Two Months on the Nile

Thomas Sandwith’s Nineteenth-Century Egyptian Journey

Online Access / Resources

Two Months on the Nile

Thomas Sandwith’s Nineteenth-Century Egyptian Journey

Online Access / Resources

Ebook (PDF) ₹8993.00 Ebook (Epub & Mobi) ₹8993.00

₹8993.00

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Description

British Consul with a long-standing interest in archaeology Thomas Sandwith's account of his two months travelling in Egypt provides a valuable new primary source on a dynamic period in Egyptian history. In January 1893 he began a diary in which he recorded his journey on the Nile aboard a dahabiya. Possessing a keen interest in antiquities and experience in acquiring them during his consular career, he recounts visiting newly discovered archaeological sites and meetings with Egyptologists, providing a unique snapshot of the 'golden age' of Egyptology. His astute descriptions of his journey from Cairo to Aswan and back give a vivid new perspective on the growth of European tourism in British-occupied Egypt and early Egyptian industry.

Sandwith's decades-long interest in archaeology and familiarity with the Levant mean this diary – until now on the long-hand pages as he wrote them on the boat – is thus unique among contemporary travel accounts. It is a valuable primary source for scholars interested in the history of the British in the Middle East, the history of travel in the Middle East and the history of archaeology and Egyptology.

Map and Illustrations
Acknowledgements
Map of the Nile Valley

1. Introduction
The Diary
Commentary
Context – Travel to Egypt and on the Nile in the 1890s
Context – Egyptology in the 1890s
Context – Egypt in the 1890s
Thomas Sandwith – Levant Consul
Thomas Sandwith – Levant collector
Thomas Sandwith – Levant traveller

2. Editorial note

3. Thomas Sandwith's Egyptian Diary

4. Dramatis personae

Glossary
Bibliography
Endnotes
Index

Product details

Published	26 Jun 2025
Format	Ebook (PDF)
Edition	1st
Pages	216
ISBN	9780755656080
Imprint	I.B. Tauris
Publisher	Bloomsbury Publishing

This excellent edition of Thomas Sandwith's diary takes readers on a fascinating two-month journey along the Nile. Seen through the eyes of a seasoned diplomat and discerning collector, the sights and sounds of Egypt are meticulously recorded without the embellishments or supercilious observations typical of so many nineteenth century travelogues. From Cairo to Aswan and back, Sandwith chronicles the contrasting wonders of the Nile. Hoopoes and cranes, ruins and monuments, glorious sunsets and dust-filled skies are among the many scenes witnessed as the Philae is blown along by a multitude of winds. People also occupy this space with local Egyptians and famous archaeologists coming in and out of the narrative. Not only will Sandwith's perceptive account of Egypt provide an important addition to academic studies, but researchers and students will likewise benefit from the wealth of contextual information in the critical apparatus supplied by its editor.

Rebecca J. W. Jefferson, PhD, Author of The Cairo Genizah and the Age of Discovery in Egypt, University of Florida, USA
A fascinating diary of 19th-century Nile travel by a keen and interested observer, Two Months on the Nile is a worthwhile addition to a growing genre.

Toby Wilkinson, Egyptologist, Clare College, University of Cambridge, UK
After a career in the consular service, Sandwith was an experienced professional writer, and this is reflected in his precise prose, without the literary affectations which afflict so many other accounts of travel in Egypt … If you have only one dahabiya journal on your bookshelves, this would be an excellent one to choose.

Egyptian Archaeology Magazine
That this clear and concise Nile diary is by an educated and well-read observer with extensive knowledge of the Levant assures its special place in the genre of accounts by travellers in Egypt. Boys Smith's meticulously researched contributions facilitate a fuller understanding of Sandwith's diary, including information about topics and people encountered or referenced.

Ancient Egypt Magazine