Religion and Ritual in Ancient Egypt

This book is a vivid reconstruction of the practical aspects of ancient Egyptian religion. Through an examination of artefacts and inscriptions, the text explores a variety of issues. For example, who was allowed to enter the temples, and what rituals were performed therein? Who served as priests? How were they organized and trained, and what did they do? What was the Egyptians' attitude toward death, and what happened at funerals? How did the living and dead communicate? In what ways could people communicate with the gods? What impact did religion have on the economy and longevity of the society? This book demystifies Egyptian religion, exploring what it meant to the people and society. The text is richly illustrated with images of rituals and religious objects. 'In Religion and Ritual in Ancient Egypt, Emily Teeter presents her readers with a very helpful offering on Egyptian religion. Rather than examining abstract or esoteric principles, Teeter's book aims to address lived religion, 'how ancient Egyptians related to and worshipped their gods, and how religion affected their daily lives' ... In it she ably familiarizes the reader with the fundamental elements of Egyptian religion, including the priests, temples, festivals, divine-human communication, magic, and the afterlife ... Overall, Teeter's work is to be highly recommended both for the classroom and for the scholar of biblical and comparative literature.' Michael B. Hundley, Journal of Biblical LiteratureIntroduction; 1. The Egyptian mind; 2. Priests; 3. Inside the temple: the world of the gods; 4. Festivals; 5. Contacting the gods; 6. The presence of the gods: how gods communicated with men; 7. Death and funeral rites; 8. Communicating with the dead; 9. Magic to charm and to kill; 10. The Amarna Period: practical aspects of 'monotheism'; Afterword: an appraisal of Egyptian religion.