Gods, Rites, Rituals and Religion of Ancient Egypt

by Lucia Gahlin

With a wealth of sumptuous and informative photography, this outstanding new book is an in-depth examination of the crucial role that mythology and religon played in one of the most fascinating periods of history.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Egypt, Religion, Mythology, Egyptology, Reference

256 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2001

Reviews

[Well of Lost Books]

This is an impressively comprehensive deep dive into ancient Egyptian religion, mythology, and belief systems—so thorough it genuinely feels textbook-adjacent (in the best way). Lucia Gahlin covers the gods, cosmology, rituals, funerary practices, and religious symbolism with clarity and authority, making complex ideas accessible without flattening them. It’s dense, yes, but purposefully so: the kind of book you return to again and again rather than race through.

I especially appreciated the thoughtful extras. The inclusion of museums around the world with Egyptian collections grounds the material in the real, physical afterlives of these objects, while the suggested further reading makes this feel like the start of a much larger scholarly rabbit hole. And the hieroglyphs tucked beside the page numbers? A small but charming design touch that adds personality to an otherwise weighty tome.

This is a serious reference work that still remembers to delight.

[Eleanor]

I read this book many years ago and found it very interesting and easy to follow.

[Lenka Cviková]

Really interesting one. Lots of pictures and said so Everyone Would Understand

[Anna Chrysostomou]

The most comprehensive book on Ancient Egyptian mythology that I've come across thus far. I'm rather obsessed with Ancient Egypt and I must say that this book is accurate, detailed and beautifully illustrated -- the prize of my collection dedicated to the Ancient Egyptians.

[Alexis]

Well-written & enjoyable read.