Ancient Egypt: A beginner's guide
Religion, magic and medicine
Websites
The Spirits of Nature: Religion of the Egyptians
www.nemo.nu/ibisportal/0egyptintro/1egypt/index.htm
Extensive article on the Egyptian gods, including information on their
clothing, headgear and regalia, plus links to short pieces on 96 gods
and goddesses, from Aah to Wepwawet.
The Goddesses of Ancient Egypt
www.geocities.com/Athens/Acropolis/8669/index.html
A brief piece entitled 'Reinterpreting the influence of the feminine
in ancient Egypt', followed by illustrated academic articles on Isis,
Hathor and Neith.
Egyptian Medicine
www.mnsu.edu/emuseum/prehistory/egypt/
dailylife/medicine.html
Informative article on the medical practices of this society, including
'A Miscellany of Healing' consisting of prescriptions from the Ebers Papyrus.
Medicine in Ancient Egypt
www.indiana.edu/~ancmed/egypt.HTM
An overview of what can be learned about ancient Egyptian medicine
from medical papyri, artistic representations and human remains.
Books
The Complete Gods and Goddesses of Ancient Egypt by Richard H
Wilkinson (Thames & Hudson, 2003) £24.95
An illustrated guide to the deities that lay at the heart of ancient Egyptian
religion and society. It examines the evolution, worship and eventual
decline of a huge pantheon, from minor figures such as Bas, Babi, Ba-Pef
and Taweret to the all-powerful Osiris, Amun, Hathor, Isis and Re.
The Priests of Ancient Egypt by Serge Sauneron, translated by
David Lorton (Cornell University Press, new ed 2000). US edition only;
may be available from online bookshops.
Using Egyptian texts and the testimony of classical authors, Sauneron
illuminates the role of the priesthood in ancient Egypt. He recreates
the system of thought, addressing such topics as priestly functions, the
world of temples, holy festivals, tombs and pyramids. He also describes
the ceremonies of daily worship, considered vital in preventing the world's
descent into chaos, and takes the reader deep into the sacred precincts
of the temples – home to the divine statues in which a part of the god
was believed to dwell.
Religion and Magic in Ancient Egypt by Rosalie David (Penguin,
2002) £9.99
An overview of ancient Egyptian religion from 5000 BC to the 4th century
AD, a world of half human/half animal gods, death rituals, the afterlife
and mummification, pyramids, magic and medicine.
Magic in Ancient Egypt by Geraldine Pinch (British Museum Press,
1994) £12.99
This book examines the connections between myth and magic and the deities
who had special magical importance, particularly the goddess Isis and
the protective lion-demon Bes. The techniques of magic, its practitioners
and the surviving magical texts are discussed, as are the objects that
were used in magic: figurines, statues, amulets and wands. A chapter is
devoted to medicine and magic, and another to magic and the dead.
Ancient Egyptian Medicine by John F Nunn (British Museum Press,
1997) £15.99
The skills of the ancient Egyptians in preserving bodies are well known,
but their expertise in everyday medical practices is less familiar and
often misinterpreted. Nunn has translated and reviewed the original medical
papyri, as well as reconsider other sources including skeletons, mummies,
statues, tomb paintings and coffins. Comparative illustrations show the
symptoms in ancient Egyptian and modern patients, and the criteria by
which ancient Egyptian doctors made their diagnosis – many still
valid today – are highlighted. In addition spells and incantations
and the relationship of medical practice to magic and religion are explored.
