Discovering Tutankhamun
From Howard Carter to the Golden City
Will be published approx. on 2. December 2025
Book
Paperback/Softback
320 pages
978-1-64903-463-2 (ISBN)
Description
A thorough and absorbing account of the life and times of the famous young pharaoh, Tutankhamun, from the discovery of his tomb to the CT-scans of the twenty-first century, now fully updated and expanded
Penned by one of the world's best known Egyptologists, former Egyptian minister of state for antiquities Zahi Hawass, who was personally involved in research into the enigmatic young pharaoh, this revised and updated edition of Discovering Tutankhamun reviews the current state of our knowledge about the life, death, and burial of Tutankhamun in light of the latest investigations and newest technology, including the CT scans that finally revealed the identity of Tutankhamun's mother.
Hawass places the king in the broader context of Egyptian history, unraveling the intricate and much debated relationship between various members of the royal family, and the circumstances surrounding the turbulent Amarna period. He also succinctly explains the religious background and complex beliefs in the afterlife that defined and informed many features of Tutankhamun's tomb. The history of the exploration of the Valley of the Kings is discussed, as well as the background and mutual relationships of the main protagonists.
The tomb and its most important treasures are described and illustrated, and the modern X-raying and CT-scanning of the king's mummy are presented in detail. The description of the latest DNA examination of the mummies of Tutankhamun and members of his family, much of which was never made known to the public, is one of the most absorbing parts of the book and demonstrates that scientific methods may produce results that cannot be paralleled by traditional Egyptology.
This updated and revised edition recounts untold stories from 1922 about Howard Carter and his momentous discovery of Tutankhamun's tomb. It also includes a whole new chapter dedicated to the Golden City, which was founded by Amenhotep III, shedding new light on our knowledge of Thebes' landscape in the reign of Tutankhamun and the end of the New Kingdom.
Penned by one of the world's best known Egyptologists, former Egyptian minister of state for antiquities Zahi Hawass, who was personally involved in research into the enigmatic young pharaoh, this revised and updated edition of Discovering Tutankhamun reviews the current state of our knowledge about the life, death, and burial of Tutankhamun in light of the latest investigations and newest technology, including the CT scans that finally revealed the identity of Tutankhamun's mother.
Hawass places the king in the broader context of Egyptian history, unraveling the intricate and much debated relationship between various members of the royal family, and the circumstances surrounding the turbulent Amarna period. He also succinctly explains the religious background and complex beliefs in the afterlife that defined and informed many features of Tutankhamun's tomb. The history of the exploration of the Valley of the Kings is discussed, as well as the background and mutual relationships of the main protagonists.
The tomb and its most important treasures are described and illustrated, and the modern X-raying and CT-scanning of the king's mummy are presented in detail. The description of the latest DNA examination of the mummies of Tutankhamun and members of his family, much of which was never made known to the public, is one of the most absorbing parts of the book and demonstrates that scientific methods may produce results that cannot be paralleled by traditional Egyptology.
This updated and revised edition recounts untold stories from 1922 about Howard Carter and his momentous discovery of Tutankhamun's tomb. It also includes a whole new chapter dedicated to the Golden City, which was founded by Amenhotep III, shedding new light on our knowledge of Thebes' landscape in the reign of Tutankhamun and the end of the New Kingdom.
Reviews / Votes
"Egypt's former minister of antiquities has written many popular books on Tutankhamun, but this one contains the perfect balance of up-to-date research and beautiful photography. It includes stories about Hawass's own experiences investigating Tutankhamun."-Garry Shaw, The Art Newspaper"The forte of this book, besides its illustrations, is the additional material it contains about other excavations and the scientific processes carried out to determine Tutankhamun's familial relations . . . written in a very readable style"-Gill Woods, Thames Valley ancient Egypt Society Newsletter
PRAISE FOR SCANNING THE PHARAOHS:
"Essential. A superb, semi-popular account of the results of CT imaging performed on several New Kingdom Egyptian royal mummies. . . . The results are sometimes surprising but always fascinating. . . . This book will be of great interest not only to scholars but to anyone else fascinated by Egyptian mummies."-CHOICE
"[A] remarkable book. The scans are reproduced for all to see and an extensive section of color images provides information never before reported. The comprehensive bibliography is also a contribution. This volume sets a high standard for future scans of the mummies of ancient Egypt."-Bob Brier, Journal of the American Oriental Society
"This publication is certainly a great step forward on the path to the discovery and understanding of the life and thought of the ancient Egyptians through multidisciplinary research on the royal mummies."-Bretislav Vachala, Archiv Orientalni
"Fascinating and well-organized . . . incredibly appealing. Imaging professionals and those who are interested in ancient history will find this book fascinating."-Patti Hensel, Radiologic Technology
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
United States
Product notice
Paperback (trade)
Illustrations
3 Maps
Dimensions
Height: 282 mm
Width: 232 mm
Thickness: 30 mm
Weight
1642 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-64903-463-2 (9781649034632)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Previous edition
Book
11/2013
The American University in Cairo Press
€37.50
Available (delivery time upon request)
Persons
Zahi Hawass is one of the world's best known Egyptologists, former Egyptian minister of state for antiquities, and National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence. He is the author of many books on ancient Egypt, including Secrets from the Sand: My Search for Egypt's Past (pbk edition, AUC Press, 2011) and co-author of Scanning the Pharaohs: CT Imaging of the New Kingdom Royal Mummies (AUC Press, 2016).
Content
Acknowledgments
Foreword Marc Gabolde
Introduction
1. Centennial of the Discovery of the Tomb of Tutankhamun
2. The Golden Age of Egypt
3. Religion and Life After Death
4. Robbers in the Valley of the Kings
5. The Tomb and Its Treasures
6. Tutankhamun's Mummy
7. DNA, CT Scans, and X-Ray Tests
8. The Discovery of the Family of Tutankhamun
9. From Howard Carter to the Golden City
10. The Curse of Tutankhamun
11. Tutmania
Conclusion
Protecting the Valley of the Kings
Appendix 1
Appendix 2
Appendix 3
Appendix 4
Appendix 5
Sources of Quotations
Bibliography
Foreword Marc Gabolde
Introduction
1. Centennial of the Discovery of the Tomb of Tutankhamun
2. The Golden Age of Egypt
3. Religion and Life After Death
4. Robbers in the Valley of the Kings
5. The Tomb and Its Treasures
6. Tutankhamun's Mummy
7. DNA, CT Scans, and X-Ray Tests
8. The Discovery of the Family of Tutankhamun
9. From Howard Carter to the Golden City
10. The Curse of Tutankhamun
11. Tutmania
Conclusion
Protecting the Valley of the Kings
Appendix 1
Appendix 2
Appendix 3
Appendix 4
Appendix 5
Sources of Quotations
Bibliography