What do the enigmatic images on ancient Egyptian artifacts mean? What royal names adorn the walls of some of the world’s oldest temples? What kind of lives did the people buried in the ancient tombs lead? The keys to unlock this fascinating civilization lie within the glyphs of its sacred language. Appearing a little before 3,000 BC, Egyptian hieroglyphs were used for thousands of years to write names, label commodities, commemorate historical events, and convey complex stories. This definitive educational tool provides a systematic, step-by-step approach to learning ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs, complete with fun and increasingly challenging exercises and easy-to-reference sign and word lists. By the end of chapter one, readers will begin to decipher simple inscriptions; after completing the entire book, they will be ready to tackle tomb and temple walls. While learning to decipher the language of the ancient Egyptians, readers will also learn about their history, social structure, and funerary beliefs. An invaluable resource, this book will appeal to amateur Egyptologists, as well as those looking to enhance their museum-going and travel experiences.

From the earliest clay figures and ivory combs of Predynastic times, through the masterful statuary of the Old Kingdom and the exquisite tomb paintings of the New Kingdom, to the astonishingly modern painted portraits of the Greco-Roman era, the artistic achievements of Egypt span over four thousand years. In this unique new visual reference work, the finest examples of Egyptian art from museum collections around the world are illustrated to advantage in more than 360 beautiful full-color photographs. Not only a feast for the eyes, this book is informative too, with introductions to each historical period, graphic summaries of Egyptian history and great archaeological discoveries, and a chronology and glossary. This celebration and pageant of ancient Egyptian creative expression deserves a place on the shelves of Egyptologists and art lovers alike.