Review by Choice Review
Wilkinson's compact yet authoritative guide to the pantheon and worship of ancient Egyptian deities expertly positions ancient Egyptian religious beliefs and practices within the context of their social and political times, carefully documenting historical changes and drawing on the work of the numerous scholars in the field. After a brief introduction, chronology, and map, several chapters develop the context and trends for the ancient Egyptian religion: "Rise and Fall of the Gods," "Nature of the Gods," "Worship of the Gods," and "Kingship and the Gods." The bulk of the book is devoted to "The Catalogue of Deities," which is subdivided into such groupings as "Male Anthropomorphic Deities," "Groups of Deities," "Mammalian Deities" and "Inanimate Object Deities," making the index at the end the best place to find information about a given deity. There, the entry for "Thoth" yields a three-page article with four illustrations, that for "Bastet" more than a page with two illustrations. The main entries each cover the deity's mythology, iconography, and worship. The index prints main entries in boldface and illustrations (there are more than 300) in italics. A bibliography of further readings ends the book. Beautiful in layout and production and comprehensive yet accessible, this is an affordable purchase. ^BSumming Up: Recommended. All collections. G. M. Herrmann SUNY College at Cortland
Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.
Review by Booklist Review
*Starred Review* An intriguing overview of early Egyptian lore, Wilkinson's summation entices the reader to explore ancient beliefs and art. The work balances text with an elegant array of illustrations ranging from full-color tomb murals to sculpture, line drawings, and photos. Rich commentary explicates the nature and purpose of canopic jars, monotheism, anthropomorphism, and avian, reptilian, and mammalian deities. Meticulous diction extends reader vocabulary to such themes as zoomorphism, canids, assimilation, primordial, and Heliopolis. An epilogue notes the influence of Northeast African worship on the Canaanite Baal, Persian theology, Greco-Roman concepts of Isis-Aphrodite and Horus, and the fusion of Serapis with Christ as well as the British St. George and the Dragon, and modern Egyptian propitiation of Hathor. This comprehensive study of Egyptian theism has much to offer school and public libraries, particularly the impact of symbolism and hieroglyphic writing on literature, art, architecture, processions, ritual, costume, and jewelry. One weakness is the limited range of indexing, which may restrict reader access to fine details. Apart from that, this is highly recommended for reference, religion, history, and art shelves in most libraries, as well as a lovely coffee-table book for perusal and discussion.--Snodgrass, Mary Ellen Copyright 2017 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Egyptologist Wilkinson presents a clear, comprehensive and beautifully illustrated (in color and b&w) guide to the bewildering array of Egyptian deities-a complete catalogue of gods and goddesses supplemented by examinations of the history of Egyptian religion, the rise and fall of the gods, and the ways in which they were worshipped. Ancient Egypt was, Wilkinson writes, the most theocratic of any ancient culture; religion pervaded daily life for comoners as well as the pharaohs. This volume underscores the richness of ancient Egyptian beliefs: literally scores of deities are discussed, grouped by appearance: male anthropomorphic, female anthropomorphic, mammalian, avian, etc. For each god or goddess, the author discusses its mythology, iconography and forms of worship. Amun, or Amun-Re, for instance, one of the major male anthropomorphic gods, is discussed as creator god, solar god and fertility god, among other roles; he was originally portrayed with the color red; and he was honored with temples at Karnak and Luxor. This is an excellent reference work for budding Egyptologists and anyone fascinated by the culture of ancient Egypt. (May) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by Library Journal Review
This elegant and comprehensive resource thoroughly illustrates and catalogs the Egyptian deities, from early pharaonic times to the Roman period. A respected authority on Egyptian deities and iconography, Wilkinson has published numerous works on this topic and engaged in original research and excavations, and he currently directs the Egyptian Expedition at the University of Arizona. The book is divided into five sections (essays on various topics) outlining the origins of the numerous gods and goddesses, their varied representations, popular worship, and the relationship of the gods and royalty. The final and major section, "The Many Faces of the Divine," is a systematic guide to the gods subdivided by the varied thematic material they depict, e.g., mammals, amphibians, and insects, both male and female. This book abounds with beautiful full-color photographs and drawings that depict tomb paintings, temple reliefs, statues, and more. Although many familiar Egyptian deities are included (e.g., Osiris, Amon, Hathor, and Isis), there is ample coverage of minor figures as well (e.g., Babi and Ba-Pef). Essentially a reference volume despite the essay format, this guidebook to the religious beliefs of a rich culture at its zenith is a pleasure to browse. Highly recommended.-Richard K. Burns, M.S.L.S., Hatboro, PA (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
