A SURVEY OF EGYPT’S HISTORY

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30562, 3 October 1964, Page 4

A SURVEY OF EGYPT’S HISTORY

The Story of Egypt. Jacoba Sporry. Nelson. 242 pp.

Many authors have attempted a survey of Ancient Egypt but few have succeeded as well as Jacoba Sporry who has successfully retained the essentials from a vast mass of information, and has produced a reading and reference book which is eminently manageable. The book opens with a geographical and climatic description of Egypt, and explains the flood mechanism of the Nile and its significance to the growth of civilisation in that region. Quite correctly the science of modern archaeology is paid due respect. Egyptian art forms were first noted in Europe at about the time of the Renaissance, but it was under Napoleon and his French scientists that the first serious studies of buildings and writings were made. Two generations of New Zealand soldiers have stood, a little subdued perhaps, before the Great Pyramid of Cheops and for thousands of years to come, successive generations of men will continue to grant the early Egyptians the respect which their achievements command. The Egyptians were not the only people to erect pyramids, for they are also found in central America, but many of these were used as temples whereas the Egyptians used theirs as tombs. According to this author they were put up in the following manner. “First a square, composed of huge blocks of stone was laid down. Then four ramps were made, one on each side of the

square. These ramps sloped gently up and the blocks of stone for the second layer were hauled up on sledges and placed in position. When this was done the ramps were raised and lengthened and another layer was put on the one before. As each layer was finished the ramp became longer but the slope remained gradual so that the task of hauling the blocks of stone to the great height required was made possible. This process continued until the pyramid was completed and then the ramps were removed.” The Egyptians had no elaborate machinery but their achievements point a considerable command of mathematics.

Embalming was developed to a very high degree, and even today there are vestiges of dried flesh to be found on an unwrapped mummy. This has the appearance and touch of crisp brown paper but it is a tribute to the embalmers’ skill that there is anything at all. As with all well-developed societies, the social structure was well stratified with the King (Pharaoh is of comparative recent usage) at the top followed by a stratum of opportunity-grasping officials, who at the conclusion of a successful career could expect to command “a beautiful house, innumerable Nubian slaves, a costly palanquin, a pleasure boat for making trips on the Nile, well laid out gardens, many cattle, cellars full of expensive wines, well stored granaries and wardrobes filled with the most magnificent garments.” On the other hand the farmers led simple and industrious lives and retained only a small portion of their produce for their own use. Labourers too led a hard life and received their wages in kind. Commerce was little developed, for each estate was more or less self-supporting, craftsmen found but little employment for their skills on the open market and to ensure a smooth working of society, there was a codified legal system.

Buildings, music and dancing and other recreations are adequately covered. The first section of the book is thus a treatment of the land and its people and this is done in such a way as to provide a good deal of information in a most accessable manner. There are subject headings which make it very easy to pick up what is required. The second section deals with stories and myths, and altogether eleven of these are told. All people enjoy a “once upon a time” story and these can arouse the imagination as readily today as they did thousands of years ago.

The final section, about half the total volume, deals with the history of Egypt, from the prehistoric period to that of Cleopatra. This totals thirtyfive brief chapters which cover various headings which include: the rise and fall of various dynasties, the Hyksos, Hatshepsut the Queen who as a King and Amenhotep IV, the socalled heretic King. This interesting character is often referred to as the “first individual in history” due to the fact that the radical changes which he introduced provide so much insight into his character. Archaeologists have been able to build up a fairly clear picture of this man and his deeds from the wealth of wealth of information which is available. He changed the State religion which was that of worship of Amon, to that of worship of Aten, the power which proceeds from the Sun, and moved the capital from Thebes to Tell-el-Amarna about 190 miles south of modern Cairo. Under his patronage the arts moved from stiff formality to freely flowing styles, and it is during this period that we find such things in architecture as plant designs entwining themselves around pillars. He suffered considerable opposition from the vested interests of the time, particularly from those of religion, and gradually became more and more withdrawn from the people whom he was supposed to be ruling. His beautiful wife Nefertiti has achieved immortality through the well-known limestone bust discovered in 1913

by Professor Ludwig Borchardt.

The inner leaves of the covers form maps which amplify the text and there are eight full-page colour plates in the form of line drawings depicting typical scenes such as: working in the rice fields, musicians, chariots and a family scene of fishing in a papyrus grove. Scattered throughout are smaller illustrations and there is a good index. This book is excellently put together and very easy to use. The chapter headings carry the page numbers beside them, the type is easy to read and the subject matter very well assembled. It is a most suitable book of quick reference for anyone requiring the salient points of Egyptology.