A guide to the archaeological sites of Israel, Egypt, and North Africa /

Billed as a combination travel guide and reference work, this second in a series of guides to archaeological sites is disappointing on both counts. Canby (A Guide to the Archaeological Sites of the British Isles, CH, Apr'89; The Encyclopedia of Historic Places, CH, Jul'84) combines archaeological and historical overviews of each of three contiguous regions with alphabetical listings and descriptions of more than 300 sites, grouped by country. Coverage ranges from paleolithic to early Islamic, although biblical sites in Israel, Greco-Roman sites in North Africa, and Dynastic sites in Egypt predominate. Some areas, such as the Sinai, fall between the cracks. While the information provided appears to be accurate, there is little to recommend in any other respect. Introductory essays are well written but sketchy, and the alphabetical listing of sites has no advantage over a geographical or chronological listing. The black-and-white photographs are dull and murky. There are only three maps, and these lack physiographic and other details. The index misses many terms from the essays, and there is no glossary. Worst of all is the lack of a bibliography, nearly crippling the guide as a reference tool for students. The work as a whole lacks the visual impact and practical organization to make it a good travel guide, or the scholarly apparatus required to make it a good reference tool. A marginal purchase for undergraduate and public libraries. -J. C. Wanser, Hiram College

Written for laypersons (at home or traveling), this guide includes sites and monuments ranging in time from the Paleolithic to the Byzantine period, as well as some Islamic sites in the three regions. Each regional section is prefaced by an introductory essay summarizing the history of the region with references to many of the sites that follow (listed and described in alphabetical order). The sections on Israel and Egypt include material much more familiar and readily accessible in other sources than the section on North Africa, and it is this latter material, together with the union of information on sites in Israel and Egypt all in one book, that makes this reference work most useful. Admittedly a synthesis of information found elsewhere, this book is written in clear and personable language, with a masterful command of archaeological and historical detail. For travel collections.-- Joan W. Gartland, Detroit P.L. (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.