Two Months on the Nile: Thomas Sandwiths Nineteenth-Century Egyptian Journey

(Hardback)

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British Consul and antiquities-collector Thomas Sandwiths account of his two months travelling in Egypt provides a valuable new primary source on a dynamic period in Egyptian history.

His account of newly discovered sites and meetings with Egyptologists provide a new perspective on the burgeoning golden age of Egyptology. His astute descriptions of his journey from Cairo to Aswan give a vivid new perspective of the growth of European tourism in British-occupied Egypt. Sandwith was a longtime resident of the Middle East and he also offers insights into the figures who administered the occupation.

His 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, and 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.

Reviews

This excellent edition of Thomas Sandwiths 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 Sandwiths 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 *

Author Bio

Thomas Backhouse Sandwith was a British diplomat who served in the Middle East, as Vice-Consul in Cyprus, then as Consul in Crete, modern-day Tunisia, and Ukraine. He assembled a large collection of antiquities throughout his career and regularly visited archaeological sites under excavation.
Stephen Boys-Smith is the author of Thomas Sandwith: A British Consul in the Levant, 1855-1891, (2020) and co-editor of Studies on Ottoman Nicosia (2019). He was formerly a senior British civil servant, with his final post as Director General for Police, Immigration/asylum, and Counter Terrorism at the Home Office.