author
Reginald Engelbach
1888–1946
An engineer turned Egyptologist, he spent much of his career uncovering how ancient Egyptian builders worked and helping document the treasures of the Cairo Museum. His books on obelisks, stonework, and excavation still speak to readers who love the practical side of archaeology.
1 Audiobook
The Aswân Obelisk With some remarks on the Ancient Engineering
by Reginald Engelbach
About the author
Born in Devon in 1888, Reginald "Rex" Engelbach trained first as an engineer before illness interrupted his studies. A period of recovery in Egypt changed the course of his life, drawing him toward Egyptology and the study of ancient building methods.
He went on to work on excavations with leading archaeologists including Flinders Petrie, and became especially known for combining technical skill with archaeological insight. That background shaped some of his best-known writing, including work on the unfinished obelisk at Aswan and, with Somers Clarke, Ancient Egyptian Masonry: The Building Craft.
Engelbach also played an important museum role in Cairo, where he is remembered for helping compile a register of the Egyptian Museum's artifacts. He died in Cairo in 1946, leaving behind a body of work valued for its clear interest in how ancient Egyptian monuments were actually made.