Mistress of the House, Mistress of Heaven: Women in Ancient Egypt (Paperback)

~ Anne K. Capel (Editor), Glenn E. Markoe (Editor)

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

The first-of-its-kind exhibit cataloged here focuses on the women of Egypt from all levels of society in works compiled strictly from American collections by American curators. Because the quantity of written records is limited (though enormous in comparison to most early societies), there is still much guesswork involved in determining the place women held in Egyptian society. It is clear that, unlike most ancient and not-so-ancient societies, Egypt conferred on women the legal right to own property and to barter their own goods, which means a larger record for current study. The essays here are both erudite and fascinating to read; the illustrations are clear and well presented in conjunction with the text. An excellent new resource for public and academic collections about ancient Egypt and its art as well as for women's studies collections; highly recommended.?Mary Morgan Smith, Northland P.L., Pittsburgh
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

In Mistress Of The House, Mistress Of Heaven, masterpieces of Egyptian art dating from 3000 to 300 BC have been brought together from more than 25 American museum and private collections to illuminate the role of women in ancient Egyptian society. Mistress Of The House, Mistress Of Heaven explores the full spectrum of women's lives and pursuits in both historical and artistic milieus through Pharaonic Egypt's 3000 year history. More than one hundred objects are reproduced in full color, and all are accompanied by brief and informative essays. Here are prime examples of stone and wood sculpture; wall painting; statuettes in bronze, terracotta, and faience; a mummy case; a painted and gilded wood coffin; jewelry in gold, stone, and faience; cosmetic and other vessels and utensils in bronze, glass, and stone. There are statues of individuals, couples, and family groups; genre figurines depicting daily activities; amulets, sacred cult objects, and burial assemblages. These works of art are organized into sections devoted to Public and Private Lives; Female Royalty; Goddesses, and Afterlife. Slaves, freewomen, aristocrats, priestesses, queens, and goddesses are all represented in their Egyptian contexts. Mistress Of The House, Mistress Of Heaven is wonderfully illustrated with 117 color plates, 112 b/w illustrations, and a map. The essays are as engaging as they are informative. Highly recommended for art history, Egyptology, and women's studies reading lists. -- Midwest Book Review

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Product Details

• Paperback: 240 pages
• Publisher: Hudson Hills Press with Cincinnati Art Museum; 1st edition (February 25, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1555951295
• ISBN-13: 978-1555951290
• Product Dimensions: 12.3 x 9.4 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #942,883 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars an attractive book for everyone, June 16, 2000

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

This review is from: Mistress of the House, Mistress of Heaven: Women in Ancient Egypt (Paperback)

Ancient Egyptian art was the star attraction of the Mediterranean world for 3000 years, only for some of it to be transported to various museums across the world. This book examines those scenes in over 25 American museums as well as private collections which serve to shed light on the role of Ancient Egyptian women in their society. Objects such as mummy cases, coffins, statues and other sacred items also hold much information. The book contains essays by Egyptologists Janet H. Johnson, Catherine H. Roehrig and Betsy M. Bryan. A chronological index, map, beautiful photos, bibliography and index have also been included. It is an excellent book, recommended for all serious students and scholars to have in their private libraries.