Robert Armour's classic text, long cherished by a generation of readers, is now complemented with more than 50 new photographs and line drawings that show the gods and goddesses in their characteristic forms. Armour maintains a strong narrative thread with illuminating commentary in his lively, vigorous retelling of stories from Egyptian mythology, including those of the sun god Ra, the tragic death and rebirth of Osiris with the help of Isis, the near-burlesque of Horus' battle with the evil Seth, and the "gods of the intellect" Thoth and Maat. Now with an updated bibliography and glossary as well as new charts showing the gods at a glance and ancient Egyptian chronology in brief, this book is sure to inform and enchant a new generation of readers.

The texts and visual arts of ancient Egypt reveal a persistent and sophisticated engagement with problems of language, the body, and multiplicity. This innovative book shows how these issues were represented in ancient Egypt and how Egyptian approaches to them continue to influence the way we think about them today.
The story of Osiris is one of the central cultural myths of ancient Egypt, a story of dismemberment and religious passion that also exemplifies attitudes about personal identity, sexuality, and the transfer of royal power. It is, moreover, a story of death and the overcoming of death, and in this it lies at the center of our own means of engagement with ancient Egypt.
This book focuses on the story of Osiris as it is recorded in Egyptian texts and memorialized on the walls of temples and tombs. Since such a focus is attainable only through Egyptian representational systems, especially hieroglyphs, the book also engages broader questions of writing and visual representation: decipherment, controversies about the "ideograph," and the relation between visual images and writing.
This analysis of Egyptian representation leads to a consideration of the phallic body and the problem of multiplicity in Egyptian religion, two nets of Egyptian discourse that, though integrated into the writing system itself, reach toward broader Egyptian discourses of gender, subjectivity, piety, and cosmogenesis. The concluding chapter considers, in specific terms, the question of a persisting Egyptian legacy in the West, from the Greeks and Israelites to Augustine, Hegel, and Lacan.

"One of the most unique books you'll read this year" Buzzfeed "A strikingly different trilogy opener" Kirkus Reviews Kaori and Kairi are the first twins to survive infancy on the ancient island of Mu, where gender is as fluid as the crashing waves. One was born of fire, the other of water. But there's a reason why none have survived before. A prophecy that has haunted the elders since time began. A rivalry destined to sink the entire island beneath a twin catastrophe of volcano and tsunami. As hatred spills from the forbidden twins like the deadly poison of sacrificed sea snakes, they must decide what matters to them most... The fight for the island - for tradition and duty. Or the fight for freedom - for love and light. The Mu Chronicles is a visionary YA fantasy trilogy exploring the origin of gender and desire in an epic queer fusion of Japanese folklore and Egyptian mythology. What readers are saying: "An interesting and original debut which left me begging for more" Caleb, NetGalley reader review "An ambitious take on an epic YA fantasy series exploring gender fluidity ... a political commentary ... If you're looking for an atypical YA read, this might be the one for you" Clara, NetGalley reader review "This is a really unique YA fantasy novel. I just loved what it was trying to do. Whilst it might not be for everyone I do think it's worth a go for the unique style ... there's a certain beauty to the story and the way it's constructed" Gabrielle, NetGalley reader review "This storyline was very interesting and flowed nicely, I will definitely recommend reading this book!" Michelle, NetGalley reader review "The use of neopronouns is lovely to see and was not at all hard to process" Luca, NetGalley reader review "I really enjoyed the twins story ... both fascinating characters I was willing to find their own strength and courage in such a world" Wendy, NetGalley reader review

James H. Breasted (1865-1935) was the foremost influence in introducing Americans to the culture of ancient Egypt. He founded the Oriental Institute at the University of Chicago and was the author of History of Egypt and Ancient Times: A History of the Early World, among other works.

This is the second of three volumes, first published in 1906, which explore the Egyptian theology of the afterlife. It contains the complete hieroglyphic text of the short form of the Am-Tuat and of the Book of Gates, with translations and reproductions of all the illustrations. In the Book of Gates the doctrines of the sophisticated cult of Osiris are prominent: they affirm that the beatified live for ever in the kingdom of Osiris, and feed daily upon his eternal body. The object of all the Books of the Other World was to provide the dead with a 'guide' or 'handbook,' containing a description of the regions through which their souls would have to pass on their way to the Kingdom of Osiris, and which would supply them with the words of power and magical names necessary for an unimpeded journey from this world to the next.

