WAES are trialling a new way of selling our books.
This is a list of all the books we currently have in storage.
Should you wish to purchase any, please let Steve know and he will bring those requested along to the next meeting.
His email address is steventasker@msn.com
List 2026.02.08 Lots more books will be added soon
After the Pyramids: The Valley of the Kings and Beyond
• Author: Aidan Dodson
• Description: A comprehensive study of the funerary monuments of the Egyptian kings from the end of the Middle Kingdom to the Ptolemaic period. It covers the Valley of the Kings in detail but also the often-overlooked royal tombs of the later dynasties in the Delta.
• Review: Highly regarded by students and enthusiasts for filling the gap between the famous pyramids and the late period. It is praised for its detailed plans and clear chronology.
• Value: £5 – £10
Akhenaten: The Heretic King
• Author: Donald B. Redford
• Description: A classic historical biography of the pharaoh Akhenaten, focusing on his radical religious reforms and the Amarna period. Redford reconstructs the era using archaeological evidence from Karnak and Amarna.
• Review: Considered a definitive, somewhat critical text on Akhenaten. It is praised for its scholarly rigor, though some find Redford’s interpretation of Akhenaten’s character to be quite harsh.
• Value: £5 – £10
Akhenaten’s Egypt
• Author: Angela P. Thomas (Shire Egyptology Series)
• Description: A concise introduction to the Amarna period, covering the art, religion, and city planning of Akhetaten (modern Amarna).
• Review: Like other Shire books, it is reviewed as an excellent, bite-sized introduction that provides accurate information without being overwhelming.
• Value: £3 – £5
Ancient Egypt
• Author: Barry Kemp (as mentioned) / Likely Ancient Egypt: Anatomy of a Civilization
• Description: A seminal work that analyzes the cultural and social evolution of Ancient Egypt, focusing on how the state formed, how towns worked, and the ideology behind the administration.
• Review: Widely considered one of the most important books on Egyptology ever written. It is dense and academic but profoundly insightful regarding how the society actually functioned.
• Value: £10 – £20
Ancient Egyptian Furniture (Vol I-III)
• Author: Geoffrey Killen
• Description: A specialist scholarly work detailing the construction, materials, and design of Egyptian furniture, from beds and stools to boxes and shrines.
• Review: The definitive reference work on the subject. It is essential for researchers and those interested in ancient woodworking or technology.
• Value: High. Individual volumes can range from £20 to £40+ depending on the edition.
Archaic Egypt
• Author: W.B. Emery
• Description: A classic text focusing on the Early Dynastic Period (Dynasties 1 and 2), based largely on Emery’s own excavations at Saqqara.
• Review: While dated in some of its racial theories (common for its time), it remains a fundamental classic for its descriptions of the great mastaba tombs of the First Dynasty.
• Value: £3 – £5
Conceptions of God in Ancient Egypt: The One and the Many
• Author: Erik Hornung
• Description: A philosophical and theological examination of Egyptian religion, addressing the apparent contradiction between monotheism and polytheism in their belief system.
• Review: Masterful and complex. It is considered one of the best books for understanding the mindset of Egyptian religion rather than just a list of gods.
• Value: £15 – £25
Coptic in 20 Lessons
• Author: Bentley Layton
• Description: A structured grammar and workbook designed to teach the Sahidic dialect of the Coptic language (the final stage of the Egyptian language).
• Review: Widely considered the best modern textbook for learning Coptic. It is praised for its logical structure and clarity.
• Value: £20 – £30
Egypt
• Author: (General/Various)
• Description: Likely a large-format illustrated book (possibly by Rose-Marie & Rainer Hagen or similar) showcasing the landscape, monuments, and art of Egypt.
• Review: These types of books are generally appreciated for their photography and ability to provide a visual context to the history.
• Value: £5 – £10
Egyptian Gods and Myths
• Author: Angela P. Thomas (Shire Egyptology Series)
• Description: A short guide to the pantheon of Egyptian deities, explaining their iconography, roles, and the major myths like the Osiris cycle.
• Review: A handy, reliable quick-reference guide that is easy to read.
• Value: £3 – £5
Egyptian Mummies
• Author: Barbara Adams (Shire Egyptology Series)
• Description: A concise overview of the mummification process, the rituals involved, and the history of mummy studies.
• Review: An excellent primer on the subject, packing a lot of technical detail into a small package.
