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.
#650362 in Books 2011-11-01Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 8.97 x .80 x 6.03l; .94 #File Name: 0801477395312 pages
Review
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Culture and historyBy Ashley WoTook a class in college and we learned about Tonga. I really hope I can go visit someday. Was so interesting to learn about this culture. The book gave me so much insight into a culture I would not have experienced without reading this book. We learned about the pig trading and how the villages work. The professor I had made the book really fun. We actually played a game where we pretended we were Tongan and he gave us pigs to trade. This book was very helpful in learning how the Tongans live and I found it very interesting. I really do hope I get to visit someday.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Highly recommend -great read!!By CustomerThis book is actually way more interesting than you would think it would be. The writing style is casual enough that it doesn't seem overly formal; and it honors the characters and their stories by bringing them to life for the reader in vivid detail. It grips you and keeps you emotionally invested and interested - you come to recognize the characters and feel like you know them; and it's honestly like watching a really great TV show -but in book form.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. but everything is good!By CustomerTook a while to get here; but everything is good!
