The Complete Gods and Goddesses of Ancient Egypt
A comprehensive guide to the deities of ancient Egypt: their origins and their central role in the lives of the Egyptian people
Worshipped for over three-fifths of recorded history, Egypt’s gods and goddesses are among the most fascinating of human civilization. The lives of pharaohs and commoners alike were dominated by the need to honor, worship, and pacify the huge pantheon of deities, from the benevolent to the malevolent. The richness and complexity of their mythology is reflected in countless tributes throughout Egypt, from lavish tomb paintings and imposing temple reliefs to humble household shrines.
This book examines the evolution, worship, and eventual decline of the numerous gods and goddesses―from minor household figures such as Bes and Tawaret to the all-powerful deities Amun and Re―that made Egypt the most theocratic society of the ancient world, and made Egyptians, according to Herodotus, “more religious than any other people.”
Now available in paperback, with hundreds of illustrations and specially commissioned drawings, this title remains the most comprehensive and authoritative guide to the deities that lay at the heart of Egyptian religion and society.
338 illustrationsReviews (91)
Beautifully Illustrated Book
A comprehensive collection of the major & minor gods & goddesses of ancient Egypt, classified by body type (ie, human, mammalian, avian, reptilian, etc). Beautifully illustrated with depictions of ancient artwork.
This book is everything
I was looking for a book on the history and the gods of ancients Egypt. This book was everything i was looking for and more. I got the hardcover one and I'm glad i did the book is big and beatifically illustrated.
Useful, but curiously organised.
Mostly this is a useful book. It is very complete, and offers a nice format for the history and iconography of the gods and goddesses. However, it is a bit puzzling that the authors opted to group the deities the way they did, with mammalian, avian and other General categories. It is not a fatal flaw to the book, but it means you might need to spend some time in the index to find the specific god or goddess unless you are certain he/she falls in the category the authors have put him/her in. Don't plan to sit down and read this book through, as it would be rather like reading an encyclopaedia, but as a reference guide it is useful, other than the unusual organisation.
The Complete Gods and Goddesses of Ancient Egypt
This book is very informative. I do wish more of the pictures were in color but, be that as it may, it is very detailed in listing the various deity and what they stood for in Egypt's culture. Arrived in great shape. Thank you.
Four Stars
The book is excellent, the information is great, but I absolutely hate the way this book is organized.
This is an amazing book
I think that this is an amazing book! If you are interested in ancient Egypt this is a book for you! The book is very informative and full of beautiful photos! it is a big book and i think its price is very cheap because you get a lot! don't think twice and buy it if you like ancient Egypt.And i think and know that the customer service of Amazon is superb! (I live in Israel).
Great Resource - Highly Recommend
Wow! Great find! Love this book. Excellent layout, engaging, and informative. Lots of illustrations. Great resource for anyone interested in ancient Egypt. Saw the excellent reviews and high rankings of this book - and agree. So happy with the qualty. Excellent! Highly Recommend.
Easy to Read but Packed with up-to-date Details
I agree with the other reviewers - beautifully illustrated, mostly in full color. It is comprehensive yet particularly the first half of the book is easy to read in it's entirety. The first part of the book covers general concepts of Egyptian Religion and the deities. The second covers individual deities in detail. I had been looking for a book on Ancient Egyptian religion and deities which was neither outdated in its ideas, nor sterile or boring, nor full of fluff, nor overwhelmed with dense detail, nor assumed detailed prior knowledge of anthropology, archeology or African/Near Eastern history and religion. This book is it. It is beautifully clear and explains how Egyptian views of each deity changed over time. It clearly presents for each deity what syncretism occurred (merging with other gods or the adoption of other gods' attributes) with time. It contains some of the most recent thinking on how the Egyptians might have viewed their own deities. My only minor negative would be that there are no references or footnotes in the text itself for the expert. However, within the body of the text, the author does mention which academics advanced which important concepts and coupled with the extensive and detailed bibliography arranged by subject matter at the end of the book, this minor gripe is assuaged. The binding and quality of the book, its print, and illustrations are beautiful - it would make a lovely gift for someone. Easy to read for both the beginner and the non-beginner in this area, but full of crystal clear detail for one who wants a good reference book even for more advanced students of religion.
A Plethora of Deities
Richard Wilkinson's latest book (he has previously written "Reading Egyptian Art," "Symbol and Magic in Egyptian Art," and "The Complete Temples of Ancient Egypt") presents the reader with an impressive selection of all the major gods and goddesses, and many of the minor ones, of ancient Egypt. Although hardly "complete" in the technical sense (Wilkinson discusses "only" 500 of Egypt's 1500 or so deities, and much more could be said about the ones he does discuss), the book is fairly "complete" in a practical sense: most gods that most readers want to look up, will get at least a brief mention. For example, you will find here the 24 Hours of the Day and Night, 12 (of 21) Gates of the Underworld, all 42 Gods of Judgement, and all 42 (hmm... there's that number again!) Nome Deities. The book begins with twelve brief essays (4-6 pages each) on Egyptian religion, covering such topics as creation myths, manifestations of divinity, temple and popular worship, and divine kingship. The essays are thoughtful, informative, and up-to-date with current scholarship. I wish they had been longer, because they deserve to be expanded at greater length than the book allocates to them. The rest of the book, some 180 pages, is devoted to a "Catalogue of Deities," organized by biological shape (anthropomorphic male and female, mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish, insects, and inanimate objects). This is a great idea, but it could have been taken even further. A visual index of shapes would make lookup much easier, and would only take an additional page or two. A name index is, of course, provided. Why not give a hieroglyphic index as well? Going to the individual entries, Wilkinson generally provides information about the mythology, iconography, and worship of each deity. The deities are generously illustrated, with line drawings and photographs. Again, I would wish that many of these entries could be expanded, both in terms of discussion and in terms of visual iconography. This is not a criticism of Wilkinson; it just reflects the practical limitations of the book. To summarize, Wilkinson's "Gods and Goddesses" is a very well-written, thoughtful, accurate, beautifully produced and illustrated reference on the religion of ancient Egypt. In terms of coverage it is somewhere between a handbook and an encyclopedia. I am very glad to have it in its present form, and I only wish that it had been much longer, since it is clear that Wilkinson has more to say about this subject than could fit into the covers of the present book. I would gladly pay double the price to have a truly complete encyclopedia of Egypt's gods from this author.
Ancient Egypt had many gods!
The author writes that the Egyptians had over 1400 gods and goddesses. A look at the index seems to confirm that perception. There were gods of hours, caverns, caves, wells as well as demons, genies, etc. Some of these deities are quite obscure while others are generally known like Amun, Isis and the Aten. The book is well-arranged and quite informative. Readers with an interest in ancient Egypt would be happy with reading this book.
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