MASPERO, Gaston ~ Egypt Ancient Sites and Modern Scenes.

FIRST UK PRINTING. T Fisher Unwin, London: 1910

Large thick 8vo., publisher's blue cloth attractively blocked in gilt, terracotta and blue with decorative ruling, central Egyptian motif to upper board and spine similarly lettered and decorated in red and gold; upper edge gilt; together in the scarce printed dustwrapper priced 12/6 to spine; with full-colour frontis photograph behind mounted tissue guard, and a further 16 black and white illustrations throughout the text on glossy paper, each captioned; THE BOOK a wonderful, bright example, some bumping to spine tips and corners, even marginal toning throughout but else a lovely copy; THE DUSTWRAPPER seldom found in this condition, a touch toned along spine with some light scratches and splash marks; some minor chipping to spine tips, but completely unrestored. The wrapper is protected in a removable Brodart archival cover. First UK edition, first printing. Originally written in French, the translation is provided by Elizabeth Lee. Maspero was a French Egyptologist who worked for the Egyptian government as director general of excavations and antiquities. Beginning his career teaching Egyptian in Paris, he was considered to be one of the most important Egyptologists of his generation, and made several discoveries during an archaeological mission in 1881, including among them the mummies of pharaohs Seti I, Amenhotep I, Thutmose III, and Ramses II. He was also the first to translate 'the Pyramid Texts', known as the Book of the Dead. The present title can be seen as a companion volume to his previously published 'New Light on Ancient Egypt' (published two years prior), and was written after his travels along the Nile as part of his work as Director of Services for the 'Service des Antiquities'. Combining the then 'modern' Egypt with an understanding an appreciation of the ancient, the work is essentially a guide to some of the most important sites he encountered, including Siout, Rodah, Keneh and Philae. The author traveled by steamboat, oftentimes abandoning his course to the whims of the wind, a method which gave him "the opportunity of visiting less important sites where no one stops unless compelled, sites that he would not himself have thought of visiting had not the impossibility of proceeding against the wind forced him to drop anchor in their neighborhood". Very scarce with the dustwrapper in such condition.

BINDING: Hardcover
CONDITION: Near Fine
JACKET: Very Good +