Customer Reviews

Seth, God of Confusion: A Study of His Role in Egyptian Mythology and Religion (Ancient Near East)

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Overall, the author provides an excellent profile of the god Seth (or Set) and His place in the Egyptian pantheon. Discussed in detail is the symbology contained in the story of Seth's conflict with Horus, including Seth's homosexual rape of the child Horus, Seth's relationship to Isis, Osiris, and Nepthys, and His special position as a god of foreigners. In this latter area, Seth's relation to, and possible derivation from imported Semetic deities is covered thoroughly.
A main theme of this monograph is Seth's shifting place in the Egyptian pantheon of deities. Throughout ancient Egypt's long history, Seth was alternatively honored and despised, depending on the changing dominance of different religious, political, and social currents. Eventually, as Egypt came increasingly under the domination of foreigners, Seth, the god associated with foreigners and foreign things, became thoroughly demonized in the popular mind, and may well have been the prototype for the Christian Satan.
My only real criticism of this study, and this is only personal, is the highly specialized academic tone of the writing, along with the frequent inclusion of long untranslated quotations from German and French authors. The monograph is obviously written for the specialist in Egyptology rather than for the general reader. The untranslated quotations will, of course, pose no difficulty for readers who are fluent in both German and French.
I give the book a four star rating, only denying the fifth star for the reason metioned in the above paragraph.

This is one of the most, if not the most, comprehensive scholarly work on Setekh. It is absolutely excellent. It covers just about every well-known myth the god appears in as well as more than a few more obscure ones. Te Velde also deals with more sensitive subjects well-- he takes the route of mild titillation with these subjects for the first half of the book while covering other areas before giving a more 'in situ' breakdown of Set's moral and sexual character towards the end-- much like slowly untangling a knot. It's almost artistic in presentation. The foreign language areas are easily translated by the serious archaeology/egyptology student and should present no problems for serious hobbyists or reconstructionists either.

It is a very comprehensive study of a God of Egypt. It has been written in a very friendly way and at the same time very rigorous. A pity that is so cheap ;)
Regards
Blanca