Growing Up and Getting Old in Ancient Egypt

Growing Up and Getting Old in Ancient Egypt

by Rosalind M. and Jac. J. Janssen

If the title of this book seems familiar, it is because it combines two previous volumes, Growing Up in Ancient Egypt published in 1989, and Getting Old in Ancient Egypt published in 1990. Growing Up was the first book in English to be written on childhood in ancient Egypt and similarly Getting Old was also a first. Little more has been written on both subjects since. This new combined volume means that these books are now available again, revised and updated. Both books were valuable contributions to the limited published material on the subject and the same can be said of the combined volume whose new availability is most welcome. Growing Up covers the time from birth, through adolescence, to marriage, and Getting Old looks at the real and ideal life and the care of the elderly. In an artistic tradition in which most of the representations we have of people show them in the prime of life, it is refreshing so see the rarer representations of children and old people. Through these images (many of which are little-known but are included in this volume) and in particular by reading surviving texts, a much more realistic view of life in ancient Egypt emerges. It is a fascinating story and an enlightening, rewarding and enjoyable read, which ends in a novel postscript describing the life of Egyptologist Margaret Murray, who lived to celebrate her one hundredth birthday. Her career, far from declining, seemed to take on a new lease of life as she ‘got older’, for she was still writing books and lecturing throughout her nineties and into her hundredth year.

Published by Golden House Publications, 2007

ISBN 978 0 9550256 9 3

Paperback, price £25

 http://www.ancientegyptmagazine.co.uk