The first volume of a history of the earliest days of ancient Egypt challenges popular archaeological understandings to chronicle the ancient world's first agricultural practices through the construction of the pyramids.

"First published in Great Britain by Allen Lane, an imprint of Penguin Books"--T.p. verso.

Making culture (5000-3000 BC). Beside the Pale Lake : living in the Faiyum, c. 5000-4000 BC ; Sickle sheen : most ancient Egypt and the Neolithic ; Merimda and el-Omari : Lower Egypt, 4800-4300 BC ; The Badarians : Middle Egypt, 4400-4000 BC ; Black-topped, white-lined : life in Upper Egypt, 4000-3500 BC ; A cloud across the moon : death in Upper Egypt, 4000-3200 BC ; Boats and donkeys : copper, trade, and influence within the Lower Nile Valley, 3500-3000 BC ; Rolling along : of men and monsters, 3500 -- Making Pharaoh (3200-3000 BC). Scorpion and hawk, 3200-3000 BC ; The coming of the king : the origins of hieroglyphs, c. 3000 BC ; Narmer's palette : the qualities of kings, c. 3000 BC ; The hawk upon the wall : history, land and Naqadan resettlement, 3500-3000 BC ; Taking wing : Naqadan emigration, 3500-3000 BC ; Taking stock : ordering and accounting within the early state ; The shadows of birds : rite and sacrifice within the early state -- Making a kingdom (3000-2650 BC). The Serekh tomb : the story of the Naqada Mastaba, c. 3000 BC ; A line of kings : the first dynasty royal tombs, 3000-2825 BC ; The lost dynasty : fake histories, real lives : dynasty two, 2825-2675 BC ; The wheeling hawk : refining Egypt : dynasties one, two and three ; The realms of pharaoh : dynasties one and three ; Two gentlemen of Saqqara : Merka and Hesi-re : dynasties one and three -- Step pyramid (2675-2650 BC). Djoser's kingdom ; Heb Sediana : visions of the pyramid ; Deus absconditus : the hidden god ; In consequence : the pyramid's effect -- Building ancient Egypt (2650-2550 BC). A diadem of pyramids, 2650-2625 BC ; Court and country : Metjen and the early reign of Sneferu, 2625-2600 BC ; High society : Sneferu at Maidum, 2625-2600 BC ; A building passion : Sneferu at Dahshur, 2600-2575 BC ; Making the gods : deity at Dahshur, 2600-2575 BC ; The perfect pyramid : Khufu and Giza, 2575-2550 BC.