El mito egipcio

Very Short Introductions #106

by Geraldine Pinch

Egyptian myths articulated the core values of one of the longest lasting civilizations in history, and myths of deities such as Isis and Osiris influenced contemporary cultures and became part of the Western cultural heritage. Egyptian Mythology: A Very Short Introduction explains the cultural and historical background to the fascinating and complex world of Egyptian myth, with each chapter dealing with a particular theme.
To show the variety of source material for Egyptian myth, each chapter features a particular object--such as the obelisk known as Cleopatra's Needle, a golden statue of Tutankhamun, and a papyrus containing a story in which the Egyptian gods behave outrageously--which is illustrated by a photograph or line-drawing. The myth "The Contendings of Horus and Seth" is looked at in detail, and the many interpretations it has provoked are examined. In addition to a list of major deities and myths, there are explanations of related topics such as how hieroglyphs work, royal names and titles, and the Egyptian cosmos. There is also a timeline of Egyptian history, a glossary of technical terms and an up-to-date bibliography.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Mythology, Egypt, Religion, Philosophy, Africa

192 pages, Paperback

First published April 22, 2004

About the author

Geraldine is a British author and Egyptologist. She taught Egyptology at the Universities of Cambridge and Oxford and has written books on Ancient Egypt for adults and children. Her latest book, `The Diary of a Woman Scorned' is a dark comedy about divorce, murder and flower-painting. She also writes Fantasy Fiction under the name of Geraldine Harris.

Reviews

[فؤاد · Rating 3 out of 5]

نویسنده اول کتاب می‌گه یه روایت منظم از اول تا آخر از اساطیر مصر وجود نداره. در عوض با کلی تکه‌روایت مجزا و پراکنده روبه‌روییم که در طول تاریخ پنج هزار سالۀ مصر به شکلی سرگیجه آور با هم ادغام میشن و به هم شخصیت قرض می دن و تغییر می کنن. مصر سه دوره پادشاهی داشته که نزدیک به سه هزار سال طول کشیده، و در این مدت مدام و مدام به اساطیر قدیمی خودش برگشته و اونا رو بازتعریف کرده و بسته به نیازهای زمانه تغییر داده.

علاوه بر عنصر زمان، عنصر مکان هم روایات اساطیری مصر رو متکثر می کنه: هر شهر مصر خدایان محلی خودش رو داشت. و وقتی از یه شهر به شهر دیگه بریم، می بینیم که روایات آفرینش تغییر کردن و خدایان محلی نقش مهمی پیدا کردن. حتی موجودی که در یک شهر شیطانی بدخواه تصور می شه، در شهر دیگه از خدایان خیرخواه و مورد پرستشه. مثل «سِت» که نقش منفی همیشگی روایت ایزیس-اوزیریس-هوروس بود، اما در حقیقت خدای محلی یک شهر مصریه که به نوبۀ خودش جهان رو خلق کرده و اژدهای آشوب رو شکست داده. احتمال میره که دشمنی دو شهر مصری باعث شده اهالی یک شهر خدای شهر رقیب رو تبدیل به شیطان قصه های خودشون بکنن.

پس می بینید که توقع وجود یک اسطورۀ واحد در فضایی اینقدر متکثر چقدر بی جاست. با این حساب باید به هر کتابی که بخواد یه روایت واحد و شسته رفته از «اساطیر مصر» عرضه کنه بدبین بود. چنین کتابی احتمالاً خودش دست به ویرایش و انتخاب از بین روایت های اساطیری مصر زده. این کتاب به جای انکار این تکثر، سعی می کنه با این تکثر کار کنه و سعی کنه مضامین مشترک و ریشه ای رو توی این شلوغی کشف کنه.

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Geraldine Pinch is one of my favourite contemporary writers in the field of Egyptology. I find her books to be well-written, well-organized and lucid on subjects that can be difficult to render into suitable prose. This book is no exception. It's written not for an academic audience but instead for anyone who wants to better understand the world of the Ancient Egyptians. I've read a great deal on this subject and I've picked up some new information through this book. I strongly recommend it to anyone who wants even just a rudimentary grasp of ancient Egyptian mythology. It also has a wonderful section on additional reading material for those who want to know more.

