Books
The Story of Tutankhamun: An Intimate Life of the Boy Who Became King (Yale University Press, 2022)
The discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb in 1922 sparked imaginations across the globe. While Howard Carter emptied its treasures, Tut-mania gripped the world—and in many ways, never left. But who was the “boy king,” and what was his life really like?
Garry J. Shaw tells the full story of Tutankhamun’s reign and his modern rediscovery. As pharaoh, Tutankhamun had to manage an empire, navigate influential courtiers, and suffered the pain of losing at least two children—all before his nineteenth birthday. Shaw explores the boy king’s treasures and possessions, from a lock of his grandmother’s hair to a reed cut with his own hands. He looks too at Ankhesenamun, Tutankhamun’s wife, and the power queens held. This is a compelling new biography that weaves together intriguing details about ancient Egyptian culture, its beliefs, and its place in the wider world.
The Story of Tutankhamun will be released in the UK on 11 October 2022 and in the US on 25 October 2022.
For more details, visit: https://www.yalebooks.co.uk/page/detail/the-story-of-tutankhamun/?k=9780300267433
Egyptian Mythology: A Traveller's Guide from Aswan to Alexandria (Thames & Hudson, 2021)
Join me on an entertaining tour up the Nile, through a beautiful and fascinating landscape populated with a rich mythology: the stories of Horus, Isis, Osiris, and their enemies and allies in tales of vengeance, tragedy, and fantastic metamorphoses. I retell these stories and reconnect them to the temples and monuments that still stand today, offering a fresh look at the most visited sites of Egypt. Illustrations throughout bring to life the creation of the world and the nebulous netherworld; the complicated relationships between fickle gods, powerful magicians, and pharaohs; and eternal battles on a cosmic scale.
My evocative descriptions of the ancient ruins will transport readers to another landscape—including the magnificent sites of Dendera, Tell el-Amarna, Edfu, and Thebes. At each site, they will discover which gods or goddesses were worshipped there, as well as the myths and stories that formed the backdrop to the rituals and customs of everyday life. Each chapter ends with a potted history of the site, as well as tips for visiting the ruins today. Egyptian Mythology is the perfect companion to the myths of Egypt and the gods and goddesses that shaped its ancient landscape.
Egyptian Mythology is now available in the UK and will be released on 26 October everywhere else.
For more details, visit: https://thamesandhudson.com/egyptian-mythology-a-traveller-s-guide-from-aswan-to-alexandria-9780500252284
War and Trade with the Pharaohs: An Archaeological Study of Ancient Egypt's Foreign Relations (Pen and Sword, 2017)
This book focuses on all aspects of ancient Egypt's foreign relations from prehistory to the arrival of Alexander the Great. The book is arranged chronologically, and includes up-to-date research, which over the past 20 years has adding a great deal to our knowledge of Egypt's early interactions with the wider world. I delve into warfare, trade, immigration, emigration, the exchange of ideas, periods of unity and periods of political fragmentation, and try to give readers an overview of events going on in the wider world during each period of Egypt's history. You'll find the greatest hits of Egypt's foreign relations, such as the Battle of Qadesh and Hatshepsut's trading mission to Punt, as well as lesser known events, including the Old Kingdom trading mission of Iny and the recently revealed evidence for Middle Kingdom warfare with the city of Byblos. Aimed at general readers and undergraduate students, the book provides an introduction to Egypt's foreign relations, and serves as a foundation for anyone wanting to investigate the subject further.
“By declaring this book suitable for interested readers wanting to learn more about Egypt’s interaction with foreigners, Garry Shaw has aimed it squarely at AE Magazine’s readership and has hit the mark. … An entertaining and informative romp, from the joys of imported beer to the horror of invasion, which ably demonstrates the extent of Egyptian foreign affairs.” – Ancient Egypt Magazine.
War and Trade with the Pharaohs is available from Amazon UK and as a Kindle ebook. It is also available from Amazon US, and you buy it directly from the publisher, Pen and Sword.
