The Pyramids of Egypt, Annotated Bibliography Example

Alford, Alan F. Pyramid of Secrets: The Architecture of the Great Pyramid Reconsidered in the Light of Creational Mythology. UK: Eridu Books, Ltd., 2003. Print.

Standing at 446 pages in length, this massive book focuses primarily upon the Great Pyramid as an ancient symbol of creational myth, meaning that it represents the creational worldview of the ancient Egyptians and stands as a monument to man’s place in the universe of creation. Alford poses a number of questions to the reader in his text, such as why the builders of the Great Pyramid required such exceptional size and mathematical precision; and why the designers included so many passages and chambers beneath the pyramid itself. Overall, this book refutes the idea that the Great Pyramid was a burial site for a king; instead, as noted by Alford, it served as an earthbound monument to the gods and eternity. All students of ancient Egypt will find this book extremely interesting if not wholly enlightening.

Bonwick, James. The Great Pyramid of Giza: History and Speculation. Mineola, NY: Dover Publications, Inc., 2002. Print.

Much like Joseph Augustus Seiss’ A Miracle in Stone; Or, the Great Pyramid of Egypt, this book as a reprint was originally written in 1877 under the title “Pyramid Facts and Fancies.” Thus, as a text on Egypt and its pyramids, this book is still highly relevant for today’s scholars, due to the fact that Bonwick spent 10 years writing it and visited Egypt   in person several times in the early 1870’s. Overall, this book is seen as one of the classic explorations on the Great Pyramid at Giza. Along with some highly-detailed drawings and diagrams, Bonwick examines the Great Pyramid from the perspective of a scientist and an astronomer, yet he also includes the religious and mystical aspects of the pyramid. Although the language in this work is somewhat outdated, many readers will still find it fascinating, especially students taking mandatory classes in the Western Humanities.

Brabin, Stephen. The Incomplete Pyramids. Manchester, England: Stephen Brabin, 2010. Print.

The main argument presented by Stephen Brabin is that traditional archeologists and some current day Egyptologists have it all wrong concerning who built the pyramids of Egypt, why they were built, and especially how they were built, considering that the ancient architects of the Great Pyramid at Giza did not possess any advanced technological machines or tools. Basically, Brabin explores two areas–first, the true architectural design of Egypt’s many pyramids, and second, the actual architectural design of the Great Pyramid at Giza via a mathematical framework. Although written for advanced students, this book should be included in every academic research paper on the pyramids and might act as an impetus to explore other areas of knowledge related to the pyramids that most archeologists see as pseudo-science.

Collins, Andrew. Beneath the Pyramids: Egypt’s Greatest Secret Uncovered. Virginia Beach, VA: A.R.E. Press, 2009. Print.

In this book, historian Andrew Collins examines what he calls a lost world of dark catacombs, huge chambers cut from solid rock, and a mass of cave tunnels that as of today remain unexplored. These remnants are all found beneath the Great Pyramid at Giza and as of 2014 their purpose and who built them remains a complete mystery. However, Collins makes it clear that these catacombs and chambers are related to the stars and astronomy. Overall, this book is extremely well-written and deserves to be read by all students interested in the history of ancient Egypt. It also opens the door to other           possibilities about the pyramids that most archeologists are reluctant to discuss in public.

Hawass, Zahi. Pyramids: Treasures, Mysteries, and New Discoveries in Egypt. New York: White Star Press, 2011. Print.

Written and edited by Zahi Hawass, best-known for his PBS television series on ancient Egypt and long considered as Egypt’s leading archeologist (not to mention director of all the excavations at Giza and Saqqarah), this book contains up-to-date information and data on what Hawass has discovered during his exhaustive excavations at Giza and the site at Saqqarah. A special aspect of this work is the inclusion of highly-detailed aerial photographs that provide new perspectives on how the pyramids were constructed and the length of time it took the designers to plan out all of the details related to mathematics and architecture. For the student, this book is a definite must-read and should be included in every class on ancient Egypt and the history of Western Civilization.

Isler, Martin. Sticks, Stones, and Shadows: The Egyptian Pyramids. Norman, OK: University of Oklahoma Press, 2001. Print.

In this book, Isler examines many questions about the pyramids, such as why they were built and if the builders were motivated by religion or some other reason. Isler also explores how the pyramids were built and the possible devices used to construct them. Isler also provides some theories on the pyramids and their connections to the seasons of the year, ancient ceremonies, and unknown Egyptian technologies that might have been employed to build them. This book is an excellent resource for all students of ancient history and those interested in how the ancient Egyptians thought about their world and why they saw the world differently than most pre-Western civilizations.