[Iset · Rating 4 out of 5]

As one might expect from a book in this particular series, this is a whirlwind overview of the key elements of ancient Egyptian mythology. Pinch examines some of the most important myths in detail, providing translations of the full text, and the competing and complementary roles of ancient Egyptian deities. Further, she introduces the general reader to how Egyptian mythology changed over time, and how scholars of this particular field have offered different explanations and meanings behind certain myths. It can’t compare to The Penguin Book of Myths and Legends of Ancient Egypt by Joyce Tyldesley or The Egyptian Myths by Garry Shaw – but if you’re pressed for time, just need a quick reminder, or are a newcomer to the subject, then this book gets the job done.

8 out of 10

[Megan Ferguson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting, more information on the structure than the content of the myths.

[Mobin Shakeri · Rating 4 out of 5]

it was a great book.
first thing first, I guess it needed more picture. the subject of the book and chapters required it to contain more pictures, and the author sticking with the the "one picture for every chapter" rule of herself didn't really worked out. you have to Google different things you encounter in the book for further understanding.
Geraldine Pinch is a great Egyptologist and a very open minded person. her approaches in the book was really appealing.
the starting of the book was very strong and great. she discusses history, methodology, interpretations and other things in this book.
it was organized subjectively, rather than chronologically. in my opinion the chapters of the book were not very well selected for an "Introduction" book. the book could have emphasized more on the gods and stories, but it sometime jump from them rather too quickly to get to other points.
but after all, it probably was one of the best book of this year for me.
I totally recommend it to the people who want to get familiar with great and ancient Egyptian history and mythology.

[Steve Lew · Rating 4 out of 5]

A few years ago, when the California Academy of Sciences was still in its temporary space on Howard St. in downtown San Francisco, I went there periodically to meet with arachnology curator Charles Griswold, who was on my thesis committee. This involved coming and going through the Montgomery BART station, on top of which is a toy store. One day I spotted some funny Ancient Egypt themed finger puppets in the window of this toy store, so I picked some up without really understanding why. A few years later, I decided that the reason that I'd bought them was to make a funny video with them. A couple of weeks ago I decided that it was time to make this video, so I got out this book to make sure I understood what these figures (Toth, Anubis, Ramses, and Horus (who actually looks more like a penguin than a hawk)) represented to the Ancient Egyptians. Unfortunately, it turns out that this was a delusional goal, if one common in the west due to our having inherited mythology from the Greeks; We can be forgiven for expecting a mythologizing Egyptian to resemble a mythologizing Greek, but it still ain't so. Fortunately, I now have an enriched view of Egyptian myth as well as a richer, if less simple, understanding of who/what Toth, Anubis, Ramses, and Horus were. Unfortunately, it's going to be a while before I figure out how to make a funny video out of this enriched view. Fortunately, it will be totally appropriate to use my Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung finger puppets when I do. Minus one star for no dinosaurs.

[Daniel Wright · Rating 3 out of 5]

Chapter 1: The myth of Egypt: imagined Egypts
Chapter 2: Divine words: language and myth
Chapter 3: The gods themselves: deities and myth
Chapter 4: The beautiful moment: creation myths
Chapter 5: Black Land, Red Land: the landscapes of myth
Chapter 6: Lord of the Two Lands: myths of nationhood
Chapter 7: The big fight: conflict and reconciliation
Chapter 8: The eyes of heaven: pairs and sequences
Chapter 9: Personal myths: myth and popular religion
Chapter 10: The blessing of the mummy: the mythology of death

[Madhuri · Rating 3 out of 5]

A short overview of Egyptians myths and how they have changed over a period of time. I love this series for the quick introduction they provide to any topic. This one was no exception in it's shortness or coverage of the topic. However, its not a topic I particularly enjoyed, because the actual telling of the mythical tales is missing in this condensed version, and elements of Egyptian myths are not as alluring in themselves.I have walked away with a slightly better context on ra, Anubis, Seth.

[Violet Moon · Rating 5 out of 5]

A good intro to Egyptian mythology!
It covers all the key points without feeling too dense. I liked how simple and easy to follow it was. Since this is my first book on the topic, I was mostly just absorbing info rather than analyzing it, but it definitely made me even more curious. If you want a quick but solid overview, this is a great place to start.