The Egyptian Myths, A Guide to the Ancient Gods and Legends (Thames and Hudson, 2014)
This book is dedicated to all aspects of Egyptian mythology. Within, I cover creation myths, the reigns of the gods on earth, mythology and the environment, mythology in daily life, and offer a guide to the afterlife realm of the Duat (including what to eat and drink, and places to see). There's also numerous box texts dedicated to individual deities. When writing this book, my aim was to immerse the reader in the experience of ancient Egyptian mythology; mythology after all, more than collecting simple accounts of gods and heroes, provides a way to understand the world. Egypt's myths are insights into ancient psychology, windows into the Egyptian mind, and can introduce you to a whole new - yet simultaneously old - way of experiencing the world.
Click here to visit The Egyptian Myths' dedicated page: The Egyptian Myths
"With academic authority and enjoyable style, assisted by numerous, well-chosen illustrations of gods and goddesses, Shaw's book is a lively introduction to its subject." --Current World Archaeology
The Egyptian Myths is available from Amazon UK and as a Kindle ebook. It's also available from Amazon US, Amazon Canada, and as an Ibook from ITunes. You can also find it at Barnes and Noble for Nook and as a hardback, as well as from Kobo.
The book is also available in German, Chinese, and Russian.
The Pharaoh, Life at Court and on Campaign (Thames and Hudson, 2012)
The culmination of many years of research. If you've ever wanted to know what the pharaoh did each day, this is the book for you. I cover the ideology and history of Egyptian kingship, but also the reality of being king - from the life of the crown prince, the coronation, and family life, to warfare and palace protocol.
Click here to visit The Pharaoh's dedicated page: The Pharaoh
"Shaw's captivating study is the perfect introduction to these fabled rulers." – Publishers Weekly
The Pharaoh, Life at Court and on Campaign is available from Amazon UK, Amazon US, and Amazon Canada. You can also buy it at Barnes and Noble.
This book focuses on all aspects of ancient Egypt's foreign relations from prehistory to the arrival of Alexander the Great. The book is arranged chronologically, and includes up-to-date research, which over the past 20 years has adding a great deal to our knowledge of Egypt's early interactions with the wider world. I delve into warfare, trade, immigration, emigration, the exchange of ideas, periods of unity and periods of political fragmentation, and try to give readers an overview of events going on in the wider world during each period of Egypt's history. You'll find the greatest hits of Egypt's foreign relations, such as the Battle of Qadesh and Hatshepsut's trading mission to Punt, as well as lesser known events, including the Old Kingdom trading mission of Iny and the recently revealed evidence for Middle Kingdom warfare with the city of Byblos. Aimed at general readers and undergraduate students, the book provides an introduction to Egypt's foreign relations, and serves as a foundation for anyone wanting to investigate the subject further.“By declaring this book suitable for interested readers wanting to learn more about Egypt’s interaction with foreigners, Garry Shaw has aimed it squarely at AE Magazine’s readership and has hit the mark. … An entertaining and informative romp, from the joys of imported beer to the horror of invasion, which ably demonstrates the extent of Egyptian foreign affairs.” – Ancient Egypt Magazine.
War and Trade with the Pharaohs is available from Amazon UK and as a Kindle ebook. It is also available from Amazon US, and you buy it directly from the publisher, Pen and Sword.
The Egyptian Myths, A Guide to the Ancient Gods and Legends (Thames and Hudson, 2014)
Click here to visit The Egyptian Myths' dedicated page: The Egyptian Myths
"With academic authority and enjoyable style, assisted by numerous, well-chosen illustrations of gods and goddesses, Shaw's book is a lively introduction to its subject." --Current World Archaeology
The Egyptian Myths is available from Amazon UK and as a Kindle ebook. It's also available from Amazon US, Amazon Canada, and as an Ibook from ITunes. You can also find it at Barnes and Noble for Nook and as a hardback, as well as from Kobo.
The book is also available in German, Chinese, and Russian.
The Pharaoh, Life at Court and on Campaign (Thames and Hudson, 2012)
Click here to visit The Pharaoh's dedicated page: The Pharaoh
"Shaw's captivating study is the perfect introduction to these fabled rulers." – Publishers Weekly
The Pharaoh, Life at Court and on Campaign is available from Amazon UK, Amazon US, and Amazon Canada. You can also buy it at Barnes and Noble.
