The ancient Egyptians developed an extraordinary culture that produced some of the world's most outstanding art and architecture. Because of its location, it has long been a crossroads between Africa and Europe exerting its influence on both continents. It is a culture that relies on the rising and falling of the Nile River, a lush verdant ribbon of life next to the Sahara Desert, one of the hottest and driest regions on earth. Mr. Gunn journeys from...