Donald P. Ryan, Ph.D. is an archaeologist and Faculty Fellow in the Division of Humanities at Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma, Washington. His work focuses on Egyptian archaeology, Polynesian archaeology, and ancient languages and scripts. His research in Egypt includes excavations in the Valley of the Kings, where he has discovered lost tombs and controversial mummies.
Ryan is the author of several books and numerous scientific and popular articles on archaeological subjects, including Ancient Egypt on Five Deben a Day, Beneath the Sands of Egypt and Ancient Egypt: The Basics.