The Lost Tombs of Thebes: Ancient Egypt: Life in Paradise »

Zahi Hawass is Secretary General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities in Egypt.

Sandro Vannini is an acclaimed Italian photographer who has worked closely with Zahi Hawass over the years.

Illuminates the intriguing and mysterious landscape of Thebes and the lives of the nobles who lived there in Egypt's Golden Age.

Library Journal

Hawass (secretary-general, Supreme Council of Antiquities, Egypt; King Tutankhamun: The Treasures of the Tomb) has a down-to-earth approach to Egyptology that makes his subject readily accessible. Again working with photographer Vannini, he turns his attention to the tombs of the nobles in the Theban necropolis, selecting those of 81 officials who served the pharaohs of the New Kingdom (c.1539–1069 B.C.E.), presenting them with full-color illustrations (some panoramic foldouts) in coffee table-book format. The titular "lost tombs" refer to the inclusion not only of tombs normally visited by tourists but of many that are rarely accessible—and then only to scholars. Hawass authoritatively discusses the function and architecture of the tombs, their decoration, the items buried with their owners, the cultic aspects of the quest for eternal life, and the detrimental effects of explorers and vandals, ancient and modern. In the final chapter, he focuses on current attempts to save the Valley of the Nobles (by relocating villages) and presents a survey of international expeditions now engaged in epigraphic and preservation efforts. VERDICT This spectacular publication is highly recommended for anyone, general or specialist, with an interest in ancient Egypt.—Edward K. Werner, St. Lucie Cty. Lib. Syst., Ft. Pierce, FL