Temples and tombs of ancient Nubia : the international rescue campaign at Abu Simbel, Philae, and other sites /

A fascinating account of the international campaign to save the monuments of Nubia, including the temples of Abu Simbel and those dedicated to Isis on the island of Philae. The editor was Swedish representative on the executive committee of the campaign. The result is the official UNESCO record, but this account of the largest salvage effort is so interesting and important that it gives a new meaning to ``report'' and belongs in a list of standard books on Egyptian art and archaeology (Cyril Aldred's Egyptian Art: In the Days of the Pharaohs, 3100-320 B.C., CH, Mar '81; Peter Clayton's The Rediscovery of Ancient Egypt: Artists and Travellers in the 19th Century, CH, Jul '83; and William Kelly Simpson's revision of W.S. Smith's The Art and Architecture of Ancient Egypt, 1981). The book traces the 20-year project completed in 1980 to rescue the Nubian monuments in the area flooded by the artificial lake created by the Aswan High Dam. A valuable bibliography ranges from ancient history to modern salvage operations. Useful maps and diagrams are clear and plentiful. The 111 illustrations (including 43 spectacular color ones) show art and architecture, contemporary environment, salvage activities, and 19th-century paintings. A thoroughly commendable account that will be an important addition to all libraries.-C.M. Houser, Smith College