[Sarduriur F. Sverresdatter · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an excellent primer for newcomers to Ancient Egyptian Theology. I was very pleased to see that Pinch went so far as to explain the controversy "raging" over "The Contendings of Heru and Set," and that it is likely a piece of folklore (cultural entertainment) rather than myth (holy story with liturgical value). She also explains to her readers why writers tend to go with Hellenic (Greek) rather than Kemetic (Egyptian) names. She also includes some delightful morsels of lesser-known information regarding the Gods Sobek and Yinepu/Anpu (Anubis) that don't often crop up in other texts.

Pinch also seems to have taken more care than most popularly-published scholars before her to emphasize which time periods these stories -- whether folklore or myth -- come from. This gives the reader a more sensible understanding of the changes made to theologies along a more clear timeline. The theologies, whether State or regional, didn't remain unchanged for 5,000+ years, after all.

Her language is also plain and accessible to a wider audience. It's not a book written by an Egyptologist for other Egyptologists, who already (should) know the fundamentals. She also provides a lot of handy charts and diagrams in most chapters.

Counts against this tome: Pinch isn't always as clear as she should be. When she talks about "Horus," she often can't -- or simply neglects to -- distinguish between Heru-Wer (Horus the Elder/Great), the brother of Set (Seth), Wesir (Osiris), Aset (Isis), and Nebet-Het (Nephthys); and Heru-sa-Aset (Horus son of Isis). They are not the same entity. In fact, there are dozens, if not hundreds, of regional "Horuses" Who aren't necessarily the same God at all, such as Heru-Meseni, Heru-Behdeti, Heru-Buheni, and Heru-Sepa.

In fairness, Egyptian religion is immensely complex, and to include and explain absolutely every minute detail of State and regional theologies would take years and thousands of pages of writing. This is an survey text, after all. Perhaps it's not reasonable to expect that level of specificity out of a survey text.

I'm not normally the biggest fan of survey texts. But for what it is, this book is excellent, and I highly recommend it to those looking for a good entry point into the wonderful world of all things Ancient Egyptian.

[Bernie Gourley · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s a daunting task to provide a flyover of such a fruitful mythological tradition, one that spanned thousands of years. This book does a mixed job of it. When it’s good - it’s exceptional, and when it’s not - it’s not. One can’t fault a book with this one’s editorial mandate for not being comprehensive. However, one can fault it for not using the little space available in the best manner. The book spends too much time discussing art and artifacts, and (to a less objectionable degree) history. I say “to a less objectionable degree” not because there was less space devoted to history but because having some historical and anthropological background is of benefit to understanding a culture’s stories [more so than knowing about their material possessions.] Until I got to chapter three, I thought the book might have been mistitled and should have been “Egyptology: A Very Short Introduction” because it was such a broad discussion of Egypt and its artifacts.

That said, in chapter three, the book does an excellent job of reviewing the gods of Egyptian Mythology. Thereafter, it meanders back and forth between being an excellent introduction to Egyptian Mythology and a rambling discussion of things Egypt. There’s a fascinating presentation of the conflict between Horus and Seth, but most of the discussion of myths are short summations (often one-liners.)

I don’t have any basis for comparison, and, therefore, couldn’t tell you if there is a better introductory guide to Egyptian Myth. That said, it does a good job of presenting an outline of the subject, but expect to spend a fair amount of time reading about subjects that are, at best, tangential to the stories of ancient Egypt.

[Natasha McNeely · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author of this book, Geraldine Pinch, did well in making a useful introduction into a large and detailed topic. This book is a great read for anyone looking to take a deeper look at Egyptian mythology. While Egyptian mythology is a difficult topic to study, this book offers a unique look into the basics of important myths.

From the tales of Horus and Set, to the death of Osiris; Egyptian Myth: A Very Short Introduction offers information to both of these myths and more. Included are also details on funerals, mummification and other myths that played a key role in the lives of Ancient Egyptian.

While a short book, the look it grants into Egyptian Mythology is useful and a great place to start. Not only does it include information about the myths, but also a glossary with extra information and foreign words and their meanings. The inclusion of those translations makes this book even better for beginners in studying this topic, as it grants a completely new look into the topics and lets readers learn more about the language itself.

The writing is easy to understand, which makes this book a great place for beginners to start, before moving on to the more complex books on this topic - the ones that go more in-depth and require much more concentration and understanding to read.

Anyone looking to learn about this broad and wonderful topic: This book is for you.

[Bruce W.]

As far as the Very Short Introduction series goes, this book is rather weak. The text felt more like a series of lecture notes rather than a fully developed narrative. Content was rather good, but not suitable for an "introduction" as the cursory nature of the material requires the reader to expand the material his/herself.

