{"product_id":"belzoni-the-giant-archaeologists-love-to-hate-9780813931401","title":"Belzoni: The Giant Archaeologists Love to Hate","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe Italian son of a barber. A failed hydraulic engineer. A giant who performed feats of strength and agility in the circus. Giovanni Belzoni (17781824) was all of these before going on to become one of the most controversial figures in the history of Egyptian archaeology. A man of exceptional size with an ego of comparable proportions  he procured for the British Museum some of its largest and still awe-inspiring treasures. Today  however  the typical museum visitor knows nothing of Belzoni  and many modern archaeologists dismiss him as an ignorant vandal. In this captivating new biography  Ivor Nol Hume re-creates an early nineteenth century in which there was no established archaeological profession  only enormous opportunity. Belzoni landed in Egypt  where he was unsuccessful in selling a hydraulic machine of his own invention  and came under the patronage of diplomat Henry Salt  who convinced him to travel to Thebes in search of artifacts. Among the many treasures Belzoni would bring back was the seven-ton stone head of Ramesses II  the \"Young Memnon.\" The book includes gripping accounts of Belzonis wildly productive  and physically brutal  expeditions  as well as an unforgettable portrait of his wife  Sarah  who suffered the hardships of the Egyptian deserts and later bore the brunt of the disillusionment that came with the declining popular perception of her husband. Including numerous illustrations  many in color  this volume brings one of archaeologys most fascinating figures vividly to life.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"My Store","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45646757789749,"sku":"ByrdShop_0813931401","price":37.91,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0627\/8139\/0901\/files\/9780813931401.jpg?v=1781678114","url":"https:\/\/atxbooks.com\/products\/belzoni-the-giant-archaeologists-love-to-hate-9780813931401","provider":"ATX Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}