We’re on a true classic this morning: the iconic shiny gold Egyptology by Templar Publishing. We love all of the Ology books but this one has a special place in my heart – I remember excitedly investigating it myself nearly twenty years ago!
Presented as the 1926 diary and scrapbook of lost adventurer Emily Sands who mysteriously disappeared during an expedition to find the lost tomb of Osiris, this is a book which is designed to be explored! Lots of little envelopes, letters, fold-out maps, sketches, and surprises linked to Emily’s travels hide on each page. There’s even a scrap of mummy wrapping neatly tucked inside – if you’re brave enough to touch it..
Every page is also packed full of factual information and observations about Ancient Egypt, alongside the fictional narrative of Emily’s expedition. This layering of information is such a great way of engaging different levels of readers. Through Emily’s notes and collected scraps we learn about history, religion, daily life, hieroglyphs, and even games! There is a beaut illustration of a Senet board – complete with little cardboard pieces inside an envelope so readers can play the game themselves.
What about hieroglyphs? We like a book which doesn’t simplify them to the point of nonsense – and the mini dictionary inside does not disappoint! Even with only a few little pages it includes not just letter equivalences but some of the more common determinative signs like man, god, and sun. It also explains the direction of reading and how certain hieroglyphs point towards the beginning of the text. Lovely!
There’s something for all little (and big!) historians in here: I loved the little Book of the Dead, while the 7yo was a huge fan of the fold-out sarcophagus layers showing how a mummified body was encased in different materials. It’s a fantastic resource for supporting and developing primary Ancient Egypt topics – and a great excuse to head to the museum to search out some of the objects in real life, like H’s now beloved cat mummy..
wee classics 