When a freshly-mummified body is discovered at the Brighton Museum of Natural History, Detective Francis Sullivan is at a loss to identify the desiccated woman. But as Egyptian burial jars of body parts with cryptic messages attached start appearing, he realises he has a serial killer on his hands.

Revenge, obsession and an ancient religion form a potent mix, unleashing a wave of terror throughout the city. Caught in a race against time while battling his own demons, Francis must fight to uncover the true identity of the Embalmer before it's too late...

This volume explores the earliest appearances and functions of the five major Egyptian goddesses Neith, Hathor, Nut, Isis and Nephthys. Although their importance endured throughout more than three millennia of ancient Egyptian history, their origins, earliest roles, and relationships in religion, myth, and cult have never before been studied together in detail. Showcasing the latest research with carefully chosen illustrations and a full bibliography, Susan Tower Hollis suggests that the origins of the goddesses derived primarily from their functions, as, shown by their first appearances in the text and art of the Protodynastic, Early Dynastic, and Old Kingdom periods of the late fourth and third millennia BCE. The roles of the goddess Bat are also explored where she is viewed both as an independent figure and in her specific connections to Hathor, including the background to their shared bovine iconography. Hollis provides evidence of the goddesses' close ties with royalty and, in the case of Neith, her special connections to early queens. Vital reading for all scholars of Egyptian religion and other ancient religions and mythology, this volume brings to light the earliest origins of these goddesses who would go on to play major parts in later narratives, myths, and mortuary cult.

The ancient Egyptians were firmly convinced of the importance of magic, which was both a source of supernatural wisdom and a means of affecting one's own fate. The gods themselves used it for creating the world, granting mankind magical powers as an aid to the struggle for existence. Magic formed a link between human beings, gods, and the dead. Magicians were the indispensable guardians of the god-given cosmic order, learned scholars who were always searching for the Magic Book of Thoth, which could explain the wonders of nature. Egyptian Magic, illustrated with wonderful and mysterious objects from European museum collections, describes how Egyptian sorcerers used their craft to protect the weakest members of society, to support the gods in their fight against evil, and to imbue the dead with immortality, and explores the arcane systems and traditions of the occult that governed this well-organized universe of ancient Egypt.

Has the ancient Egyptian cult of immortality resurfaced in Brighton? When a freshly-mummified body is discovered at the Brighton Museum of Natural History, Detective Francis Sullivan is at a loss to identify the desiccated woman. But as Egyptian burial jars of body parts with cryptic messages attached start appearing, he realises he has a serial killer on his hands. Revenge, obsession and an ancient religion form a potent mix, unleashing a wave of terror throughout the city. Caught in a race against time while battling his own demons, Francis must fight to uncover the true identity of the Embalmer before it's too late...

This book explores ancient Egypt's feminine anointing mysteries and how these are reflected in both royal art and ritual life. It also traces their subsequent influence in early Christianity. This means there are five broad audiences for the book in addition to those interested in Egyptology, ancient history and archaeology. Religion -- the book provides new insights in religion and mythology. It includes a detailed study of the New Year ritual of anointing the pharaoh , so it will appeal to readers interested in ritual and ancient mysteries. As a discussion of the oldest known African religion it is also relevant to black history. Women's Studies -- the book carefully elucidates the place of feminine divinity and the Egyptian queen in these anointing mysteries. Emphasising the crucial role of the feminine in Egyptian ritual life, it gives a new perspective on women's theology and women's history. Early Christianity -- the book traces the influence of the Egyptian New Year rites in the Christian anointing mysteries, as recorded both in the canonical gospels and the alchemically inspired Gospel of Philip from the Nag Hammadi Library. It is therefore relevant to readers interested in early Christianity, Christian sacramentalism and the Nag Hammadi writings. Alchemy and Hermeticism -- the book's study of the relationship between early Christianity, Graeco-Egyptian alchemy and Hermeticism will interest those drawn to early esoteric traditions. Fine Arts -- the book will also appeal to readers interested in a history, since it gives a high priority to visual images for understanding Egyptian religion. It includes many striking colour illustrations, which are closely Integrated within the text.

