At Empire's Edge: Exploring Rome's Egyptian Frontier.

• Author: Wendrich, Willeke
• Position: Book Review

By ROBERT B. JACKSON. New Haven: YALE UNIVERSITY PRESS, 2002. Pp. xxiv + 350, illus. $37.50.

Egypt is for the largest part desert and throughout history humankind has penetrated deep into the region beyond the narrow strip of the fertile Nile Valley, seeking opportunities and exploring the unknown. Knowing the desert is realizing that it is not an empty land, but one with a long history, many traces of human activity, and its own population that has adapted to the harsh demands of an and environment. Robert Jackson has written a charming, information-packed, easily readable volume on three desert areas of Egypt which have been neglected for a long time: the Eastern Desert, the Upper Egyptian Nile Valley, and the Western Desert. In recent years a wealth of information has become available, because several archaeological expeditions are working in the desert areas. Some of these publish promptly, while others do not, and it is Jackson's contribution to have bunted down the latest results by visiting ongoing excavations, talking to researchers and reading whatever he could find published on the three desert areas. Scientific publications give a great deal of detail and a well-founded interpretation, but they necessarily concentrate on particular areas and subjects. It is, therefore, extremely useful to have an overview of past and recent archaeological work, written by a traveler who has been there, incorporated information from the excavators and surveyors, and taken the time to look at the landscape and experience the distances. Jackson travels the desert the slow, intense way, on foot, and uses his experience to understand the landscape and the way the Romans moved, explored, and made use of the desert.

Although the book gives the approximate location of desert sites and boasts many maps on which all areas mentioned in the text are pinpointed, it is a relief to notice that the exact geographical locations are not listed. Even though the author probably used a Global Positioning System to navigate the desert, he refrained from publishing the exact coordinates. This is an excellent and responsible decision, because such information would result in an increase in desert travel that cannot but damage the vulnerable ancient sites. Even if visitors are truly interested and well meaning, even if they decide against holding barbecues in Middle Kingdom temples, motor races over Greco-Roman mud-brick villages, and other popular weekend activities...