Preserving Egypt's Cultural Heritage

Oversize (10x13") and elegantly produced on heavy coated stock, this book showcases projects undertaken over a period of ten years by the American Research Center in Egypt, funded primarily by the United States Agency for International Development. The funding has served not only to ensure conservation of important sites but also to train Egyptian archaeologists and field researchers. This volume, which is probably similarly subsidized given its low price, begins with an introductory essay telling something of the overall project's history and reasons for its success, and celebrating the promise of continued funding. With color photos and text each of some 50 projects is described in terms of its background and significance, challenges of conservation or restoration, specifics of the site, and results. Among the projects are prehistoric sites in the Sinai, Greco-Roman mosaics in Alexandria, Coptic wall paintings in early Christian monasteries, Islamic buildings in Cairo. Maps identifying site locations, and a chronology are included. Annotation c2010 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Randi Danforth has a degree in archaeology from Yale University. She is the editor of Culinaria: The United States, which was awarded the Michelin Best Food Book at the World Food Media Awards in 1999.