What do you think?
Rate this book
Seth: The History and Legacy of the Ancient Egyptian God Who Killed Osiris to Usurp the Throne
*Includes pictures
*Includes ancient accounts
*Includes online resources and a bibliography for further reading
“On the third day Typhon [Seth] was born, but not in due season or manner, but with a blow he broke through his mother’s side and leapt forth … For this reason the kings considered the third of the intercalated days as inauspicious, and transacted no business on that day, nor did they give any attention to their bodies until nightfall.” - Plutarch, On Isis and Osiris
Africa may have given rise to the first human beings, and Egypt probably gave rise to the first great civilizations, which continue to fascinate modern societies across the globe nearly 5,000 years later. From the Library and Lighthouse of Alexandria to the Great Pyramid at Giza, the Ancient Egyptians produced several wonders of the world, revolutionized architecture and construction, created some of the world’s first systems of mathematics and medicine, and established language and art that spread across the known world. With world-famous leaders like King Tut and Cleopatra, it’s no wonder that today’s world has so many Egyptologists.
To the ancient Egyptians, as was the case with any society made up of inquiring humans, the world was a confusing and often terrifying place of destruction, death and unexplained phenomena. In order to make sense of such an existence, they resorted to teleological stories. Giving a phenomenon a story made it less horrifying, and it also helped them make sense of the world around them. Unsurprisingly, then, the ancient Egyptian gods permeated every aspect of existence.
In the first dynastic period there is a symbolic depiction of the earliest form of kingship. The symbol consisted of the “Two Ladies and Two Lords.” The Ladies were the goddesses Nekhbet and Wadjyt, who represented the Upper and Lower kingdoms of Egypt, each with her crown of either White or Red; the Two Lords were the conflicting gods Horus and Seth. The contention between these two gods was transmuted into real-world conflict when, during the Second Dynasty, king Peribsen chose to put the mysterious “Seth Animal” above his name, thus favoring one of the “Two Lords” over the other. Peribsen kept this close association with Seth, betraying the earlier kingly association with Horus, until king Khasekhemwy dethroned him and placed both gods” animals above his own name and declared “the Two Lords are at rest.” The modern historian Geraldine Pinch suggests that this is a very early example of the Egyptians” tendency to mythologize their real-world conflicts, a trait the Egyptians would continue well into their long history.
It’s true that the vast history of Egypt can only be given a cursory view at any one time, but, in the case of its myths, just enough to contextualize the story can be sufficient to understand the progression of a deity like Seth through the millennia. In fact, the development of Seth’s character throughout history is possibly one of the most fascinating and divisive among the Egyptian deities. Beginning as one of the “Two Lords” Seth’s pre-eminence among the gods continues well into the later dynasties as he never loses his place among the principal nine deities, known as the Ennead, despite his nefarious dealings with his brother, Osiris, his sister and sister-in-law, Isis, and his nephew, their son, Horus. At first glance it is easy to see how Seth came to be vilified as a kind of “demon” or “devil” but, with an understanding of the belief structure he was born out of, modern readers can see that this divisive god was much more complex than a mere “adversary.”
The History and Legacy of the Ancient Egyptian God Who Killed Osiris to Usurp the Throne looks at the mythology surrounding one of antiquity’s most famous deities. Along with pictures depicting important people, places, and events, you will learn about Seth like never before.
*Includes ancient accounts
*Includes online resources and a bibliography for further reading
“On the third day Typhon [Seth] was born, but not in due season or manner, but with a blow he broke through his mother’s side and leapt forth … For this reason the kings considered the third of the intercalated days as inauspicious, and transacted no business on that day, nor did they give any attention to their bodies until nightfall.” - Plutarch, On Isis and Osiris
Africa may have given rise to the first human beings, and Egypt probably gave rise to the first great civilizations, which continue to fascinate modern societies across the globe nearly 5,000 years later. From the Library and Lighthouse of Alexandria to the Great Pyramid at Giza, the Ancient Egyptians produced several wonders of the world, revolutionized architecture and construction, created some of the world’s first systems of mathematics and medicine, and established language and art that spread across the known world. With world-famous leaders like King Tut and Cleopatra, it’s no wonder that today’s world has so many Egyptologists.
To the ancient Egyptians, as was the case with any society made up of inquiring humans, the world was a confusing and often terrifying place of destruction, death and unexplained phenomena. In order to make sense of such an existence, they resorted to teleological stories. Giving a phenomenon a story made it less horrifying, and it also helped them make sense of the world around them. Unsurprisingly, then, the ancient Egyptian gods permeated every aspect of existence.
In the first dynastic period there is a symbolic depiction of the earliest form of kingship. The symbol consisted of the “Two Ladies and Two Lords.” The Ladies were the goddesses Nekhbet and Wadjyt, who represented the Upper and Lower kingdoms of Egypt, each with her crown of either White or Red; the Two Lords were the conflicting gods Horus and Seth. The contention between these two gods was transmuted into real-world conflict when, during the Second Dynasty, king Peribsen chose to put the mysterious “Seth Animal” above his name, thus favoring one of the “Two Lords” over the other. Peribsen kept this close association with Seth, betraying the earlier kingly association with Horus, until king Khasekhemwy dethroned him and placed both gods” animals above his own name and declared “the Two Lords are at rest.” The modern historian Geraldine Pinch suggests that this is a very early example of the Egyptians” tendency to mythologize their real-world conflicts, a trait the Egyptians would continue well into their long history.
