The Complete Gods and Goddesses of Ancient Egypt [Hardcover]

Richard H. Wilkinson (Author)

Book Description

Series: The Complete Series | Publication Date: May 26, 2003

Worshiped for over three-fifths of recorded history, ancient 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 lavish tomb paintings and imposing temple reliefs to humble household shrines, countless tributes throughout Egypt reflect the richness and complexity of their mythology. This book examines the evolution, worship, and eventual decline of the numerous gods and goddesses—from minor household figures such as Bes and Taweret to the all-powerful deities Amun and Rethat made Egypt the most completely theocratic society of the ancient world, and made Egyptians, according to Herodotus, "more religious than any other people."

     • "Rise and Fall of the Gods" considers the origins of Egypt's deities, their struggles to control cosmic forces, and their eventual decline.
     • "Nature of the Gods" examines the forms, appearances, and manifestations of the deities, as well as the transcendence of preeminent deities such as Amun.
     • "Worship of the Gods" introduces the rituals and mysteries of formal Egyptian worship, including the importance of temples and festivals.
     • "Kingship and the Gods" discusses the all-important position of the king, who served as a bridge between the gods and humanity.
     • "The Many Faces of the Divine" is a unique catalogue of Egypt's gods and goddesses grouped according to their primary forms, discussing their iconography, mythology, and worship, and their influence over time.

With hundreds of illustrations and specially commissioned drawings, this is a comprehensive and authoritative guide to the deities that lay at the heart of Egyptian religion and society. 400 illustrations, 170 in color

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Egyptologist Wilkinson presents a clear, comprehensive and beautifully illustrated (in color and b&w) guide to the bewildering array of Egyptian deities-a complete catalogue of gods and goddesses supplemented by examinations of the history of Egyptian religion, the rise and fall of the gods, and the ways in which they were worshipped. Ancient Egypt was, Wilkinson writes, the most theocratic of any ancient culture; religion pervaded daily life for comoners as well as the pharaohs. This volume underscores the richness of ancient Egyptian beliefs: literally scores of deities are discussed, grouped by appearance: male anthropomorphic, female anthropomorphic, mammalian, avian, etc. For each god or goddess, the author discusses its mythology, iconography and forms of worship. Amun, or Amun-Re, for instance, one of the major male anthropomorphic gods, is discussed as creator god, solar god and fertility god, among other roles; he was originally portrayed with the color red; and he was honored with temples at Karnak and Luxor. This is an excellent reference work for budding Egyptologists and anyone fascinated by the culture of ancient Egypt.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Wilkinson's gorgeously illustrated book adds new dimension to popular literature on ancient Egypt, for it is a handy dictionary of divinities and a comprehensive analysis of the land's theology and religious history. Readers will be drawn in by the copious fine reproductions of classic Egyptian art--some familiar, such as the dual portrait of Nefertiti and Akhnaten, but most not, including the intriguing gold-painted wooden images of the sky-cow Isis-Mehet. Most of the photographs are black-and-white, but of such high quality and detail that they are more than merely serviceable. And once readers open the book to look at the pictures, they well may stay to read the well-organized, comprehensive, clearly written text. In addition to history and theology, Wilkinson offers excellent sociological sections on everyday religion, including discussion of divination and offerings to the gods by ordinary people, and on the relationship of the ruling classes, especially the pharaohs, to the gods. A handsome, valuable general reference. Patricia Monaghan
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 256 pages
• Publisher: Thames & Hudson; First edition. edition (May 26, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0500051208
• ISBN-13: 978-0500051207
• Product Dimensions: 10.2 x 8 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.7 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #95,058 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #55 in Books > History > Ancient > Egypt

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

114 of 115 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Plethora of Deities, May 1, 2004

By 

Michael Gunther (Maryland, USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Complete Gods and Goddesses of Ancient Egypt (Hardcover)

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.

38 of 40 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Comprehensive details about both major and minor deities, May 15, 2003

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Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Complete Gods and Goddesses of Ancient Egypt (Hardcover)

Compiled and written by Richard H. Wilkinson (Professor and Directory of the University of Arizona Egyptian Expedition), and enhanced with 338 illustrations (132 in full-color), The Complete Gods And Goddesses Of Ancient Egypt is a straightforward introduction to Egyptian mythology and iconography, offering comprehensive details about both major and minor deities. Organized into five general categories (Rise and Fall of the Gods; Nature of the Gods; Worship of the Gods; Kingship and the Gods; and The Catalogue of Deities), The Complete Gods And Goddesses Of Ancient Egypt is a first-rate, strongly recommended resource and reference for writers, historians, and lay readers curious about the mythologies of the Egyptian culture over a period of more than two thousand years.

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Easy to Read but Packed with up-to-date Details, July 15, 2007

By 

Artemesia - See all my reviews

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This review is from: The Complete Gods and Goddesses of Ancient Egypt (Hardcover)

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.