Ancient Egyptian Materials and Industries

Rating:
Summary: Excellent but Esoteric Resource
Review: Alfred Lucas' work is painstaking and very detailed. Although this edition was originally published in 1962, and some of the information may be dated, it remains an excellent resource. The research that went into this work was exceedingly thorough, and the methodology and data are described in great detail. The materials available to the ancient Egyptians and the items made with them are catalogued and described, as are the chemical analyses that Lucas used in his research. Alternative theories about these topics are explained as well. If you have an interest in the history of analytical chemistry, or if you are accustomed to reading very scholarly works on archaeology and Egyptology, you would probably find this book interesting. It gives the reader excellent insights into all of these fields as they were practiced in the first half of the 20th century. If you are looking for a general survey of the topic, be forewarned that this book might be far more detailed and technical than you want.