Living in Ancient Egypt

Given the immense popularity of the recent blockbuster The Mummy Returns, it's a good bet that students are at least somewhat interested in the ever-mysterious realm of ancient Egypt. From the Nile River to the Pharaoh to gods and goddesses and hieroglyphics, this solid overview of one of the earliest extant cultures serves as an excellent introduction or tie-in to a unit on the social, political and cultural underpinnings of ancient Egyptian civilization. Instead of relying heavily on footage of artifacts or paintings, Living in Ancient Egypt takes advantage of the fact that monuments such as the Sphinx have enjoyed a remarkable state of preservation, as well as the relatively unchanging arid landscape, to present videotaped footage from modern Egypt, nicely connecting past and present. The accompanying curriculum is fairly in-depth and practical and...yes...there IS a detailed description on how rulers were preserved as mummies. Recommended. Aud: I, J. (E. Gieschen)