This is a solid and rather comprehensive introduction to the earliest history of Ancient Egypt. John Romer (° 1941) is one of Britain's best-known Egyptologists and has earned his spurs in popularizing scientific information. From this book he clearly appears to be someone who adheres fairly strictly to what the archaeological finds say, and also makes an effort to imagine what a particular find says about the real life of the ancient Egyptians. So this book is absolutely creditable for its systematic exploration of how the civilization of ancient Egypt developed in a relatively short period of time. But perhaps Romer's approach is still a bit too in-depth for the average reader. For example, he dwells for quite some time on the development of pottery in the prehistoric period. He remains very vague about the connections with the Mesopotamian civilization: according to him there has certainly been influence, for example from the Uruk culture, but then rather indirectly. Anyway, Romer does not have much good to say about the earliest archaeologists, in the 19th and even the 20th century; they acted so boldly that they destroyed an awful lot of material; only the British primeval Egyptologist Petrie still finds favor in his eyes. In short, this is a very interesting, solid but sometimes a bit too extensive work, which in any case also makes it very clear how much we still don't know about Ancient Egypt. More on that in my History account on Goodreads : https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5376628522 ( )

Fascinating and highly readable. ( )

John Romer is an Egyptologist with the soul of a poet. In his beautifully constructed books he waxes lyrical on the most mysterious civilization of the ancient world. This book, the first of a two-volume history covering Egypt's earliest beginnings trhough the development of the reign of the earliest Pharaohs to the building of the Great Pyramid, covering around 2500 years. Romer is an archaeologist, not a historian, so he spurns dubious chronicles, many created 12 or more centuries after the event, in favour of pure archaeology. Egypt's earliest history is revealed solely through pottery, tools, graves and tombs, human and animal remains, art, temples and monuments. Beginning with the humble graves and storage pits of the first nomadic visitors to the Faiyum Oasis, through increasing elaborate pottery and the beginnings of art, he charts the development of the Egyptian civilization. He uses the evidence to challenge the prevailing myths, such as that the office of Pharaoh sprung fully-formed into being. Careful analysis showed the first "Pharaohs" controlled little other than small tribal areas and their power increased not through conquest but by building up increasing elaborate supply chains to ferry goods, both local and foreign, to more and more sophisticated civic entities. Romer doubts that such an entity as "Egypt" as we envision it existed at least in the early years, given the Egyptians had no common word to describe their land. Pharoah, far from being a national leader, was an individual at the top of a power structure which could ensure supply routes for goods, the efficient storage and distribution of those goods, and later on could direct the efforts of a bureacracy sufficiently advanced enough to arrange the building of elaborate tombs. This is a wonderful book, highly technical yet poetic in Romer's unique style. Not a casual read but extremely rewarding to those willing to lose themselves in the minutiae of a long-lost civilization. ( )

The first of a two-volume history of ancient Egypt, this covers the period from roughly 5000 BCE through the construction of the Great Pyramid (around 2500 BCE or so). The book is written, rather delightfully, from an archaeological perspective, with artifacts and archaeological discoveries serving as the main focal points. Romer also is able to point out and put to good use the ways in which what we know about ancient Egypt has shifted over time as more discoveries are made, and to make clear just how much we don't know and how much is contingent on interpretations of tiny fragments.

Excellently written, and highly recommended. ( )

Having been a student of Ancient Greek and Roman history for many years I have been spoiled for choice when it comes to reading matter, where a plethora of well researched, well written books abound. The same cannot be said of good quality books on the history of Ancient Egypt - where the volumes on offer ranged from the stuffy to the frankly bizarre. That is, apart from the work of John Romer, his latest offering 'A History of Ancient Egypt - From the first farmers to the Great Pyramid' is, in my opinion, the absolute best.

A very readable volume with a good selection of photographs and a brilliant array of line drawings with - oh joy of joys - sizes, ie a line of drawn Badarian ivory spoons states that the largest is 8 1/2 inches tall - so we can now visualise them in use.

The book covers all subjects from those who ordered the building of the Great Pyramid to the linen farmers and wine producers, the very stuff of life.

This is happily just the first of two volumes, the second is due to be published in two years time. Very highly recommended for general and 'specialist' readers alike. ( )