Women in the Valley of the Kings: The Untold Story of Women Egyptologists in the Gilded Age by Kathleen Sheppard: A Book Review

Women in the Valley of the Kings: The Untold Story of Women Egyptologists in the Gilded Age

Author: Kathleen Sheppard

Genre: Nonfiction, History, Biography

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press

Book Release Date: 2024

Pages: 310

Source: Netgalley/Publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Synopsis: The never-before-told story of the women Egyptologists who paved the way who paved the way for exploration in Egypt and laid the groundwork for Egyptology.

     The history of Egyptology is often told as yet one more grand narrative of powerful men striving to seize the day and the precious artifacts for their competing homelands. But that is only half of the story. During the so-called Golden Age of Exploration, there were women working and exploring before Howard Carter discovered the tomb of King Tut. Before men even conceived of claiming the story for themselves, women were working in Egypt to lay the groundwork for all future exploration.

       In Women in the Valley of the Kings: The Untold Story of Women Egyptologists in the Gilded Age, Kathleen Sheppard brings the untold stories of these women back into this narrative. Sheppard begins with some of the earliest European women who ventured to Egypt as travelers: Amelia Edwards, Jenny Lane, and Marianne Brocklehurst. Their travelogues, diaries and maps chronicled a new world for the curious. In the vast desert, Maggie Benson, the first woman granted permission to excavate in Egypt, met Nettie Gourlay, the woman who became her lifelong companion. They battled issues of oppression and exclusion and, ultimately, are credited with excavating the Temple of Mut.

      As each woman scored a success in the desert, she set up the women who came later for their own struggles and successes. Emma Andrews’ success as a patron and archaeologist helped to pave the way for Margaret Murray to teach. Margaret’s work in the university led to the artists Amice Calverley’s and Myrtle Broome’s ability to work on site at Abydos, creating brilliant reproductions of tomb art, and to Kate Bradbury’s and Caroline Ransom’s leadership in critical Egyptological institutions. Women in the Valley of the Kings upends the grand male narrative of Egyptian exploration and shows how a group of courageous women charted unknown territory and changed the field of Egyptology forever.

       My Review: Egyptology is one of the most popular fields in archeology. When Howard Carter had discovered the tomb of King Tut, there were women who were already conducting excavations in Egypt. Women in the Valley of the Kings tells the story of women archeologists in Egypt. She began in 1873 with Amelia Edwards and ended with Caroline Ransom Williams in 1952. This also shows how these women made their mark in Egyptology.

      I have never heard of these women. Therefore, I was intrigued by their stories. Dr. Sheppard focused on eleven women and gave detailed biographies of their life. Each of these women made important contributions to Egyptology. One of my favorites is Amelia and Marianne were writers who helped write about Egypt. She cofounded the Egypt Exploration Fund. Her lectures are featured in Pharaohs, Fellas and Explorers, which is still a heavily influential study. I also liked that Maggie Benson was the woman to excavate in Egypt and is credited with excavating the Temple of Mut. I also liked learning about Caroline Ransom Williams and that she was the first woman who was university trained in Egyptology. Therefore, I was fascinated with these women and their accomplishments.

       Overall, I found this book to be a very comprehensive biography of women who contributed to the field of Egyptology. I did find the book very disorganized because it is not told in a linear format. I also found the book focused more on the women’s intimate and personal lives rather than their work. I also thought that this book was very dry and not engaging. Sometimes, the book reads like a Wikipedia article. I was surprised that this book left out Lady Evelyn Beauchamp who was an important figure in Egyptology. Nevertheless, it was still a fascinating and enlightening read! The Women in Valley of Kings will appeal to fans interested in Egypt’s ancient history. I recommend it for fans of Indomitable Women, Desert Queen, and Ladies of the Field!

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars