Conceptions of God in Ancient Egypt: The One and the Many

Osiris, Horus, Isis, Thoth, Anubis - these, and the many other Egyptian gods and goddesses, are strange and complex figures who seem to possess endless fascination. In this study of the ancient Egyptians' conceptions of god, Erik Hornung, one of the most distinguished Egyptologists of our day, bases his account on a thorough reappraisal of the primary sources. His book, now available for the first time in an English translation, is the most extensive exploration yet undertaken of the nature of Egyptian religion. Hornung examines the characteristics, spheres of action, and significance of Egyptian gods and goddesses, analysing the complex and changing iconography used to represent them, and disentangling the many apparently contradictory aspects of the religion of which they are a part. The two basic questions which concern him are: How did the Egyptians themselves see their gods? Did they believe there was an impersonal, anonymous force behind the multiplicity of their deities? He evokes the complexity and richness of the religion of the ancient Egyptians and of their unique view of the world. The book will be of special appeal to anyone interested in ancient Egypt, in ancient religion, and in the history of religion, as well as to students and scholars of ancient history, anthropology and archaeology. Translated by John Baines, Professor of Egyptology in the University of Oxford, this edition has been expanded and updated with an English-language readership in mind.