Development of Religion and Thought in Ancient Egypt (Paperback)

~ James H. Breasted (Author), John A. Wilson (Introduction) "THE recovery of the history of the nearer Orient in the decipherment of Egyptian hieroglyphic and Babylonian cuneiform brought with it many unexpected revelations, but..." (more)
Key Phrases: für aegypt, fur aegypt, celestial hereafter, Pyramid Texts, Book of the Dead, Feudal Age (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review

"A monument and a classic. . . . In this book we find the impact of nature upon religion in the abounding land of Egypt; the first skepticism and questionings of the system; the search for social justice as an answer to social woes, and the consequent seizure of royal privileges by lesser men; the attempt to assert monotheism; humble trust in a forgiving god; and the final triumph of priestly rule over religion. Because it is remote from us in time and place, we can look at it in detachment. And yet, in its cadences and in its stresses, it is our own story."—John A. Wilson, from the Introduction

"A masterly study of the development of religion and thought in ancient Egypt. . . . No better attempt has been made to trace from beginning to end the leading categories of life, thought, and civilization as they successfully made their mark on religion, or to follow religion from age to age, disclosing especially how it was shaped by these influences, and how in turn it reacted to society."—E. O. James

Product Description

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.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 408 pages
• Publisher: University of Pennsylvania Press (October 1, 1972)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 081221045X
• ISBN-13: 978-0812210453
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.4 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,128,817 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Classic Work on the Subject, March 14, 2003

By	Patrick Devenny (New Jersey) - See all my reviews

When approaching this book, one might ask why they should read a book so old on such a fluid subject. When you think of the amount of current research being done on the development of Egyptian culture, reading a book 90 years old may seem meaningless. What the book suffers from an obvious lack of modernity, it makes up with it by presenting one of the best studies of Egyptian religion ever written.

Awe still comes to those who stare at the Great Pyramids. How could ancient man, with few tools or equipment build such structures? And, the even bigger question, why? Why would so much be used to build a structure designed for the dead? It is a very good question, and Breasted was one of the first to really offer some clear explanations. Breasted's history is massive in its scope, his written lectures taking you from the unification of Upper and Lower Egypt to the waning days of the New Kingdom. Reading this work gives such a clear and concise answer to so many questions. We learn how Egyptian religion changed, how their view of their pharaohs and their gods developed over centuries. We see the Warrior Kings, the Shepard Kings, the origins of the Judeo Christian ethic, and the mysterious figure of Akhenaten.

The only problem I would have with this book is that in this edition, some of the source material Breasted uses is really mixed in with the actual writing, so as to make it kind of confusing. Still, that is a minor complaint. Breasted is probably the greatest American Orientalist, and his work opened up that field of studies in the United States. If you want to get a grasp on his genius, read this work, it will forever change the way you look at Egypt and ourselves today.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars classic book to be read before anything else on the subject, March 13, 2001

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

The author, founder of the Oriental Institute in Chicago, opened the doors to all subsequent studies in ancient religion. This is a classic, to be read before anything else on the subject of ancient Egyptian religion. The author describes how the Egyptians developed at an early date a sense of the moral unworthiness of man and a consciousness of deep-seated moral obligation. This is a deep work into the minds of the Ancient Egyptians.

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent first book to read before going to Egypt, July 30, 2009

By	Lee - See all my reviews

Even though this was written 90 years ago this is as current as one might hope for. In anticipation of a visit to Egypt in a couple of months I wanted to learn something of the history and motivation for the sights we are about to see. This provided that and much more. One slight draw back was the abilty to cross reference the footnotes. They refer to pages in the document...but, of course, with Kindle no pages are listed or indexed. Even with that slight problem, it was well worth my while to read every footnote.