Review by Choice Review
Redford (Penn State Univ.) traces the biography of the Nile Delta city of Mendes, home to the Ram God. In a highly informed narrative accompanied by numerous photos and illustrations of architecture, tombs, and artifacts, the author traces the rich history of Mendes and its relationships within the Egyptian empire from the Archaic Period (c. 3050-2650 BCE) to the period of the Islamic conquest (641 CE). Redford provides dramatic archaeological and textual evidence for the ecological and social crises that brought an end to the Old Kingdom. The later Egyptian empire and its expansionist pharaohs, Thutmoses and Amenophis III, the subsequent dissolution of empire, the revival of the Ram-God, the emergence of Mendes as the capital and largest city of Egypt, and finally its conquest by the Persian Empire are all part of this rich narrative. Combining information from written records and evidence from his excavations at Mendes as well as a thorough grounding in the history of ancient Egypt, Redford offers something unique--namely, a narrative covering several thousand years of Egyptian history from the focal point of a single important city, Mendes. A splendid introduction to the world of ancient Egypt, as well as required reading for specialists. Summing Up: Essential. All levels/libraries. C. C. Lamberg-Karlovsky Harvard University
Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.
Review by Choice Review