It’s true that the vast history of Egypt can only be given a cursory view at any one time, but, in the case of its myths, just enough to contextualize the story can be sufficient to understand the progression of a deity like Seth through the millennia. In fact, the development of Seth’s character throughout history is possibly one of the most fascinating and divisive among the Egyptian deities. Beginning as one of the “Two Lords” Seth’s pre-eminence among the gods continues well into the later dynasties as he never loses his place among the principal nine deities, known as the Ennead, despite his nefarious dealings with his brother, Osiris, his sister and sister-in-law, Isis, and his nephew, their son, Horus. At first glance it is easy to see how Seth came to be vilified as a kind of “demon” or “devil” but, with an understanding of the belief structure he was born out of, modern readers can see that this divisive god was much more complex than a mere “adversary.”
The History and Legacy of the Ancient Egyptian God Who Killed Osiris to Usurp the Throne looks at the mythology surrounding one of antiquity’s most famous deities. Along with pictures depicting important people, places, and events, you will learn about Seth like never before.
40 pages, Paperback
Published June 1, 2018
27 people are currently reading
53 people want to read
About the author
Charles River Editors
5,715 books279 followersCharles River Editors is an independent publisher of thousands of ebooks on Kindle, Nook, Kobo, and Apple iBookstore & provider of original content for third parties.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
July 20, 2018
Good overview.
November 10, 2021
This “book” falls short on research and only gives you the bare minimum information on the multi faceted and complex god that is Set.
The graphic design is awful, the layout of the text is hard to read. And the misinformation on Set is bountiful.
Set’s chaos isn’t against ma’at or the opposite of ma’at. It is a part of ma’at. It is the balance to Heru’s order. You cannot have order without Set’s chaos. Just like you cannot have light without dark. Though, that’s a bad analogy as Set isn’t a dark force.
This book relies heavily on Greek philosophers rather than the Ancient Egyptian texts—which why would you glorify colonizers over the source material? It also focuses on the Osiris Myth and Set outdates that by thousands of years.
It’s a lazy attempt of a money grab.
I would not recommend this book at all. Look for Dr. Ian Taylor’s thesis on Set’s Imagery and Dr. Philip Turner’s thesis on Set being a misrepresented god.
-100/10 would not recommend. There are better academic resources to read. This isn’t worth the 10$. A HARD PASS from me.
The graphic design is awful, the layout of the text is hard to read. And the misinformation on Set is bountiful.
Set’s chaos isn’t against ma’at or the opposite of ma’at. It is a part of ma’at. It is the balance to Heru’s order. You cannot have order without Set’s chaos. Just like you cannot have light without dark. Though, that’s a bad analogy as Set isn’t a dark force.
This book relies heavily on Greek philosophers rather than the Ancient Egyptian texts—which why would you glorify colonizers over the source material? It also focuses on the Osiris Myth and Set outdates that by thousands of years.
It’s a lazy attempt of a money grab.
I would not recommend this book at all. Look for Dr. Ian Taylor’s thesis on Set’s Imagery and Dr. Philip Turner’s thesis on Set being a misrepresented god.
-100/10 would not recommend. There are better academic resources to read. This isn’t worth the 10$. A HARD PASS from me.
August 30, 2018
This is a decent book for someone who is looking into Egyptian mythology for the first time. The stories have been reinterpreted, fairly faithfully, for easy reading.
My only complaint is that the book concentrates on the Contendings of Horus and Set as the sole 'record' of Set. Over three thousand years of a religion and he is painted with this one broad brush. Granted, it is one of the best known stories, but it is far from the only one.
My only complaint is that the book concentrates on the Contendings of Horus and Set as the sole 'record' of Set. Over three thousand years of a religion and he is painted with this one broad brush. Granted, it is one of the best known stories, but it is far from the only one.
February 20, 2024
Ancient Egyptians used a phenomenon story to make sense of their world. Starting as one of the two Lords of myth, Seth was one of the principal nine deities. Seth's development into a demon or devil occurred over time. However, he was worshipped until Justinian the Great (Byzantine emperor) closed the Egyptian temples in the 6th century CE.
He was the defeater of chaos. The Egyptians didn't have an either-or mentality about the gods. They were flexible in their thinking and could accept Seth's failures and still honor him as a great god.
He was the defeater of chaos. The Egyptians didn't have an either-or mentality about the gods. They were flexible in their thinking and could accept Seth's failures and still honor him as a great god.
June 30, 2021
Brief and truly cursory - you won't find much here on the god Set outside the stories of his famous "contending" with Horus. And much of the useful material has been taken from Garry Shaw's
"The Egyptian Myths: A Guide to the Ancient Gods and Legends" https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00JCGCJXO/....
Still, two stars, because the introductory material on Egyptian myths is worthwhile for the novice. It's only when the author move on to the matter at hand, Seth, that the limitations kick in ...
"The Egyptian Myths: A Guide to the Ancient Gods and Legends" https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00JCGCJXO/....
Still, two stars, because the introductory material on Egyptian myths is worthwhile for the novice. It's only when the author move on to the matter at hand, Seth, that the limitations kick in ...
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews