The Complete Temples of Ancient Egypt

by Richard H. Wilkinson

Book Overview

The temples of ancient Egypt include the largest and perhaps most splendid religious monuments the world has ever known. This book traces their development from earliest times through their period of glory and ultimate decline to their rediscovery and study in modern times. All of Egypt's surviving temples--from the gargantuan temple of Amun at Karnak to minuscule shrines such as the oasis Oracle of Siwa, where Alexander went to hear himself proclaimed...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0500051003
• ISBN13: 9780500051009
• Release Date: June 2000
• Publisher: Thames & Hudson
• Length: 256 Pages
• Weight: 2.70 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 7.9" x 10.2"

Customer Reviews

Good pictures, Good information, and Good layout

Yes, this is definitely far better than the other book in this series, namely, the complete valley of the kings.this book is quite extensive and tries to include a picture on each of the temples discussed, i.e. if the temple or its ruins are still there. It is also not full of black and white pictures - i understand the artistic value of these type of pictures but egypt is full of colour!all the sites are accompanied by well written descriptions and a brief history. Again, i am always careful about what egyptology writes about ancient egypt since i still believe there is a lot of conjecture which tends to be presented as fact. for example: the symbolic nature of the temples seems to be covered well by the book but one should probably read such infor as logical hypothesis rather than reasonable fact - it is rare that authors say the infor comes from an ancient papyrus!all in all, it is indeed a complete guide to the temples of ancient egypt and worth collecting!

Superbly written, illustrated and presented Egyptian history

The Complete Temples Of Egypt is a superbly presented introduction to the architecture and religious rites of Egyptian temples from the early pharaonic times down to the Roman period. Richard Wilkinson does a truly masterful job in this fully illustrated survey of Egyptian temples which includes the monuments at Karnak, Luxor, Abydos, Edfu, Philae, and the temples along the Nile river. Careful attention is paid to temple construction and decoration, the function and meaning of each part of the temple, the roles of pharaohs and priests, as well as temple feasts and festivals. A very highly recommended addition to any personal, professional, academic, or public library Egyptology collection, The Complete Temples Of Egypt has a highly accessible text which is profusely enhanced with maps, plans, tables, and even includes a guide for visiting the major sites.

Temples and More

This book is an excellent addition to the "Complete Tutankhamun", "Complete Pyramid", and "Complete Valley of the Kings" series. As a student of Egyptology, with a special interest in the religious aspects of the society, I found this book to be an excellent addition to my reference library. It is filled with color photographs, charts and information in a clear easy to follow layout. This book features not only information on the architectural lay out of individual temples and sanctuaries of Ancient Egypt, it also provides a valuable overview to evolution of the temple in Egypt, the function of the temple in Egyptian society, Egyptian deities and cults as well as the role of kings and priests. The blending of information on the symbolism, function and architectural aspects of temples makes this a "must have" reference, which I will go back to again and again. If you have an interest in Ancient Egyptian society this book is for you.

comprehensive, and encyclopedic

Having bought and read the equally comprehensive complete guide to the pyramids, which is another book in this series, I just had to buy this also. I am glad I did. This is another encyclopedic book containing information, photos, histories, site plans, diagrams and anything else you can think of for all the temples in Egypt. In an age when most books give snipets of information on only the best known sites this book and the others in the series are invaluable research and information sources. Having been to Egypt, I would have loved to have had this book available at the time so that I could have visited other sites, that I now know of. Hopefully, I will go back again, and shall bring this superb book with me.

Pharonic Temple Extravaganza!

This book is a must for anyone with a interest in Ancient Egyp, whether studying Egyptology or planning a Nile Cruise. This book is filled with excellent full colour photographs and illustrations to provide an extra insight into the wonders of this ancient civilization. The clear layout makes this book a brilliant reference book and is easy to browse through. Have you ever purchased a Egyptain book and wanted to see and read about all of the temples not just the famous ones? If yes, this book is for you.A enjoyable read, and now has pride of place in my book shelf.