The ancient Egyptians' greatest monuments, ranging from Abu Simbel in the south to Cleopatra's palaces in Alexandria, were built over a period of three millennia, and yet a common architectural tradition links them all. Dieter Arnold here provides a single volume guide to one of the most remarkable architectures of the ancient world. Entries are presented for each of the most important ancient sites, covering monuments as diverse as the Step Pyramid of Djoser (the world's first significant stone building); the tombs of the Valley of the Kings; Hatshepsut's mortuary temple at Deir el-Bahri; and the great Ptolemaic temples that line the Upper Nile. Key aspects of building design and construction are also considered in separate entries, covering aspects such as building and construction techniques (including pyramid building and the erection of obelisks).
With more than 600 entries and 350 plans, diagrams and photographs and maps, this guide - previously available only as a hardback edition published as "The Encyclopaedia of Ancient Egyptian Architecture" - provides a comprehensive introduction to ancient Egyptian monuments that is an essential companion for every visitor to the ancient sites along the Nile.