The Book of the Dead (36 page)

The Egypt Exploration Society was founded in 1882 by the writer Amelia Edwards, who had become captivated by Egypt and its history during a lengthy sojourn there in the winter of 1873-4. The visit, however, left her deeply troubled by the deterioration of many of the ancient sites and, together with a group of like-minded scholars and other interested individuals, she created the Society in order to fully explore and document the archaeological remains as a means of creating a lasting record of the country’s ancient past.

Over the course of more than a century, the EES has explored hundreds of sites in Egypt, excavating not only tombs and temples but also entire towns and cities. Millions of the objects most threatened by treasure hunters have been excavated on behalf of the Society by some of the great names of Egyptology, resulting in substantial quantities of scientifically excavated artefacts entering many of the great museum collections in Egypt and throughout the world, where they continue to attract the attention academics and the public, alike.

Part of the EES’ mission is to generate enthusiasm for Egypt’s past and to raise awareness of the importance of protecting its sites, through continuing excavation, publication, and education. The EES relies almost entirely on public support to fund its work and needs your help, through subscriptions and donations, to ensure that it continues to fulfil its mission at a time when Egypt’s heritage is no less threatened than it was at the time of the Society’s conception.

To learn more about the work of the EES or to become a member visit their website at http://www.ees.ac.uk/

The Egypt Exploration Society is a Company limited by guarantee and registered in England
No. 25816. Registered charity No.212384.

The editor would like to thank the many people that made this possible, including David Bailey, Rebecca Levene, Glen Mehn, Gary Northfield and Jurassic London’s former pharoah, Anne C. Perry.

Above all, we would like to thank the Egypt Exploration Society and the tireless John J. Johnston. His enthusiasm, dedication and eternal good cheer are what made this volume possible.