Pharaoh Akhenaten, who reigned for seventeen years in the fourteenth century B.C.E, is one of the most intriguing rulers of ancient Egypt. His odd appearance and his preoccupation with worshiping the sun disc Aten have stimulated academic discussion and controversy for more than a century. Despite the numerous books and articles about this enigmatic figure, many questions about Akhenaten and the Atenism religion remain unanswered. In Akhenaten and the Origins of Monotheism, James K. Hoffmeier argues that Akhenaten was not, as is often said, a radical advocating a new religion but rather a primitivist: that is, one who reaches back to a golden age and emulates it. Akhenaten's inspiration was the Old Kingdom (2650-2400 B.C.E.), when the sun-god Re/Atum ruled as the unrivaled head of the Egyptian pantheon. Hoffmeier finds that Akhenaten was a genuine convert to the worship of Aten, the sole creator God, based on the Pharoah's own testimony of a theophany, a divine encounter that launched his monotheistic religious odyssey. The book also explores the Atenist religion's possible relationship to Israel's religion, offering a close comparison of the hymn to the Aten to Psalm 104, which has been identified by scholars as influenced by the Egyptian hymn. Through a careful reading of key texts, artworks, and archaeological studies, Hoffmeier provides compelling new insights on a religion that predated Moses and Hebrew monotheism, the impact of Atenism on Egyptian religion and politics, and the aftermath of Akhenaten's reign.

The concept of pharaonic Egypt as a unified, homogeneous, and isolated cultural entity is misleading. Ancient Egypt was a rich tapestry of social, religious, technological, and economic interconnections among numerous cultures from disparate lands. In fifteen chapters divided into five thematic groups, Pharaoh's Land and Beyond uniquely examines Egypt's relationship with its wider world. The first section details the geographical contexts of interconnections by examining ancient Egyptian exploration, maritime routes, and overland passages. In the next section, chapters address the human principals of association: peoples, with the attendant difficulties of differentiating ethnic identities from the record; diplomatic actors, with their complex balances and presentations of power; and the military, with its evolving role in pharaonic expansion. Natural events, from droughts and floods to illness and epidemics, also played significant roles in this ancient world, as examined in the third section. The final two sections explore the physical manifestations of interconnections between pharaonic Egypt and its neighbors, first in the form of material objects and second, in the powerful exchange of ideas. Whether through diffusion and borrowing of knowledge and technology, through the flow of words by script and literature, or through exchanges in the religious sphere, the pharaonic Egypt that we know today was constantly changing-and changing the cultures around it. This illustrious work represents the first synthesis of these cultural relationships, unbounded by time, geography, or mode.

SHAMANISM / SPIRITUALITY"Shamanic Mysteries of Egypt is a valuable contribution toward uniting Science and Spirit. Combining ancient wisdom with guided shamanic journeys, it offers readers an opportunity to experience personal evolution through merging the knowledge of the mind (the source of Science) with the awareness of the heart (the source of Spirit)." --Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D., author of The Biology of Belief "This book is based upon a startling premise--that the deities of ancient Egypt embody and express the myriad aspects of Nature as archetypal forces that have 'overseen' the human experiment from the very beginnings of our long journey across eternity. This compelling book will change the lives of its readers. I couldn't put it down!" --Hank Wesselman, Ph.D., author of the Spiritwalker Trilogy and The Journey to the Sacred Garden In Shamanic Mysteries of Egypt, Nicki Scully and Linda Star Wolf renew humanity's connection to the ancient gods of Egypt, the neteru. Voices from these divine ancestors remind us of the healing power of the heart, and call us to bring their consciousness into the present to help us remember our true nature as divine humans with sacred purpose. The authors provide rituals, meditations, and rites of passage that allow us to meet our personal and planetary challenges with grace, wisdom, and love. The shamanic initiations provided are invoked, directly experienced, and transformed into embodied wisdom that awakens consciousness and illumines the intelligence of the heart.Scully and Star Wolf focus their rituals on twenty-six of the primary divine entities that preside over the ancient mysteries whose roots are in Old Kingdom and prehistoric Egypt. Thisfresh interpretation of ancient mysteries unites the energies of Thoth and Anubis to guide us through the current cycle of Earth changes and to help us remember who we really are at heart. Through these passages, Anubis lives up to his ancient title as the Opener of the Way, and Thoth as the Architect of Higher Learning. Together they evoke their power to unite heart and mind in the sacred marriage that brings transformation, renewal, and the awakening of consciousness.Nicki Scully has been a healer and teacher of shamanism and the Egyptian mysteries since 1983. She lectures worldwide and specializes in spiritual tours to sacred sites in Egypt, Peru, and other countries. The author of Power Animal Meditations and Alchemical Healing, she lives in Eugene, Oregon. Linda Star Wolf is the founder of Venus Rising Institute for Shamanic Healing Arts. She is a shamanic guide who has led transformational workshops in the United States and abroad since 1984. She lives in North Carolina.