[Victor Sonkin · Rating 2 out of 5]

As VSIs go, this is not one of the best examples. There is very little narrative, rather few unexpected and unbelievable facts (whereas one should rightfully expect them in anything remotely Egyptian-themed), and the style is a bit schoolish and stilted. It gives a general idea, but even within the given constraints it could give so much more.

[شمس]

According to temperament, people find the connectivity of Egyptian myth fascinating or infuriating. Readers who think that they might fall into the latter category should omit this chapter.
__________
[In divine realms beyond and below the earth] they lived in their mysterious true forms, as huge, radiant beings with an overpoweringly sweet scent.

__________
A great introduction, discussion, and exploration of Egyptian Mythology across a wide range of contexts.
__________
Some Egyptian myths were regarded as embarrassingly crude because of their sexual content. The inscription on Cleopatra’s Needle links the king who dedicated the obelisk with the god Ra-Atum who was said to have created the first life by masturbating and taking the semen into his mouth. Because of this myth, obelisks could be associated with the erect penis of the creator. No wonder Sigmund Freud collected Egyptian religious art!

The art, architecture, and literature of ‘high culture’ are routinely dismissed as elitist.

The science of archaeology has replaced the aim of learning from the past with the aim of learning about it. All the objects and texts recovered by archaeology are now deemed to be of equal interest, though this is not the way that most intelligent people treat objects and texts of their own era.

Passages in the pyramid and Coffin Texts describe how Atum became lonely in the primeval ocean. He acted as both father and mother by giving himself an erection, taking his ‘seed’ into his mouth, and spitting out the first divine couple, She and Tefnut. Some versions imply tat the pleasure experienced by Atum in the sexual act was a vital part of the creative process.

One way through the underworld was by water and the other way was by land.

Modern Egypt is around 90% desert, but until the 5th millennium BC the Nile Valley was one great swamp and the uplands were a vast savannah dotted with seasonal lakes.

The Greeks gave the Nile its name. To the Egyptians it was simply ‘the river’; the only one they knew.

The Great Sphinx at Giza, with its lion body and human head, was a desert monster fighting on behalf of order.

Fifteen hundred years before Tutankhamun was buried, the motif of the king as a hippopotamus hunter appeared on objects belonging to Egypt’s earliest kings.

Manny hippopotami are pinkish-red and red was the colour of evil in Egyptian symbolism.

This fire-spitting cobra goddess was held to the the constant companion of every legitimate king. In myth, she was the lost eye of Ra who returned to the brow of the sun god and took on snake form to defeat his enemies.

The my theme of Seth’s theft of the eye of Horus has often been interpreted as an explanation of a lunar eclipse.

Freudians, who link myths to infantile sexual fantasies that shape the psyche, can find plenty to work with in the Contendings.

Everything that comes from the body of Horus, including his eyes, is capable of creating life. It marks him as the true heir of the creator sun god.

When Horus is considered as a cosmic being, his right eye is equated with the sun or the morning star and his left eye with the mon or the evening star.

According to one Egyptian text, ‘Everything that exists is eternal stability and eternal recurrence.’

Mutilation was a fate particularly dreaded by Egyptians because killing someone by beheading or dismemberment was thought to restrict their power in the afterlife. A standard way off punishing dead people and rendering them harmless as to destroy the eyes of their tomb statues or erase their faces in tomb paintings.

In Ancint Egypt, myths could also be applied in very personal ways to make a difference individual lives.

The ejects known as apotropaic wands or magic knives are usually carved out of hippopotamus ivory a material that was thought to imbue them with power. Seneb’s wand is in the shape of a throw stick, a weapon used to kill or stun wild birds, which were classified as creatures of chaos.

Some calendars include predictions of a surprisingly specific nature. An entry in Payrus Sallier IV for the day on which the Ennead was created (through the sexual power of Atum) warns that a man born on this day will die while having sex.

. . . as welcome as a sweet breeze on a hot day.

At Bubastis in the Delta, the ferocious eye/lion goddess was transformed during a festival into a benign cat goddess of fertility. The Greek historian Herodotus has left us a vivid account of the drunkenness, music-making, and bawdy good humour that were a part of this festival. He mentions that women sailing to the festival would pull up their dresses to display their genitals to people on the bank—the same gesture that Hathor used in the Contendings to arouse the creator sun god from his torpor. These ordinary Egyptian women were merrily playing the most important of all goddess roles in myth: that of the partner who stimulated the creation and renewal of life.

