Since prehistory and the forerunners of the pharaonic civilisation, Egyptian civilisation has extended beyond the valley of the Nile, further than the oases, right into the fringes of the desert. Hunters, Bedouins and farmers have inhabited these splendid virgin territories. This book carries us in their wake to the largely unknown origins of Egyptian civilisation. Exciting archaeological research undertaken by the French department of Egyptian Antiquities and in cooperation with a number of other countries has over the course of time uncovered fabulous discoveries, some of them very recently." - From synopsis on dustjacket overleaf. Split into two sections we explore both the range of oases along the edge of the deserts and the sandy expanse itself, both full of ruins and lost art, unique flora and fauna, all rendered in high quality throughout the book with breathtaking photography of antiques and landscapes. The book itself is in great condition with only minor wear, clean an clear