shae Perring (1813-69). Vyse gives observations of his travels, and of the landscape, people and architecture he encountered, as well as details of the important work he carried out. Most notable was his discovery, using gunpowder, of four new chambers in the Great Pyramid containing 'quarry marks' - graffiti by the pyramid builders. Volume 1 (1840) covers the start of his travels in Egypt and the early excavations on the Great Pyramid.

For art lovers and novices, the perfect introduction to the world of art in all its varied forms. What do you consider a work of art? Is it a painting, a photograph, a sculpture? Or can it be so much more? Philip Isaacson, the author of Round Buildings, Square Buildings & Buildings That Wiggle Like a Fish, explores the world of art and history and creates the perfect introduction for young readers to learn about the complex subject. With clear prose, Isaacson discusses abstract versus realism, the links between tribal art and modern sculpture, the use of color, and why some everyday objects and even cities can be considered art. A Common Core Appendix B Text Exemplar Selection, Philip M. Isaacson’s guide will inform as well as inspire. Includes full color photographs.