Abydos is one of the most fascinating and enigmatic sites in southern Egypt. As both the burial place of the first pharaohs and a cult center for the god Osiris, it was of immense importance to the ancient Egyptians for thousands of years, from nearly 3000 bc until the early centuries AD, and continues to yield spectacular discoveries. However, no full analysis of the site has been written in the last 30 years. In this book David O Connor, the world's greatest authority on Abydos, provides the most up-to-date and comprehensive account of the sites extraordinary history, as well as telling the story of his own excavations there. This beautifully illustrated and authoritative new book in the New Aspects of Antiquity series fills a significant gap in the literature on ancient Egypt and will be of interest both to students and to anyone who ever has wondered about the origins of one of the greatest civilizations in world history.