With its spectacular temples, tombs, monuments, mummies, and hieroglyphs, as well as esoteric metaphysics, legendary historical characters, and even connections to the Bible, ancient Egypt has enticed the human imagination for centuries, from the ancient Greeks and Romans to our modern era. This search for understanding and drive to uncover this lost civilization has also been the life work of archaeologist Donald P. Ryan, Ph.D., and in Beneath the Sands of Egypt he offers an intriguing personal account of a career spent researching the remains of Egypt’s past. It is a quest that has taken him from harsh desert digs to the modern comforts of Europe’s finest museums and into the lives of some of his archaeological predecessors, gathering insights from obscure documents and literally, digging in their wakes.

Beneath the Sands of Egypt interweaves Ryan’s remarkable tales from the field with reflections into the arcane world of Egyptology, including becoming an archaeologist, dealing with eccentric colleagues, and the seemingly simple, yet tedious, tasks that can reveal previously unknown clues to ancient ways of life. Throughout, Ryan adds his unique touch, looking into corners that other scholars and explorers have ignored, and embracing adventure whenever—and wherever—he finds it.