The history and culture of Egypt, one of the earliest of the world's l great civilizations, can be traced back more than 5,000 years. While Europe and America were still inhabited by primitive tribes, Egypt was already unified as a great nation. It is difficult to comprehend from our perspective--living in a country just 225 years old--that a sophisticated government and society emerged so long ago and then thrived for three millennia.

Egypt features a selection of the most important and beautiful objects from ancient Egypt, a civilization of enduring fascination. Written by Edna R. Russmann, with contributions by a distinguished team of international scholars, the lively text examines over 140 works and highlights the extraordinary artistic achievement that they represent. The book is published in conjunction with a traveling exhibition organized by the American Federation of Arts and The British Museum and drawn exclusively from the collection of The British Museum, which is among the finest in the world. Lavishly illustrated with images of the works in the exhibition, as well as comparative materials, Eternal Egypt is that rare book of interestand value to the general and scholarly audience alike.

Preface by W. V. Davies

Acknowledgments

Contributors

Map

A Historical Overview of Egyptian Art

Edna R. Russmann

Aspects of Egyptian Art

Edna R. Russmann

 Two-Dimensional Representation

 Portraiture

 Archaism

The Formation and Growth of the Egyptian Collections of the British Museum

T. G. H. James

Catalogue

 Early Dynastic Period (cat. nos. 1-3)

 Old Kingdom (cat. nos. 4-11)

 Middle Kingdom (cat. nos. 12-42)

 New Kingdom (cat. nos. 43-98)

 New Kingdom to Ptolemaic Period (cat. nos. 99-105)

 New Kingdom to Roman Period (cat. nos. 106-11)

 Third Intermediate Period (cat. nos. 112-22)

 Third Intermediate Period to Late Period (cat. nos. 123-28)

 Late Period (cat. nos. 129-37)

 Ptolemaic Period (cat. nos. 138-44)

Chronology

Glossary

Abbreviations and Bibliography 268

Index