Oakes, Lorna. Pyramids and Tombs of Ancient Egypt. New York: Southwater, 2003. Print.

In this fascinating book, author Lorna Oakes mostly explores the magnificent pyramid complexes at Giza, Saqqarah (where the oldest pyramid in Egypt can be found), and some lesser-known pyramids in the Valley of the Kings and near the tomb of Queen Nefertari. Theme-wise, Oakes places the pyramids in a religious context which she believes allows us to understand how the Egyptians lived and worshipped. For students, this book would serve as a great reference for more exploration and research on the history and meaning of the pyramids.

Rigano, Charles. Pyramids of the Giza Plateau. Bloomington, IN: AuthorHouse, 2014. Print.

In this book, Charles Rigano explores in great detail the pyramid complex at Giza and its three main structures–Khufu, Khafre, and Menkaure–as one whole unit instead of   separately. What makes this book so special is that Rigano has included over 200 references, some as old as the late 17th century, which when taken as a whole allows the reader to understand why the complex at Giza has fascinated us for more than 300 years. This book should be part of a professional archeologist’s library, but still could serve as a superior source for any student writing on ancient Egypt and its pyramids.

Romer, John. The Great Pyramid: Ancient Egypt Revisited. UK: Cambridge University Press, 2007. Print.

Renowned archeologist and Egyptologist John Romer provides the reader of this book   with one of the most extensive surveys ever undertaken of the Great Pyramid at Giza. Since Romer is considered as the world’s leading expert on the pyramids, his book helps to eliminate many of the myths associated with the Great Pyramid, such as to why it was built and how it was designed. Although this book is meant for the general reader, it still could serve as an excellent source for more research into the minds of those who built the Great Pyramid, the genius of its design, and what type of mystical influence drove the             ancient Egyptian architects to create such an extraordinary structure that has withstood the test of time.

Schoch, Robert M. Voyages of the Pyramid Builders. New York: The Penguin Group, 2003. Print.

Unlike all of the books so far listed, this one by geologist Robert M. Schoch not only explores the Great Pyramid and the others at Giza and those found elsewhere in Egypt but also pyramids found in other places in the world, such as Asia, Mexico, Central America, South America, and even the United States. The main reason for including this work is that it brings to light some unanswered questions about pyramids in general and if the builders of the Great Pyramid shared ideas with cultures outside of ancient Egypt. As a research title, this book could serve as a sub-text source for a discussion on the true origins of the pyramids of Egypt.

Schoch, Robert M., and Robert Aquinas McNally. Pyramid Quest: Secrets of the Great Pyramid and the Dawn of Civilization. New York: The Penguin Group, 2005. Print.

When this book was first published in 2005 as a sort of follow-up to Schoch’s Voyages of the Pyramid Builders, it generated a great deal of heated debate over exactly how old the Great Pyramid at Giza truly is as a monument of mystery. According to Schock and McNally, most Egyptologists believe that the Great Pyramid is a tomb and nothing else, but in reality, it is far older than the oldest Egyptian dynasty, meaning that it predates the Old Kingdom. Thus, the authors contend that the Great Pyramid proves that civilization began thousands of years earlier than is generally thought. Although somewhat of a “New Age” type of book, this work is meticulously researched and should be used by students as a sub-text for questions about the pyramids that remain unanswered even today despite decades of scientific scrutiny.

Seiss, Joseph Augustus. A Miracle in Stone; Or, the Great Pyramid of Egypt. 4th ed. Philadelphia: Porter & Coates, 1877. Print.

Although published more than a hundred years ago, this book is considered as one of the earliest complete records on the Great Pyramid at Giza which in 1877 was being examined by archeologists from all over Europe. Dr. Seiss refers to the Great Pyramid as our oldest and greatest existing monument and as the most fascinating structure still in existence. As a scholarly text, this book contains many rare images, along with some important lectures by Dr. Seiss from the early 1880’s. This book would serve as an excellent primary source for a paper on Egyptian history and its religious structure.

Verner, Miroslav. The Pyramids: The Mystery, Culture, and Science of Egypt’s Greatest Monuments. Great Britain: Atlantic Books, 2001. Print.

Considered by many scholars as the best text on the ancient pyramids of Egypt, this book contains important documentation on how and why the pyramids were constructed and who was responsible for their conception. Egyptologist Verner utilizes many primary sources, both historical and scholarly and attempts to explain the mysteries that continue to surround the pyramids at Giza. Overall, this book serves as an excellent starting point for research on the history of the pyramids and could serve as the foundation for a good research paper on the subject.