Egyptian Religion: Siegried Morenz [Paperback]

Siegfried Morenz (Author), Ann E. Keep (Translator)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0801480299 | ISBN-13: 978-0801480294 | Publication Date: April 1992

Introducing the reader to the gods and their worshippers and to the ways in which they were related, this book focuses on the ever-present link between the human and the divine in Ancient Egypt. The book also examines the impact of Egyptian religion upon the Judaeo-Christian world.
First published in 1973.

--This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Editorial Reviews

Language Notes

Text: English, German (translation)

Product Details

• Paperback: 379 pages
• Publisher: Cornell University Press (April 1992)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0801480299
• ISBN-13: 978-0801480294
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.5 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,348,589 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A SCHOLARLY TEXT WHICH DESERVED A BETTER TRANSLATION, January 30, 2001

By 

Robert (Buenos Aires, Capital Federal Argentina) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Egyptian Religion: Siegried Morenz (Paperback)

This book on ancient Egyptian religion is certainly not for the newcomers. It is dense, full of textual references and words in Hebrew and Greek - which are not translated at all - and Egyptian texts in specialized transliteration, all of which will become a hard burden for the unnoticed reader. A comparison between the original German edition and this English version is annoying: the latter being many times quite free regarding the former, as to even change the spirit of some passages. For the learned in the field, it is, even with all these hamperings, a good-researched and scholarly text which provides many thought-provoking questions never proffered before in a (supposedly) "general interpretation" of the religious creeds of ancient Egypt. An indispensable tool for the researchers in this field, not doubt at all.

8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars excellent reference on Egyptian religion, June 17, 2000

By 

Francesca Jourdan (Montreal, Canada) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Egyptian Religion: Siegried Morenz (Paperback)

For the ancient Egyptian their civilisation and their religion were one and the same. To this end they developed over time a complex cosmological structure of the interactions of man and the gods, with the emphasis being on creation and the afterlife. An additional feature which sets this book apart from the numerous others in its field are the comparative and interactive analyses with the religions of Ethiopia, Greece and Syria. Available both in its English translation and the German original, it is a superb reference which ably demonstrates that religion was the fundamental basis of the Ancient Egyptian civilisation. It is highly recommended for all academics, scholars and laypeople.

15 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Annoying!, December 28, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Egyptian Religion: Siegried Morenz (Paperback)

This is not your typical book on Egyptian religion. The author takes concepts of Egyptian religion (such as what came first, Egyptian ritual or myth) and tries to prove the author's point (at times very poorly). Other topics include: How man related to God? Consciousness of sin (yes sin)? How the Egyptians viewed fate? Etc., etc.

There are two reasons why I did not like this book. The first one is due to the author's constant reference to Judaism and Christianity. I would have preferred more information on Egyptian religion than Judaism or Christianity. The second reason why I did not like this book, is constant display of Greek and Hebrew? phrases. The author (or translator) does not explain what these phrases mean or if they are from the original text he is reading from. These phrases are so consistent they become annoying.