Chris Naunton – författare

Where are the tombs of Alexander the Great or Cleopatra? Both rulers were buried in Egypt, but their tombs have never been found despite years of intensive research and excavation. Yet we have tantalizing clues. Searching for the Lost Tombs of Egypt describes the quest for these and other great ‘missing’ tombs – those we know existed, but which have not yet been identified. It also discusses key moments of discovery that have yielded astonishing finds and created the archetypal image of the archaeologist poised at the threshold of a tomb left untouched for millennia. In this gripping account, Chris Naunton explains the mysteries of the missing tombs and presents all the evidence, skilfully unravelling the tangled threads surrounding the burials of the heretic pharaoh Akhenaten and his son Tutankhamun, and the burial place of Imhotep, architect of the Step Pyramid at Saqqara, among others. Could other such tombs lie undiscovered in the Valley of the Kings? In fact, the Valley almost certainly does guard hidden treasures. Amazing finds of unsuspected tombs continue to occur there and elsewhere in Egypt, making headlines worldwide – all are covered in this book. As well as immersing the reader, step by step, in the action of the search and the thrill of discovery, the book also explores the reasons why tombs remain such a central part of both the popular perception of Egyptology and the continuing allure of ancient Egypt.

For centuries the beguiling ancient ruins of Egypt have provided an endless source of fascination for explorers, antiquarians, treasure hunters and archaeologists. All, from the very earliest travellers, were entranced by the beauty and majesty of the landscape: the remains of tombs cut into the natural rock of hillsides and the temples and cities gently consumed by drift sand. These early adventurers were gripped by the urge to capture what they had seen in writings, sketches, paintings and photographs. While it was always the scholars – the Egyptologists – who were in charge, they depended on architects, artists, engineers and photographers. Yet when we think of Petrie, we think of Sir William Matthew Flinders, not of his wife Hilda. Only through reading their diaries and letters has it come to be realized how important she and other partners were. Similarly the role played by Egyptian workers, digging on archaeological projects and maintaining relations with the local landowners, is only just coming to be appreciated. Egyptologists’ Notebooks brings together the work – reproduced in its original form – of the many people who contributed to our understanding of ancient Egypt, offering a glimpse into a very different history of Egyptology. They evoke a rich sense of time and place, transporting us back to a great age of discovery.

A celebration of Egyptologists’ intimate diaries and journals, brilliantly capturing the excitement of the golden age of Egyptology. For centuries the ancient ruins of Egypt have fascinated explorers, antiquarians, treasure hunters and archaeologists. From the earliest travellers, they were united by a sense of wonder at the beauty and majesty of the landscape: the remains of tombs cut into the natural rock, the temples and cities gently consumed by drift sand. Gripped by the urge to capture what they had seen, these early adventurers recorded their experiences in writings, sketches, paintings and photographs. Egyptologists’ Notebooks brings together the intimate diaries and journals of those at the forefront of the Golden Age of Egyptology. Their authors include not only the scholars who directed the excavations but also the engineers, architects, photographers and, not least, the Egyptian workers whose labour made them possible. They evoke a rich sense of time and place, transporting us back to a great age of discovery and offering a glimpse of a very different history of Egyptology.

Young history buffs and celebrity fanatics alike will enjoy this humorous and irreverent introduction to King Tutankhamun written by Egyptologist and TV presenter Dr Chris Naunton.Readers hear first-hand from King Tutankhamun how he became the ruler of ancient Egypt at the tender age of nine, and what it was like to be rudely awakened from the afterlife by British Egyptologist Howard Carter in 1922. They'll endure him bragging about his collection of blingy 18-carat gold sandals, and wonder how to discern fake news from the truth surrounding Tut’s mysteriously premature death.Naunton's expert text is accompanied by Guilherme Karsten's illustrations, giving the boy King a contemporary make-over for celebrity-obsessed readers, and letting children in on all the juicy details of an extraordinary life.With 48 illustrations in colour

Cleopatra tells her version of events as the ruler of the last ancient Egyptian dynasty. In this hilarious and revealing tell-all, the politically savvy, multilingual, cosmopolitan ruler of Alexandria, Cleopatra, reveals herself to be the world’s first influencer. Finally able to tell her own version of events, she will have readers reeling at the remarkable skill with which she raised an army of mercenaries to counter her bullying brother and secure the support of two of the world’s most powerful men – Julius Caesar and Mark Antony. Chris Naunton’s expert text is accompanied by Guilherme Karsten’s illustrations, which give the ancient Egyptian queen a relatable, modern make-over. Witty, contemporary and full of sass, this is Cleopatra #nofilter.