Looks at what we consider to be both 'ancient' and 'Egyptian'

Organized by theme to introduce the big ideas in Egyptian art

Looks at how pieces of art can tell us much about historical power and the dynamics of society

Considers how European and Western ideas about ancient Egyptian art have changed over time

Considers the contemporary relevance of ancient Egyptian art and architecture today

Explores the visual themes that appear in ancient Egyptian art

Part of the bestselling Very Short Introductions series - over six million copies sold worldwide

From Berlin to Boston, and St Petersburg to Sydney, ancient Egyptian art fills the galleries of some of the world's greatest museums, while the architecture of Egyptian temples and pyramids has attracted tourists to Egypt for centuries. But what did Egyptian art and architecture mean to the people who first made and used it - and why has it had such an enduring appeal?

In this Very Short Introduction, Christina Riggs explores the visual arts produced in Egypt over a span of some 4,000 years. The stories behind these objects and buildings have much to tell us about how people in ancient Egypt lived their lives in relation to each other, the natural environment, and the world of the gods. Demonstrating how ancient Egypt has fascinated Western audiences over the centuries with its impressive pyramids, eerie mummies, and distinctive visual style, Riggs considers the relationship between ancient Egypt and the modern world.

Christina Riggs, Senior Lecturer, School of Art History and World Art Studies, University of East Anglia

Christina Riggs is a senior lecturer at the School of Art History and World Art Studies, University of East Anglia, where she specializes in ancient Egyptian art, the history of archaeology, and museum studies. Christina has worked in several museums with important ancient Egyptian collections, including the Manchester Museum, the Ashmolean Museum, and the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. She is the author of Unwrapping Ancient Egypt (Bloomsbury, 2014) and The Beautiful Burial in Roman Egypt (Oxford, 2006).