Pharaoh: art and power in ancient Egypt

REVIEW BY SARAH GRIFFITHS This new British Museum publication explores the lives of the ancient Egyptians through objects held in the museum’s extensive Egyptology collection. Having first explained the basics (geography, the dynasty system, historical evidence, and the role of the pharaoh), the book then has six themed sections, each with stand-alone, but related, ‘In Focus’ features, beginning with ‘Pharaohs and gods in myths’, followed by sections exploring the pharaoh’s role as high priest, the royal family, the ruling administration, ‘Egypt and the world’, and ‘An eternal life’. In spite of the title, the ‘pharaoh’ is not the sole focus of the book: we are