Sex: how should we do it, when should we do it, and with whom? How should we talk about and represent sex, what social institutions should regulate it, and what are other people doing? Throughout history human beings have searched for answers to such questions by turning to the past, whether through archaeological studies of prehistoric sexual behaviour, by reading Casanova's memoirs, or as modern visitors on the British Museum LGBT trail. In this ground-breaking collection, leading scholars show that claims about the past have been crucial in articulating sexual morals, driving political, legal, and social change, shaping individual identities, and constructing and grounding knowledge about sex. With its interdisciplinary perspective and its focus on the construction of knowledge, the volume explores key methodological problems in the history of sexuality, and is also an inspiration and a provocation to scholars working in related fields - historians, classicists, Egyptologists, and scholars of the Renaissance and of LGBT and gender studies - inviting them to join a much-needed interdisciplinary conversation.

In the winter of 1922-23 archaeologist Howard Carter and his wealthy patron George Herbert, the Fifth Earl of Carnarvon, sensationally opened the tomb of Tutenkhamen. Six weeks later Herbert, the sponsor of the expedition, died in Egypt. The popular press went wild with rumours of a curse on those who disturbed the Pharaoh's rest and for years followed every twist and turn of the fate of the men who had been involved in the historic discovery. Long dismissed by Egyptologists, the mummy's curse remains a part of popular supernatural belief. Roger Luckhurst explores why the myth has captured the British imagination across the centuries, and how it has impacted on popular culture. Tutankhamen was not the first curse story to emerge in British popular culture. This book uncovers the 'true' stories of two extraordinary Victorian gentlemen widely believed at the time to have been cursed by the artefacts they brought home from Egypt in the nineteenth century. These are weird and wonderful stories that weave together a cast of famous writers, painters, feted soldiers, lowly smugglers, respected men of science, disreputable society dames, and spooky spiritualists. Focusing on tales of the curse myth, Roger Luckhurst leads us through Victorian museums, international exhibitions, private collections, the battlefields of Egypt and Sudan, and the writings of figures like Arthur Conan Doyle, Rider Haggard and Algernon Blackwood. Written in an open and accessible style, this volume is the product of over ten years research in London's most curious archives. It explores how we became fascinated with Egypt and how this fascination was fuelled by myth, mystery, and rumour. Moreover, it provides a new and startling path through the cultural history of Victorian England and its colonial possessions.

The religious and magical practices of the ancient Egyptians have had a profound and lasting effect on the world. Egypt has been described as the "mother of magicians." To appreciate the Egyptian view of magic, we need to accept that to the Egyptians magic was not considered strange or eccentric, but was a part of daily life, to which everyone resorted. Magic blended seamlessly with religion and medicine, being seen as part of a holistic worldview. In this volume these magical and religious practices are explored, from both a historical and practical perspective. The practices are explored from an ancient Egyptian worldview, taking into consideration that the Egyptian culture spread over a period of more than 3000 years. The Egyptians saw the universe as being made of four worlds - the everyday world we live in, the underworld, the sky and the heavens. Subject covered in this book include: -What is Heka? -Ancient Egyptian Worldviews -The Gods and Goddesses of Magic -Symbolism - Colours & Sacred Numbers -The Tools Used -Sacred Words & Gestures -Statues & Masks -Crystals & Other Materials used in Heka -Incenses & Perfumes -Food & Wine used in Offerings & at Feasts -The Ancient Egyptian Magical Calendar -Purification, Sacred Space & Rituals David Rankine is based in London (UK) and is a respected authority on spiritual & magical practices. He is the author of many books, including Climbing the Tree of Life, Circle of Fire & The Guises of the Morrigan. This book, HEKA - The Practices of Ancient Egyptian Magic, is the result of careful research & practical work and is highly recommended to students wishing to pursue practical work within this system.

This is the first major study devoted to the early Arabic reception and adaption of the figure of Hermes Trismegistus, the legendary Egyptian sage to whom were ascribed numerous works on astrology, alchemy, talismans, medicine, and philosophy. The ancient Greek Hermetica, with which the tradition begins, are products of Roman Egypt of the second and third century CE. Thereafter, in late antiquity, they found a wide readership, both among pagans and Christians. Their ongoing popularity depended on the notion that Hermes had lived in extremely ancient times, perhaps before the Deluge, and his antiquity endowed him with a pristine intellectual priority and made him attractive as an authority in religious arguments. Early Arabic literature beginning in the eighth century also includes detailed discussions of Hermes Trismegistus, both as a teacher of ancient legend and as the alleged author of works on the apocryphal sciences, especially astrology. Moreover, Hermes is imagined in Arabic as a prophet, lawgiver, and the founder of ancient religion. This book shows how the Arabic Hermes developed out of the earlier Greek and other late antique traditions into something new, which would in turn form the background to the later reception of the Greek Hermetica in the Italian Renaissance. Assembling information in Greek, Arabic, Syriac, and Coptic primary sources, The Arabic Hermes will be of great interest to scholars in many fields, including Classics, Arabic Studies, Iranian Studies, Egyptology, and Medieval Studies.

