Overview

In this expansive new biography of George Reisner, Egyptologist Peter Der Manuelian examines the life and work of America's greatest archaeologist. Manuelian presents Reisner's undeniable impact and considers his life within the context of Western colonialism, racism, and nationalism. Pyramids with hidden burial chambers. Colossal royal statues and minuscule gold jewelry. Decorated tomb chapels, temples, settlements, fortresses, ceramics, furniture, stone vessels, and hieroglyphic inscriptions everywhere. This is the legacy of forty-three years of breathtakingly successful excavations at twenty-three different archaeological sites in Egypt and Sudan (ancient Nubia). George Reisner (1867-1942) discovered all this and more during a remarkable career that revolutionized archaeological method in both the Old World and the New. Leading the Harvard University-Boston Museum of Fine Arts Expedition, Reisner put American Egyptology on the world stage. His uniquely American success story unfolded despite British control of Egyptian politics, French control of Egyptian antiquities, and an Egypt yearning for independence, all while his Egyptian teams achieved the fieldwork results and mastered the arts of recording and documentation. Reisner's lifespan covers the birth of modern archaeology. It also intersects powerfully with aspects of colonialism, racism, and nationalism, as Western powers imposed their influence on Egypt especially during the two World Wars. The wholesale export of dynastic Egypt's treasures to European and American museums also raised issues of repatriation and cultural patrimony long before they became the hot topics they are today. Walking Among Pharaohs, by distinguished Egyptologist Peter Der Manuelian, gathers unpublished documents from all over the world to present a fascinating and intimate biography of one of the founding fathers of modern Egyptology and one of America's greatest archaeologists.

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9780197628935

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Reviews

In recent years, there's been an ongoing debate in the worlds of history and archaeology over the ethics of taking art and artifacts from a particular country and taking possession of it elsewhere. It's an unsettling remnant of colonialism, and its history runs deeply. Peter Der Manuelian's new book Walking Among Pharaohs offers readers an engaging account of the origins of contemporary Egyptology--and how it helps explain some of the debates we're reckoning with decades later. * InsideHook * Walking Among Pharaohs is a lively and uniquely informed biography of the most important American archaeologist of ancient Egypt and one of the founders of his discipline. Drawing expertly on a staggering range of sources, Peter Der Manuelian brings George Reisner, his ideas, and his times compellingly to life. * John Baines, University of Oxford * The definitive biography of G.A. Reisner, who is generally regarded as one of the most important and influential Egyptologists and archaeologists of his day. The story flows with no punches pulled, revealing Reisner in intimate detail, warts and all. A must read for anyone interested in the early days of American Egyptology. * Eric Cline, author of 1177 B.C.: The Year Civilization Collapsed * Peter Der Manuelian's Walking Among Pharaohs is a thorough examination of the life, career, and legacy of one of the most influential Egyptologists of his era, George Reisner. Presenting Reisner's legacy in all of its complexityDLincluding the colonialist and the racist elements of his workDLhighlights the indelible mark he left on the field, and how he shaped it for future generations. Walking Among Pharaohs is a worthy contribution to our understanding of the history of Egyptology. * Kathlyn M. Cooney, University of California, Los Angeles * This is an amazingly rich biography of George Reisner, a giant among archaeologists working in the Nile Valley. It's also a powerful reflection on archaeology's many meanings, from celebration of ancient cultures to colonial appropriation. * Geoff Emberling, University of Michigan * George Reisner has long been one of the most influential but least known archaeologists from the 'golden age' of Egyptology. Manuelian has finally done Reisner justice, bringing his long life, extraordinary career, and contested legacy into the spotlight of critical enquiry. Walking Among Pharaohs is a prodigious work of scholarship. * Toby Wilkinson, author of A World Beneath the Sands: The Golden Age of Egyptology * [Manuelian] is the ideal author for this authoritative first biography of Reisner. It is an essential addition to any Egyptological library, bringing to light the work and accomplishments of Reisner in Egypt and Nubia during the 'golden age' of Egyptology. The extensive, meticulous notes and bibliography are indispensable. * Ancient Egypt Magazine *

Walking Among Pharaohs is a lively and uniquely informed biography of the most important American archaeologist of ancient Egypt and one of the founders of his discipline. Drawing expertly on a staggering range of sources, Peter Der Manuelian brings George Reisner, his ideas, and his times compellingly to life. * John Baines, University of Oxford * The definitive biography of G.A. Reisner, who is generally regarded as one of the most important and influential Egyptologists and archaeologists of his day. The story flows with no punches pulled, revealing Reisner in intimate detail, warts and all. A must read for anyone interested in the early days of American Egyptology. * Eric Cline, author of 1177 B.C.: The Year Civilization Collapsed * Peter Der Manuelian's Walking Among Pharaohs is a thorough examination of the life, career, and legacy of one of the most influential Egyptologists of his era, George Reisner. Presenting Reisner's legacy in all of its complexity-including the colonialist and the racist elements of his work-highlights the indelible mark he left on the field, and how he shaped it for future generations. Walking Among Pharaohs is a worthy contribution to our understanding of the history of Egyptology. * Kathlyn M. Cooney, University of California, Los Angeles * This is an amazingly rich biography of George Reisner, a giant among archaeologists working in the Nile Valley. It's also a powerful reflection on archaeology's many meanings, from celebration of ancient cultures to colonial appropriation. * Geoff Emberling, University of Michigan * George Reisner has long been one of the most influential but least known archaeologists from the 'golden age' of Egyptology. Manuelian has finally done Reisner justice, bringing his long life, extraordinary career, and contested legacy into the spotlight of critical enquiry. Walking Among Pharaohs is a prodigious work of scholarship. * Toby Wilkinson, author of A World Beneath the Sands: The Golden Age of Egyptology *

Author Information

Peter Der Manuelian is Barbara Bell Professor of Egyptology in both the Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations and the Anthropology Departments at Harvard University, and director of the Harvard Museum of the Ancient Near East. He is Director of the Giza Project, which aims to collect and present online all past, present, and future archaeological activity at the Giza Pyramids. Among his numerous scholarly and children's books on ancient Egypt are Digital Giza: Visualizing the Pyramids, Slab Stelae of the Giza Necropolis, and 30-Second Ancient Egypt.

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