Overview

The gods were everywhere in Ancient Egypt. Represented by statues, bas-reliefs, and funerary paintings, they even walked among the Egyptians in the person of Pharaoh, considered to be a living god, son of the divine Ra. What better way to understand that distant culture than by becoming familiar with the people who served those gods? Using as his sources the Egyptian texts and the testimony of classical authors, Serge Sauneron illuminates the role of the priesthood in Ancient Egypt. He recreates the system of thought of one of the great civilizations of antiquity, addressing such topics as priestly functions, the world of the temples, holy festivals, tombs, and pyramids. Sauneron describes the ceremonies of daily worship, considered vital in preventing the world's descent into chaos. He takes us deep into the sacred precincts of the temples- home to the divine statues in which a part of the god was believed to dwell. One of the duties of the priests was to maintain these sacred effigies, to nourish, clothe, and protect them from attacks by evil spirits. This edition of The Priests of Ancient Egypt, an augmented version of the 1957 classic, was published in France in 1988, and has been translated authoritatively by David Lorton.

Full Product Details

Author:   Serge Sauneron ,  David Lorton ,  Jean-Pierre Corteggiani
Publisher:   Cornell University Press
Imprint:   Cornell University Press
Dimensions:   Width: 12.70cm , Height: 1.80cm , Length: 20.30cm
Weight:   0.454kg
ISBN:  

9780801486548

ISBN 10:   0801486548
Pages:   240
Publication Date:   25 May 2000
Audience:   College/higher education ,  Professional and scholarly ,  Undergraduate ,  Postgraduate, Research & Scholarly
Format:   Paperback
Publisher's Status:   Active
Availability:   Out of stock  
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Reviews

Lorton's new translation fills a substantial need for students of Egyptian religion. The book is aimed at non-specialists as well as students and is written in a highly accessible style. -Denise M. Doxey, Boston Museum of Fine Arts. Religious Studies Review, Vol. 27, No. 3, July 2001 This 1957 classic originally written in French is finally made available in English, thanks to David Lorton's excellent translation. Widely illustrated in black and white, this book should be recommended reading for everyone. -Frankie's Bibliography of Ancient Egypt.

"""Lorton's new translation fills a substantial need for students of Egyptian religion. The book is aimed at non-specialists as well as students and is written in a highly accessible style.""-Denise M. Doxey, Boston Museum of Fine Arts. Religious Studies Review, Vol. 27, No. 3, July 2001 ""This 1957 classic originally written in French is finally made available in English, thanks to David Lorton's excellent translation. Widely illustrated in black and white, this book should be recommended reading for everyone.""-Frankie's Bibliography of Ancient Egypt."

This 1957 classic originally written in French is finally made available in English, thanks to David Lorton's excellent translation. Widely illustrated in black and white, this book should be recommended reading for everyone. -Frankie's Bibliography of Ancient Egypt.

Author Information

David Lorton, an Egyptologist, is the translator of many books, including Erik Hornung's books The Secret Lore of Egypt and Akhenaten and the Religion of Light, both from Cornell.

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