The hieroglyph for a recumbent mummy was used at the end of words for sleep and death, implying that both might be temporary states.

The spell collection known as the Coffin Texts resembles a ‘Worst Case Scenario Handbook’ for the afterlife. By the New Kingdom, the more compact spell collection now m down as the Book of the Dead had replaced the Coffin Texts.

[Tom · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the better books in the "Very Short Introduction" series, summarizing a foreign field of study into 10 dense (though very readable) chapters, complete with charts, summaries, lists, and a bibliography.

[Kathleen O'Neal · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent introduction to a fascinating field of study. This book helped me to better understand the beautiful Egyptian religious iconography I observed at a museum I visited in Switzerland around the time I read this book.

[Sonic · Rating 5 out of 5]

Super concise and interesting glimpse of Egyptian Myth. Meaning and symbolism handled with an almost poetic grace.

[James · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very interesting, very readable. Wish I had read it prior to visiting Egypt umpteen years ago.

[Cody · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. Before I offer details, a word about whether it is for you: I took hieroglyphics as a language in college and fell in love with ancient Egyptian stories. Ancient Egyptian tales are familiar in some themes and scenes, but certain tropes seem bizarre to modern Western eyes. If you are hoping for an orderly list of myths and a cast of characters, with clear themes like “good fights evil,” this book is not for you. As Dr. Pinch herself wrote before one chapter: “According to temperament, people find the connectivity of Egyptian myth fascinating or infuriating. Readers who think that they might fall in the latter category should omit this chapter.”

Egyptians had many myths. In “The Destruction of Humanity,” the human race is saved by a god from total destruction. “Ra distracts the eye goddess from slaughtering the remainder of humanity by making her drunk on beer dyed to look like blood.” To commemorate this mythology, Egyptians celebrated by - you guessed it! - getting very drunk.

In ”The Tale of the Doomed Prince”, a prince is foretold for face three fates: a snake, a crocodile, and a dog. But the papyrus is burnt right as the story gets good. Based on other Egyptian tales, it probably had a happy ending!

Egyptians viewed creation and humanity as being in a war between isfet and maat — chaos and order.

Much more to say, but I’ll close by saying: absolutely worth a read. Just don’t expect an orderly series of simple myths with tropes that are familiar!!

[Peter · Rating 3 out of 5]

The British Egyptologist Geraldine Pinch wrote Egyptian Myths. I read the edition that was published in 2004. The book has illustrations. The book has a timeline and a glossary. The book has a section of notes. The book has an index. The book has a section entitled “further reading” (Pinch 126-129). The first chapter is about how the obelisk ended up in London, United Kingdom, and how non-ancient Egyptians have interpreted Egyptian Myths. The second chapter is on the relationship between Ancient Egyptian myths and language. The third chapter discusses the relationship between “deities and myth” (Pinch 30-42). The fourth chapter is on “creation myths” (Pinch 43-53). The fifth chapter discusses “the landscapes of myths” (Pinch 54-65). The sixth chapter is “myths of nationhood” (Pinch 66-76). Chapter 7 is a version of ‘“The Contendings of Horus and Seth” (Pinch 77) that is on papyrus at the Chester Beatty Library in Dublin, Ireland (Pinch 77). Chapter 8 is entitled “The Eyes of Heaven: Pairs and Sequences” (Pinch 89-99). Chapter 9 discusses “myth and popular religion” (Pinch 100-111). Chapter 10 is on “the mythology of death” (Pinch 112-122). The book was readable. I read the book on my Kindle. I learned a significant amount from this book. Geraldine Pinch’s introduction to Egyptian Myths is well done.

[Saeed Ramazany · Rating 3 out of 5]

همون روزی که خریدم تموم کردم.
حجم و اندازه‌ش خوب بود.
انتظار نداشته باشین که داستان‌های اساطیر مصر رو بخونید. من انتظار داشتم و خب برآورده نشد. در مورد بستر ایجاد و تاریخ اسطوره‌های مصری‌اه. چه ایده‌هایی هست که چطور ایجاد شدند، از کجا می‌فهمیم که چطور بودند، منابع اصلی چیه و موارد مشابه.

