Egyptian Myth: A Very Short Introduction

by Geraldine Pinch

Overview

The complex world of Egyptian myth is clearly illuminated in this fascinating new approach to ancient Egypt. Geraldine Pinch explores the cultural and historical background behind a wide variety of sources and objects, from Cleopatra's Needle and Tutankhamun's golden statue, to a story on papyrus of the gods misbehaving. What did they mean, and how have they been interpreted? The reader is taken on an exciting journey through the distant past, and shown how myths of deities such as Isis and Osiris influenced contemporary culture and have become part of our cultural heritage. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780191577796
Publisher:	OUP Oxford
Publication date:	04/22/2004
Series:	Very Short Introductions
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
File size:	3 MB

About the Author

Geraldine Pinch has degrees in Egyptology from Oxford and Cambridge, and has given courses and seminars in Ancient Egyptian civilization and religion at both universities. She has served on the council of the Egypt Exploration Society and on the editorial board of the Journal of Egyptian Archaeology. She is now on the editorial board of The Journal of Ancient Near Eastern Religions, and is the author of several books and articles on Egyptian myth, magic, and religion.

Table of Contents

	Acknowledgements	viii
	List of illustrations	ix
	Introduction	1
1	The myth of Egypt: imagined Egypts	3
2	Divine words: language and myth	15
3	The gods themselves: deities and myth	30
4	The beautiful moment: creation myths	43
5	Black Land, Red Land: the landscapes of myth	54
6	Lord of the Two Lands: myths of nationhood	66
7	The big fight: conflict and reconciliation	77
8	The eyes of heaven: pairs and sequences	89
9	Personal myths: myth and popular religion	100
10	The blessing of the mummy: the mythology of death	112
	Notes	123
	Further reading	126
	Timeline	130
	Glossary	133
	Index	135