Egyptian Myth A Very Short Introduction

This introduction explains the cultural and historical background to the fascinating and complex world of Egyptian myth. 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 statute of Tutankhamun, and a papyrus containing a story in which the Egyptian gods behave outrageously--which is illustrated by a photograph or line-drawing. 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.

Geraldine Pinch is an Egyptologist at the Oriental Institute of Oxford University and the author of Magic in Ancient Egypt and Egyptian Mythology: A Guide to the Gods, Goddesses, and Traditions of Ancient Egypt.