Five Years' Explorations at Thebes

Carter, Howard, 1874-1939Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

4.4

Word count: 238K words
Chapters: 24

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today.Five Years' Explorations at Thebes by Carnarvon and CarterAuthor: Carter, Howard, 1874-1939,Language: English, Class: DT: History: General and Eastern Hemisphere: Africa, Release Date: Feb 28, 2015

Editor's review

Co-authored by Howard Carter and the Earl of Carnarvon, Five Years' Explorations at Thebes records five years of excavation in the Thebes region and stands as an important public-domain document of early Egyptological fieldwork. The Project Gutenberg edition makes this once hard-to-find archaeological report available as a free electronic text, allowing readers to learn about the working methods, site descriptions, and discovery records of an early twentieth-century excavation team. Its strength lies in firsthand observation and on-site narrative rather than popular storytelling or a comprehensive historical survey; reading it conveys the entry-by-entry character and period language typical of archaeological reports. It is suitable as reference reading for those interested in ancient Egypt, the history of archaeology, or the Thebes sites, and as background on Carter's work before the discovery of Tutankhamun's tomb. Because it is a specialist report, general readers need not read every page and may select chapters or site entries according to interest.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers interested in ancient Egyptian history and the Thebes sites
Archaeology enthusiasts curious about how early archaeological reports were written
Readers studying the background of Howard Carter's early work
Students needing public-domain Egyptological sources for reference

Not a good fit for

Beginners expecting popular Egyptian stories or illustrated coffee-table books
Specialist researchers seeking modern critical annotation
Readers unaccustomed to academic report conventions and archaic English

Reading tips

Begin with the table of contents and preface to grasp the scope of the five years' exploration, then select specific site chapters.
Consult maps or Thebes site references while reading to help locate the places mentioned.
Keep Carter's later Tutankhamun discovery in mind as background to understand this book's place in his career.
Take notes on dense archaeological records rather than trying to memorize every detail.

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

Is this book Carter's record of discovering Tutankhamun's tomb?

No. The source indicates this is Carter and Carnarvon's report on five years of exploration at Thebes, belonging to the work before the discovery of Tutankhamun's tomb. Readers should not expect it to contain the excavation of that tomb.

Can I read it without an archaeology background?

You can browse it, but be prepared: it follows the conventions of an archaeological report, with many technical terms and site names, and archaic English may also pose obstacles. It is advisable to read the preface and concluding chapters first, then decide whether to delve into specific entries.

Does this book include illustrations or photographs?

The source does not state whether this electronic edition includes illustrations or photographs, only that it is a Project Gutenberg text e-book. Readers may check the file format and description on the download page to confirm the actual contents.

Why recommend it to general readers?

It is recommended because it offers firsthand archaeological field records that help readers understand the working methods and historical context of early Egyptology. General readers need not read it closely; it can serve as reference material for learning about the history of archaeology.

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About the author

Carter, Howard, 1874-1939 Author · British · 1874–1939

Howard Carter (1874–1939) was a British archaeologist and one of the most famous figures in the history of Egyptology. He worked in Egypt for many years and in 1922 discovered the tomb of Tutankhamun, an epoch-making achievement in the history of archaeology that has linked his name closely with ancient Egyptian civilization. One work by him is held in this collection, Five Years' Explorations at Thebes, which records his work in the Thebes area. It is a field archaeology report, focusing on excavations and descriptions of finds. Public information about the details of his life is limited, so this introduction does not elaborate on them. On the whole, Carter's writing consists mainly of rigorous field records, and his influence rests chiefly on the discovery of Tutankhamun's tomb and the related archaeological results.