Society's retribution for her act of defiance - death - she welcomes as the only way she can finally be free.

    Yet her name--Hatshepsut--does not appear in dynastic scrolls, nor is her reign celebrated on monuments. This is the story of the young woman who assumed the throne of Egypt, mastered the arts of war and government, lived her life by her own design, and ruled an empire--the only woman Pharaoh in history.

    

    Here are the legendary treasures of Tutankhamun's tomb—in a magnificent volume expanded from the unprecedented Metropolitan Museum–Egyptian Government Exhibition.

    This book gives an overview of it, letting readers know about such things as how and why the Pyramids were built, the role religion played in the lives of ancient Egyptians, and the use of hieroglyphs by the people to tell their history. Since the National Geographic Society is known for its superb photographs of natural wonders around the world, it’s no surprise to see this book filled with photographs—both in color and black and white—showing various aspects of Egyptian culture. There are shots of archaeologists at work at excavation sites around the country, colorful photographs of the Pyramids, black and white shots of hieroglyphs, as well as many more of paintings, sculpture, and drawings. Additionally, articles by scholars specializing in Egyptian culture and civilization, appear in the book. Among the Egyptologists contributing to the presentation of the book’s wealth of information about Egyptian civilization are Karl W. Butzer, Virginia Lee Davis, I.E. S. Edwards, Barbara Mertz, William H. Peck, Edna R. Russmann, William Kelly Simpson, and Anthony J. Spalinger.