Consuming Ancient Egypt examines the influence of Ancient Egypt on the everyday lives of contemporary people, of all ages, throughout the world. It looks at the Egypt tourist sees, Egypt in film and Egypt as the inspiration for opera. It asks why so many books are published each year on Egyptological subjects at all levels, from the austerely academic to the riotous celebrations of Egypt as a land of mystery, enchantment and fantasy. It then considers the ways in which Ancient Egypt interacts with the living world, in architecture, museum going, the acquisition of souvenirs and reproductions, design, and the perpetual appeal of the mummy. The significance of Egypt as an adjunct to (and frequently the subject of) marketing in the consumer society is examined. It reveals much about Egypt's immemorial appeal and the psychology of those who succumb to its magic.

Sally MacDonald is Manager of the Petrie Museum of Egyptian Archaeology, Institute of Archaeology, UCL and a Lecturer on its Museum Studies course. Michael Rice has worked extensively in the Middle East, particularly in the Arabian peninsular states, to several of which he has acted as an Adviser. He has been responsible for the creation, design and installation of museums in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia.