In the Light of Amarna: 100 Years of the Nefertiti Discovery

This is a monumental volume encompassing current studies in Egypt's fascinating Amarna period. It celebrates the 100th anniversary of the discovery of the famous bust of Nefertiti. The full-page color photographs of the portrait heads found in Thutmoses' workshop at Amarna are alone worth the relatively modest price. The photographs are so spectacularly focused it is almost like holding these enigmatic treasures in your hands.There are 29 chapters written by 26 scholars covering just about everything one could wish: from monumental sculpture to exquisite faience amulets, from photos of the early excavations to detailed models of the temples and palaces, from new discoveries to unpublished finds, from insights to controversies, all with an emphasis on Ludwig Borchardt's excavations (1911-1914) and the fabulous collection of the Egyptian Museum in Berlin.Now for the minuses: There are typos and infelicities in the translations from the German, probably the result of rush to publication in order to coincide with the exhibit at Berlin's Egyptian Museum. More troublesome is the organization. Many of the glorious full-size photographs of objects are not identified, and one must search for small photographs among the voluminous pages to discover exactly what one is looking at. For example the very important (and previously unpublished) painted bust of Akhenaten--although terribly damaged and found almost adjacent to the Queen's bust--has a large color photograph on page 355. Although the text on the facing page is talking about it and a parallel King's bust in the Louvre, one cannot be sure at first which king's bust is illustrated on the adjacent page without finding small black-and-white photos of the Berlin Akhenaten bust identified on pages 181, 185 & 459. A cross reference would be most helpful, as would showing the Berlin Akhenaten bust (p. 355) and the Louvre Akhenaten bust (p.184) together. The King's painted bust is important even though ruined because it was gold leafed as well as painted, and that suggests that Nefertiti's famous bust was not a sculptor's model, as Borchardt speculated, but a work, perhaps unfinished, originally intended for some kind of display with the bust of the King.All in all the volume is a treasure trove for Amarna students. Maybe not so interestng to the average reader.

This book was wonderful to just browse through. See Amarna as it is today and the wonders that were found there. Ancient Akhetaten, the Horizon of the Sun, was built by Akhenaten to be his refuge from the world outside and a world of its own. Here he could worship his god and feel that he was free to do so. And wherebver the Pharaoh was so was the center of the Egyptian world. It was a hundred years ago when the beautiful ones face can=me out of the sands of Tell El-Amarna and this book celebrates that find. Nefertit has become an icon of beauty as her name suggested ever since she was discovered. This book shows rare photois of the discovery scarcely monites after her unearthing from the sands that filled the studio of Thutmose the Atist. The bookn shows that it =was not all the beauty found in Amarna though, for Akhenaten spired a new sence of thr loive of beautyon walls vaces and in a variety of media from glass to paintings. Here you can see what artistry the Egyptians freed from the stylizations of tradition could do.

This is a beautiful coffee table book that will satisfy the appetites of archeologists. Egyptologists, and lovers of fine art and culture in general. The photographs of the artifacts are of fine quality. Of course, the inside photo of the bust of Nefertiti is wonderful. This volume might even be used as a good starting point for further exploration and research into the Amarna Period, not only of the nobility but also the common people as well.

and its a brand new book,couldnt be happier

Beautiful book. Bought it on Amazon to prevent having to haul one more book from Berlin.

Interesting. Well written, with different views.

Excellent! A must have for anyone interested in this period in ancient history.

I really wanted to see the exhibit so this book was the next best thing. Great pictures and good background information on Amarna.

Fantastically comprehensive study of the Amarna period and better than anything you will find online. The images are superb and the information of great depth. One minor criticism is the translation from German !!! Oh dear the English is not as it is spoke !!! Don't let this put you off...you will definitely understand it !

A lavish and stunningly illustrated book with details and new discoveries I was surprised I hadn't come across before. A must have book for any 18th Dynasty enthusiast.

Bought as a gift and much appreciated .

A beautifully illustrated book, a little like a museum I could explore for days. I'm still reading though and think I will be for a while as there is so much information packed into the pages. I love the Amarna period and thought i had seen everything that has been discovered there. Not so as the book has photographs of discoveries I didn't have any idea about. A worthwhile purchase for any amature Egyptologst who wants more than the usual stunted info that is out there.

ネフェルティティの胸像発見１００周年の記念事業の出版物です。日本の図録のイメージからは、かなりかけ離れている本です。内容は非常に濃いです。アマルナからの出土品が多く紹介されており、もちろん有名なものが多いのですが、自分も初めて見るような物もありました。写真は非常にきれいです。単純に、チョイマミアックなアマルナ観光を考えている方には、セントラルのグリッドと建物を記した地図は、今後の宝物になるでしょう。特に！ドイツの出版物では、出土場所が記されていることが多く、Ｐ48、Ｑ49などと書かれていますから。あまりいないと思うし自分もそういう目的で購入してはいませんが、将来価値が出る本の１冊でしょう。かなり出ているはずが、売りに出ている本が少ないです・・・まだ出版されて、ほんのわずかですから。追加として、この本中で、ネフェルティティの名前とアクエンアテンの治世１６年の日付があるグラフィートについても記述と写真がありますが、これは、この時代に興味があり者といては見逃せません。興味のある方はどうぞ。個人的感想５０００円以下なら満足、３０００円以下なら絶対買いです。