FROM SIENA TO NUBIA

'Alessandro Ricci in Egypt and Sudan, 1817-22' is the sub-title of this exquisite book, a must read for all lovers of Egyptology and exploration and the whole history of early 19th century Egypt. Alessandro Ricci (1792-1834) was an Italian physician and a talented artist and draughtsman with a strong interest in archaeology and antiquities who became the family doctor of the British Consul Henry Salt. He travelled extensively throughout Egypt and Sudan and worked as an epigraphist for Giovanni B. Belzoni in the tomb of Seti I and later entered into the service of British explorer William John Bankes, on whose behalf he visited and documented Siwa in 1820, Sinai in the same year, and Nubia from 1818-19 and once again in 1821-22. Ricci also became the physician to Ibrahim Pasha, and achieved fame for daringly saving his life during the military campaign that led to Egypt's conquest of Sudan in 1821-22. Upon his return to Italy, Ricci wrote a long account of all his journeys, and reworked a series of 90 colour plates into striking form, yet failed to publish either. In 2009, Daniele Salvoldi identified a complete typewritten copy of Ricci's Travels in the National Archives of Egypt in Cairo. Drawings intended to accompany the text as plates were tracked down in different locations in Italy and the UK, and here is the result, a fine English-translated critical edition with introductory chapters, Ricci's travel account, descriptions of ancient ruins and social customs, botanical and geological remarks, and historical and ethnographical observations. There are plans of temples such as Kanays, a huge double page image of a transportation of a colossus from a tomb in Deir al Barsha, wooden coffin lids with stretched figure of Nut, a list of offerings from Luxor, the garden of a temple of Amun, columns and reliefs of Ramesses II, even graffiti and inscriptions. Fabulously well illustrated, the colour plates are organised by travels in Nubia, the Temple of Jupiter-Amun, Mount Sinai and Sennar. 90 plates, 10 maps, a large 20.8 x 29cm heavyweight beautifully designed publication by the American University in Cairo Press.