World-renowned archaeologist Zahi Hawass weaves a spellbinding narrative about how the pyramids were built and why, new in paperback

Nearly five thousand years ago, the fourth dynasty of Egypt’s Old Kingdom reigned over a highly advanced civilization. Believed to be gods, the royal family lived amid colossal palaces and temples built to honor them and their deified ancestors.

In Mountains of the Pharaohs, Zahi Hawass brings these extraordinary historical figures to life, detailing a soap opera-like saga complete with murder, incest, and the triumphant ascension to the throne of one of only four queens ever to rule Egypt. It was during this dynasty that the magnificent pyramids of Giza were built. These monuments attest not only to the dynasty’s supreme power, but also to the engineering expertise and architectural sophistication that flourished under its rule.

Hawass tells the complete story of the pyramids, weaving archaeological data with a history of Egypt’s powerful pharaohs, and argues that the pyramids—including the Great Pyramid of Khufu, the only one of the Seven Wonders of the World still standing—were built by skilled craftsmen who took great pride in their work.

Illustrated with black-and-white photographs and drawings, Mountains of the Pharaohs is a compelling account of one of civilization’s greatest achievements.

"This narrative history of the ancient Egyptian 4th Dynasty, written by one of the top scholars in the field, builds an engaging and accessible picture of the kings who built the greatest pyramids. The book balances hard fact with clearly labeled theory, and will give the reader a unique view of this fascinating period of time."—Mark Lehner

"Hawass—secretary general of Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities and one of Time magazine's 100 most influential people—has painstakingly put together the story of these immense structures and the people who built them. . . . For Egyptophiles, this will be must reading."—Publishers Weekly

"A down-to-earth approach to Egyptology that makes the subject readily accessible to the general public. . . . Recommended." —Library Journal

"Lucid and exhaustively documented. . . . this account is not only a history of the pyramids but also a compelling account of the powerful kings of ancient Egypt."—Booklist

"A masterpiece of archaeological research and a continuing high value contribution to Egyptology. Mountains of the Pharaohs: The Untold Story of the Pyramid Builders is especially and unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community, and college/university library Egyptology collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists."—Midwest Book Review

Zahi Hawass is one of the world’s best known Egyptologists, former Egyptian minister of state for antiquities, and National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence. He is the author of many books on ancient Egypt, including Secrets from the Sand: My Search for Egypt's Past (pbk edition, AUC Press, 2011) and co-author of Scanning the Pharaohs: CT Imaging of the New Kingdom Royal Mummies (AUC Press, 2016).