Audiobook6 hours
Mountains of the Pharaohs: The Untold Story of the Pyramid Builders
Written by Zahi Hawass
Narrated by Simon Vance
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
4/5
()
About this audiobook
An unprecedented account of one of civilization's greatest achievements.
The great pyramids of Giza have intrigued humanity for thousands of years. Questions about the construction and the purpose of these majestic monuments have existed since the middle period of ancient Egyptian civilization; in the sixth century B.C., Herodotus was the first of generations of explorers to travel to Egypt in an attempt to unlock their secrets. Recent cutting-edge research has uncovered information about how and why they were built unimaginable to previous generations. In Mountains of the Pharaohs, Zahi Hawass, a world-renowned archaeologist and the official guardian of Egypt's timeless treasures, weaves the latest archaeological data and an enthralling family history into spellbinding narrative.
Nearly five thousand years ago, the fourth dynasty of Egypt's Old Kingdom reigned over a highly advanced civilization. Believed to be gods, the royal family lived amidst colossal palaces and temples built to honor them and their deified ancestors. Hawass brings these extraordinary historical figures to life, spinning a soap opera-like saga complete with murder, incest, and the triumphant ascension to the throne of one of only four queens ever to rule Egypt.
The magnificent pyramids attest not only to the dynasty's supreme power, but also to the engineering expertise and architectural sophistication that flourished under their rule. Hawass argues that the pyramids-including the Great Pyramid of Khufu, the only one of the Seven Wonders of the World still standing-were built by skilled craftsman who took great pride in their work.
The great pyramids of Giza have intrigued humanity for thousands of years. Questions about the construction and the purpose of these majestic monuments have existed since the middle period of ancient Egyptian civilization; in the sixth century B.C., Herodotus was the first of generations of explorers to travel to Egypt in an attempt to unlock their secrets. Recent cutting-edge research has uncovered information about how and why they were built unimaginable to previous generations. In Mountains of the Pharaohs, Zahi Hawass, a world-renowned archaeologist and the official guardian of Egypt's timeless treasures, weaves the latest archaeological data and an enthralling family history into spellbinding narrative.
Nearly five thousand years ago, the fourth dynasty of Egypt's Old Kingdom reigned over a highly advanced civilization. Believed to be gods, the royal family lived amidst colossal palaces and temples built to honor them and their deified ancestors. Hawass brings these extraordinary historical figures to life, spinning a soap opera-like saga complete with murder, incest, and the triumphant ascension to the throne of one of only four queens ever to rule Egypt.
The magnificent pyramids attest not only to the dynasty's supreme power, but also to the engineering expertise and architectural sophistication that flourished under their rule. Hawass argues that the pyramids-including the Great Pyramid of Khufu, the only one of the Seven Wonders of the World still standing-were built by skilled craftsman who took great pride in their work.
More audiobooks from Zahi Hawass
Tutankhamun: The Mystery of the Boy King Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Curse of the Pharaohs: My Adventures with Mummies Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
Related to Mountains of the Pharaohs
Related audiobooks
Temples, Tombs and Hieroglyphs: A Popular History of Ancient Egypt Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Book of the Dead: The History and Legacy of Ancient Egypt’s Famous Funerary Texts Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Babylon: Mesopotamia and the Birth of Civilization Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Antiquity: From the Birth of Sumerian Civilization to the Fall of the Roman Empire Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5The Valley of the Kings: The History of Ancient Egypt's Most Famous Tombs and Burial Site Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Imhotep: The Life and Legacy of the High Priest Who Designed Ancient Egypt’s First Major Pyramid Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Umma: The History and Legacy of the Ancient Sumerian City Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Mysterious Egypt: A Collection of Ancient Egyptian Mysteries, Strange Stories, and Archaeological Oddities Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Origins of the Sphinx: Celestial Guardian of Pre-Pharaonic Civilization Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Petra: The History of the Rose City, One of the New Seven Wonders of the World Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Beneath the Sands of Egypt: Adventures of an Unconventional Archaeologist Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Fall of Rome: And the End of Civilization Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Alexander of Macedonia: The World Conquered Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Lost Empire of Atlantis: History's Greatest Mystery Revealed Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Digging Up Armageddon: The Search for the Lost City of Solomon Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Lost Empire of Atlantis: The Astonishing History of a Forgotten Civilizatio Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Egyptian Mythology: An Enthralling Overview of Egyptian Myths, Gods, and Goddesses Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Writing of the Gods: The Race to Decode the Rosetta Stone Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Tutankhamun and the Tomb that Changed the World Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Egyptian Book of the Dead: The Papyrus of Ani in the British Museum Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Ancient High Tech: The Astonishing Scientific Achievements of Early Civilizations Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Black Genesis: The Prehistoric Origins of Ancient Egypt Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Rise and Fall of Alexandria: Birthplace of the Modern Mind Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Sumerian Golden Age: Legends of the Anunnaki as Revealed by their Mysterious Discoveries Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsA Year in the Life of Ancient Egypt Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5
History For You
The Secret History of the World Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Little Book of Hygge: Danish Secrets to Happy Living Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5All the Sinners Bleed: A Novel Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Book of Five Rings Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Mysterious Case of Rudolf Diesel: Genius, Power, and Deception on the Eve of World War I Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Endurance Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Demon Copperhead: A Novel Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Overstory Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Hell's Princess: The Mystery of Belle Gunness, Butcher of Men Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Leave the World Behind: A Novel Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5On Palestine Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Korean War: A History Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Story of Art Without Men Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Mary Magdalene: Women, the Church, and the Great Deception Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5An Indigenous Peoples' History of the United States Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Jesus and John Wayne: How White Evangelicals Corrupted a Faith and Fractured a Nation Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Five: The Untold Lives of the Women Killed by Jack the Ripper Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Black AF History: The Un-Whitewashed Story of America Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Razorblade Tears: A Novel Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Knowing What We Know: The Transmission of Knowledge: From Ancient Wisdom to Modern Magic Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Radium Girls: The Dark Story of America's Shining Women Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Restaurant: A History of Eating Out Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Astor: The Rise and Fall of an American Fortune Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Sister Outsider: Essays and Speeches Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Wilmington's Lie: The Murderous Coup of 1898 and the Rise of White Supremacy Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Cuba (Winner of the Pulitzer Prize): An American History Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Small Mercies: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
Reviews for Mountains of the Pharaohs
Rating: 3.767857135714286 out of 5 stars
4/5
28 ratings1 review
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Very interesting facts behind the builders of the pyramids but the reading is slow and the book is definitely not a page turner. 3 stars for content, 1 for readability