Alexandria Rediscovered

Rating:
Summary: Beautiful picture book
Review: I haven't been to Alexandria in almost fifteen years, but I remember it as a lovely city on the Mediterranean, though one that partook more of the ambiance of Southern Europe than of the Middle East. The long stretches of sea wall, the pretty beaches-Agami Beach is like fine granulated sugar-and the museums were a delight. Little did I know that under the pavement beneath my feet lay hidden wonderful relics of Ptolemaic Egypt waiting for discovery. At the time I was there the city was a thriving, growing community but had yet to expand even to the full size of the ancient site. There were a few monuments from antiquity-Pompey's Pillar, the Serapeum, etc-most of them misidentified, but most of the site was much more recent.

In Alexandria Rediscovered Jean-Yves Empereur introduces the reader to the newest archaeological finds. Expansion of the modern city and its infrastructure into and beyond the boundaries of the old settlement over the past two decades involved him in emergency excavation projects to reclaim or at least document the finds uncovered by developers. In addition, recent discoveries in the harbor have helped illuminate the Ptolemaic period lighthouse, palaces, and government buildings, including those of the famous Cleopatra. The author, an expert in underwater archeology helped document and reclaim some of the finds.

Complimented by the beautiful photographs of Stephane Compoint, the folio sized book gives the reader an extraordinary view of the new discoveries. My favorites are the incredible illustrations of the catacombs and of the even more fascinating cisterns and underground canals of the city's ancient water system. Considerable document research from the early Islamic and early colonial periods helped to identify some of these sites and to map the extent and workings of the water system.

This is probably not the book for someone looking for detail on Cleopatra or the Ptolemies or on the Greco-Roman era in Egypt. The volume dedicates itself, as it title implies, simply to new archaeological discoveries and touches more on the history of the archaeology of the area than upon the history of its founders. For those who want to know more about the city and its archaeology or for those planning a trip to Alexandria, this would make a very nice starting point for learning more about the area.

Rating:
Summary: Archaeology Rediscovered
Review: Jean-Yves E. is one of the most active archaeologists of our time. He alone understands properly the workings of Old Alexandria and of present Alexandria, if you can call it that now. I give this book the highest marks on content, style, lack of bias, and informativeness, among other good attributes. If you are interested in real archaeology and real adventure and excitment than this book is a must own and read for you.

Rating:
Summary: Archaeology Rediscovered
Review: Jean-Yves E. is one of the most active archaeologists of our time. He alone understands properly the workings of Old Alexandria and of present Alexandria, if you can call it that now. I give this book the highest marks on content, style, lack of bias, and informativeness, among other good attributes. If you are interested in real archaeology and real adventure and excitment than this book is a must own and read for you.

Rating:
Summary: One more time DR
Review: wonderful work DR jane Yves done in land and water in alexandria,specialy in land.but his insisting that he hade found the remaine of the alexandria light house with no evidence on site eather on location ore artfact ore bulding materyal mack me tel one more time. DR JANE,congratulation you have found the EASES FARA tempel ,not the light house, even knowen the site was discover by Kamel abou alsadat in the 60 and video by the red sea marine work as well as the egyption navy after Kamel abou alsadat file the first report to the intiquy.after oll this you insist your the first one who found the site, DR I made over 100 Dive in this site before I herd your name and there is on of over 30 site in the north cost,are you the first one to find this site DR ,I donot think so even known I aprecheate your work and enjoy your book. exept for this chapter that I donot share openion with the arther, Get ready for anew look at inchant ALEXANDRIA. ASHRAF H BECHAI/ Phonex,AZ,USA,

Alexandria,Egypt independed Marine archaeologest. [e-mail]

Rating:
Summary: One more time DR
Review: wonderful work DR jane Yves done in land and water in alexandria,specialy in land.but his insisting that he hade found the remaine of the alexandria light house with no evidence on site eather on location ore artfact ore bulding materyal mack me tel one more time. DR JANE,congratulation you have found the EASES FARA tempel ,not the light house, even knowen the site was discover by Kamel abou alsadat in the 60 and video by the red sea marine work as well as the egyption navy after Kamel abou alsadat file the first report to the intiquy.after oll this you insist your the first one who found the site, DR I made over 100 Dive in this site before I herd your name and there is on of over 30 site in the north cost,are you the first one to find this site DR ,I donot think so even known I aprecheate your work and enjoy your book. exept for this chapter that I donot share openion with the arther, Get ready for anew look at inchant ALEXANDRIA. ASHRAF H BECHAI/ Phonex,AZ,USA,

Alexandria,Egypt independed Marine archaeologest. [e-mail]