The book is also available in Dutch and in Japanese.
With Julie Patenaude, A Catalogue of Egyptian Cosmetic Palettes in the Manchester University Museum Collection (Golden House, 2011)
An attempt to bring a rather lovely collection of objects to wider scholarly notice. There aren't many publications dedicated solely to Predynastic cosmetic palettes, so Julie and I hope this will be a useful resource. The examination of the objects was done at Manchester Museum every Friday for four months in 2008, the investigation into context and excavation history took much longer...
Click here to buy this book through Amazon.co.uk:
A Catalogue of Egyptian Cosmetic Palettes in the Manchester Museum Collection: Vol. 1: Catalogue Egypt Collections Manchester Museum
Royal Authority in Egypt's Eighteenth Dynasty (BAR International, 2008)
This is my first book, the publication of my PhD thesis, the result of three years worth of investigation into the personal authority of the Eighteenth Dynasty kings in relation to royal command, official appointment and military leadership. If you're one of the ten or so people who read it, thanks!
Click here to buy this book through Amazon.co.uk: Royal Authority in Egypt's Eighteenth Dynasty (British Archaeological Reports International Series)
Edited Works and Book Contributions
The Great Archaeologists (ed. by Brian Fagan, Thames and Hudson, 2014)
It is always exciting to delve into the history of Egyptology, and to learn about the explorers, adventurers, and scholars that have pieced together the history of ancient Egypt. This book tells the life stories of the world's most famous archaeologists, people who changed our understanding of the ancient world through their research across the globe. I wrote the entries on Howard Carter, Flinders Petrie, Giovanni Belzoni, Auguste Mariette, and Karl Richard Lepsius.
"Whether you are interested in the desert romance of Ur of the Chaldees or the recreation of Viking ships in Roskilde, this gloriously illustrated book is one to savour"– Minerva
The Great Archaeologists is available from Amazon UK (Hardback and Kindle) and Amazon US (Hardback and Kindle), as well as direct from Thames and Hudson.
Inside the Egyptian Museum with Zahi Hawass (Heritage World Press, 2010)
I edited this book whilst living in Cairo and working for Heritage World Press after leaving my job as Zahi Hawass' media content manager. It was a rare privilege to be present when Sandro Vannini was photographing these priceless objects outside of their cases, and an experience I will never forget.
With Julie Patenaude, A Catalogue of Egyptian Cosmetic Palettes in the Manchester University Museum Collection (Golden House, 2011)
An attempt to bring a rather lovely collection of objects to wider scholarly notice. There aren't many publications dedicated solely to Predynastic cosmetic palettes, so Julie and I hope this will be a useful resource. The examination of the objects was done at Manchester Museum every Friday for four months in 2008, the investigation into context and excavation history took much longer...Click here to buy this book through Amazon.co.uk:
A Catalogue of Egyptian Cosmetic Palettes in the Manchester Museum Collection: Vol. 1: Catalogue Egypt Collections Manchester Museum
Royal Authority in Egypt's Eighteenth Dynasty (BAR International, 2008)
This is my first book, the publication of my PhD thesis, the result of three years worth of investigation into the personal authority of the Eighteenth Dynasty kings in relation to royal command, official appointment and military leadership. If you're one of the ten or so people who read it, thanks!Click here to buy this book through Amazon.co.uk: Royal Authority in Egypt's Eighteenth Dynasty (British Archaeological Reports International Series)
Edited Works and Book Contributions
The Great Archaeologists (ed. by Brian Fagan, Thames and Hudson, 2014)
"Whether you are interested in the desert romance of Ur of the Chaldees or the recreation of Viking ships in Roskilde, this gloriously illustrated book is one to savour"– Minerva
The Great Archaeologists is available from Amazon UK (Hardback and Kindle) and Amazon US (Hardback and Kindle), as well as direct from Thames and Hudson.
Inside the Egyptian Museum with Zahi Hawass (Heritage World Press, 2010)
I edited this book whilst living in Cairo and working for Heritage World Press after leaving my job as Zahi Hawass' media content manager. It was a rare privilege to be present when Sandro Vannini was photographing these priceless objects outside of their cases, and an experience I will never forget.