Religion and Magic in Ancient Egypt

by Rosalie David and Розали Дейвид

Book Overview

The ancient Egyptians believed that the Nile - their life source - was a divine gift. Religion and magic permeated their civilization, and this book provides a unique insight into their religious beliefs and practices, from 5000 BC to the 4th century AD, when Egyptian Christianity replaced the earlier customs. Arranged chronologically, this book provides a fascinating introduction to the world of half-human/ half-animal gods and goddesses; death rituals,...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0140262520
• ISBN13: 9780140262520
• Release Date: November 2003
• Publisher: Penguin Books
• Length: 488 Pages
• Weight: 0.80 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 5.1" x 7.8"
• Age Range: 18 years and up
• Grade Range: Postsecondary and higher

Customer Reviews

Old and still good

This Book is honestly pretty good by listing a lot of information from the death practices, to art, temples, pyramids and pharaohs.This is not an encyclopedia as information on all these topics are sprinkled about. The way the author describes information is fairy easy enough to understand and has a lot of information that it's useful for people who are either just learning or are fairly knowledgeable. The biggest down side is the book doesn't always include photos/examples of art,temples, ect when describing them and it can be difficult to envisions or fully grasp it. Besides that it's still a really good book with alot of examples. good info and more. I highly recommend it

Dry and scholarly but extremely fascinating

I've never been a fan of history, mostly because it's a very one-sided thing, the way it's taught in schools and colleges for the most part; secondly, I get bored quite easily with "dry" subjects. This book is no exception, because it really is dry, and it is scholarly; however, the subject matter alone is why I read it. The more I've been reading it (and I am almost finished), the more fascinating it becomes. I think this book is so in-depth and well-researched, and the author really knows their material.

Surprisingly Comprehensive and Informative for the General Reader

I have not finished reading this book yet, but I am impressed by the ease and fluidity with which Ms. David imparts her information about ancient Egyptian culture. It is surprisingly easy to read and understand, yet not overly simplified. She has the gift of being able to express herself simply and succinctly--a rarity among academics. The title to me is a little misleading in the respect that the book focuses on so much more than that--although as Egyptian culture was based on its religion, perhaps not. Anyway, if you have been looking for a book to give you a broad, general understanding without boring you to tears, I heartily recommend this one.

Informative, but not for the basic reader

This book is full of interesting facts and data on the full scope of Ancient Egyptian history. More of a scholarly work than an easy read, but very useful for researchers and history buffs. I was a bit disappointed with the book, since many facts were presented with little or no explanation. Overall, worth the time to read.