This interdisciplinary study investigates the divine personas in the so-called magical hymns of the Greek magical papyri which, in a corpus usually seen as a significant expression of religious syncretism with strong Egyptian influence, were long considered to be the 'most authentically Greek' contribution. Fifteen hymns receive a line-by-line commentary focusing on religious concepts, ritual practice, language and style. The overarching aim is to categorise the nature of divinity according to its Greek or Egyptian elements, examining earlier Greek and Egyptian sources and religious-magical traditions in order to find textual or conceptual parallels. Are the gods of the magical hymns Greek or Egyptian in nature? Did the magical hymns originate in a Greek or Egyptian cultural background? The book tries to answer these questions and to shed light on the religious plurality and/or fusion of the two cultures in the treatment of divinity in the Greek magical papyri.

This important new study looks at the intersection of Greek and Egyptian art forms in the funerary sphere of Roman Egypt. A discussion of artistic change, cultural identity, and religious belief foregrounds the detailed analysis of more than 150 objects and tombs, many of which are presented here for the first time. In addition to the information it provides about individual works of art, supported by catalogue entries, the study explores fundamental questions such as how artists combine the iconographies and representational forms of different visual traditions, and why two distinct visual traditions were employed in Roman Egypt.

Jill Dudley writes about the arrival on the island from mainland Greece of the goddess Hera, and the great temple built in her honour on Samos. She gives an account of the life of the sixth century B.C. astronomer and mathematician Pythagoras who lived under the rule of the tyrant Polycrates, and describes the cave where Pythagoras lived and taught. She also writes about the visit paid to the island of St. John the Evangelist.

Enter a world of ancient secrets, old money, new ambitions and the discovery of priceless treasure in this revelatory new biography. Between November 1922 and spring 1923, a door to the ancient Egyptian world was opened. The discovery of the tomb of Tutankhamun would be the most astonishing archaeological find of the century, revealing not only the boy pharaoh's preserved remains, but thousands of finely crafted objects, from the iconic gold mask and coffins to a dagger made from meteorite, chalices, beautiful furniture and even 3000-year-old food and wine. The world's understanding of Ancient Egyptian civilisation was immeasurably enhanced, and the quantity and richness of the objects in the tomb is still being studied today. Two men were ultimately responsible for the discovery: Lord Carnarvon and Howard Carter. It was Lord Carnarvon who held the concession to excavate and whose passion and ability to finance the project allowed the eventual discovery to take place. The Earl and the Pharaoh tells the story of the 5th Earl of Carnarvon. Carnarvon's life, money and sudden death became front-page news throughout the world following the discovery of the tomb, fuelling rumours that persist today of 'the curse of the pharaohs'. His beloved home, Highclere Castle, is today best-known as the set of Downton Abbey. Drawing on Highclere Castle's never-before-plumbed archives, bestselling author Fiona, the Countess of Carnarvon, charts the twists of luck and tragedies that shaped Carnarvon's life; his restless and enquiring mind that drove him to travel to escape conventional society life in Edwardian Britain.

This is the illustrated guide to the temples, tombs and pyramids. It is a fascinating tour of the temples built to worship the gods and goddesses of ancient Egypt, including Philae, Karnak and Abydos. It is a detailed survey of the famous tombs of the pharaohs, their queens and their royal officials. It offers compelling insights into the daily lives and religious practices of the ancient Egyptains. It is illustrated with over 500 photographs of the major sites. Ancient Egypt has captivated visitors for centuries. This beautifully illustrated volume offers an intriguing insight into the religious and burial practices of the ancient Egyptians. It reveals the tombs of the three most famous ancient burial sites in Egypt: Giza, Saqqara and the Valley of the Kings, where the famous tomb of the boy-king Tuthankhamun was discovered. It also investigates the numerous temples of the pharaohs, gods and goddesses of ancient Egypt. Lavishly illustrated with wonderful photographs and detailed plans of the major sites, this informative book will provide the reader with a fresh and authoritative view of this ancient civilization.