• Value: £3 – £5
Mythology
• Author: (Likely Geraldine Pinch or similar standard title)
• Description: A guide to the sacred stories, gods, and cosmology of Ancient Egypt.
• Review: Standard texts by authors like Pinch are highly rated for making complex myths accessible and organizing them by theme.
• Value: £5 – £10
Egyptian Painting and Relief
• Author: Gay Robins (Shire Egyptology Series)
• Description: Explains the canons of proportion, techniques, and materials used by Egyptian artists to create their distinctive two-dimensional art.
• Review: Highly recommended for anyone who wants to understand how to look at Egyptian art, rather than just admiring it.
• Value: £3 – £5
Egyptian Temples
• Author: (Likely Margaret Murray or similar, or generic)
• Description: A survey of the major temples (Karnak, Luxor, Abu Simbel) and the rituals performed within them.
• Review: Usually provides a good architectural overview, though older texts may lack recent archaeological findings.
• Value: £3 – £6
Egyptian Towns and Cities
• Author: Eric P. Uphill (Shire Egyptology Series)
• Description: One of the few accessible books focusing on where people lived (urban settlement) rather than where they were buried.
• Review: praised for highlighting the non-funerary aspect of Egyptian civilization, which is often overshadowed by tombs.
• Value: £4 – £8
Secrets from the Sand
• Author: Zahi Hawass
• Description: A personal account by the famous Egyptian archaeologist detailing his major discoveries, including the Valley of the Golden Mummies and the workers' tombs at Giza.
• Review: Entertaining and enthusiastic, written in Hawass’s characteristic storytelling style. Good for general readers.
• Value: £4 – £8
Seeing Under the Sands of Saqqara
• Author: (Project/Survey Memoir, likely ed. Ian Mathieson)
• Description: A specialized report or memoir on geophysical surveys and excavations at Saqqara, looking for what lies beneath the desert surface without digging.
• Review: A niche, scholarly work valuable for those interested in modern archaeological methods (geophysics).
• Value: £10 – £20 (Rare)
Temples of Ancient Egypt
• Author: (Likely Dieter Arnold or Byron Shafer)
• Description: A scholarly collection of essays or a survey covering the function, theology, and architecture of temples.
• Review: Essential reading for understanding that temples were "machines for the cosmos" rather than just places of worship.
• Value: £10 – £15
The Arts & Crafts of Ancient Egypt
• Author: W.M. Flinders Petrie
• Description: A vintage survey by the "father of modern archaeology" covering statuary, jewelry, pottery, and metalwork.
• Review: While the style is dated (published 1909), Petrie’s eye for technical detail and manufacturing processes is legendary.
• Value: £5 – £10
The Complete Valley of the Kings
• Author: Nicholas Reeves & Richard H. Wilkinson
• Description: The definitive guide to every tomb in the Valley of the Kings (KV1 to KV62), including their history, architecture, and clearance.
• Review: widely cited as the best single-volume reference on the Valley. Essential for any serious library.
• Value: £10 – £15
The Encyclopaedia of Ancient Egyptian Architecture
• Author: Dieter Arnold
• Description: A dense, technical reference work defining architectural terms, building techniques, and specific monuments.
• Review: The gold standard for architectural reference. It is scholarly, precise, and indispensable for students.
• Value: £20 – £40
The Experience of Ancient Egypt
• Author: Rosalie David
• Description: A study of the Egyptian lifestyle, focusing on how they lived, worshipped, and died, based on archaeological and textual evidence.
• Review: A solid, academic yet readable overview by a very respected scholar.
• Value: £10 – £15
The Gateway of Ramses the Ninth
• Description: Likely a specific guide or monograph focusing on the Tomb of Ramesses IX (KV6) in the Valley of the Kings, which is famous for its accessible entrance and astronomical ceiling.
• Value: Likely £5 – £10 (Assuming it is a site guide).
Tutankhamun's Egypt
• Author: Cyril Aldred
• Description: Written to accompany the famous 1972 BBC series, this book provides a background to the late 18th Dynasty and the world Tutankhamun lived in.
• Review: A classic of popular history. Aldred writes with great elegance and authority, making it a joy to read even decades later.
• Value: £3 – £5
Valley of the Kings
• Author: John Romer
• Description: A narrative history of the Valley, focusing not just on the kings, but on the travellers, looters, and archaeologists who have worked there.
• Review: Beloved for Romer’s evocative and romantic writing style. It brings the history of the valley to life vividly. Value £3 -£