بخش‌های جالبش برای من، تکه‌های جنسی اسطوره‌ها بود. هر چند صفحه یک بار بخش‌هایی از داستان اسطوره‌ها رو می‌گه و به شدت بخش‌های جنسیش زیاد بود. مثلا داستان خدای اولی که آلت خودش رو می‌زاره دهنش و با منی خودش مخلوق دیگه‌ای رو ایجاد می‌کنه. یا داستان خدای بزرگی که در جریان یک دادگاه دلخورده میشه و می‌ره دراز می‌کشه. دخترش می‌ره کُس‌ش رو عریان نشون می‌ده به پدرش که باعث میشه دلخوریش رفع بشه((: (البته در این که این صرفا بخشی از یک متن نوشته شده برای یک جشن مهم بوده یا جدا داستانی که بین مردم هم جا افتاده بوده شک هست).

[Hayley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a big fan of Pinch and was looking forward to reading this title. Egyptian Myth is part of the Very Short Introduction books and is extremely readable, just like her other books. Each main chapter is centered around an important artifact and illustrates the theme of that chapter, for instance chapter 2 Divine words: language and myth centers around the Metternich Stela and includes a very detailed line illustration of it. I think this is a very creative idea and brings the ideas within fully to life.

Reading this book helps me to have a better understanding of the Ancient Egyptian worldview, especially regarding their uses of myths in not only the royal world, but everyday life.

[Marina Kozareva · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5

Egyptian Mythology: A Short Introduction was a very good read!

Geraldine Pinch is one of the best writers in Egyptology today. This book is clear, engaging, and well-organized, making complex ideas easy to understand. It’s perfect for anyone curious about ancient Egyptian mythology.

Even after reading a lot on the subject, I still learned new things here. I especially loved the section with suggestions for further reading. Highly recommended for beginners and for anyone wanting a solid overview of Egyptian myths.

[Karima · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great introduction to The Myths and Gods of ancient Egypt. The importance of the cults of Isis, Osiris, and Horus help narrow down the daunting list of gods and stories. Pinch's explaination of the 'Contendings of Horus and Seth' shows the sense of humor and "human-ness" of the gods as they were perceived by the people.

The book is well organized and the highlighted sections provide easy reference for anyone using this for research.

[Seth Kenlon · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent overview of major religious traditions of ancient Egypt. It mostly provides context for the mythology that we know today, which is really useful to someone ilke me, who got next to no real education about ancient Egypt outside of Bible stories and a brief mention in the first week of history class.

The book is an easy read, so if you're at all interested in ancient Egypt, take a look.

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this introductory text to the great expanse that is Egyptian mythology. My interest is piqued, and I look forward to reading more in-depth looks at tales from this part of the world. My favorite part of this text was the discussion of how certain myths evolved linearly and non-linearly. The amorphous nature of Egyptian myth, defying the expectations of those used to the more fixed mythologies from Greek or Rome for example, makes it all the more interesting to me.

[Bohemian Bluestocking · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is really helpful. The author is an expert Egyptologist. She has several books (not sure how many) on this topic. I am reading Egyptian Mythology: A Guide to. . . next in preparation for the two weeks on Egyptian mythology in my World Mythology class to help me prep. I continually read more and prep for lectures each semester I teach classes so my memory and knowledge is continually expanding and deepening.

[Levanah G. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Egyptian mythology is always confusing, and I myself wouldn't even know where to begin if given the task of explaining it briefly. Pinch does a wonderful job, and you finish the book having a very solid basic knowledge of how the ancient Egyptian religious system worked.
Not only you get information about their religious practices, but you also get some glimpses at traditions and day to day life of the times. Absolutely would recommend as a first book to someone interested in Egyptian mythos.
4/5, would give 5 starts if it weren't for a pet peeve of mine. I prefer information to be categorised more specifically rather than thrown in chapters and paragraphs that are not specific to it. In defence of the author, I don't think that's very achievable in a book about Egyptian mythology, seeing as most things eventually overlap one another. It doesn't make the book any less informative, and I'm sure other readers won't be bothered as much, so don't let that deter you.

[TerryPM · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read on my kindle. As a primer for the subject in general it was good. I found parts of the narrative quite dry and some quite interesting. It is what it is though, an intro into the culture and a good intro for when I begin to read The Rise and Fall of Ancient Egypt by Toby Wilkinson.