Siegfried Morenz - Egyptian Relgion

EGYPTIAN RELIGION

Routledge Library Editions

Anthropology and Ethnography

SOCIAL AND CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY

In 16 Volumes

SIEGFRIED MORENZ

First published in 1973

Reprinted in 2004 by

Routledge

2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon, OX14 4RN

Transferred to Digital Printing 2009

Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group

1960 W. Kohlhammer GmbH., Stuttgart

1973 Methuen & Co Ltd

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilized in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers.

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These reprints are taken from original copies of each book. In many cases the condition of these originals is not perfect. The publisher has gone to great lengths to ensure the quality of these reprints, but wishes to point out that certain characteristics of the original copies will, of necessity, be apparent in reprints thereof.

British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data

A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

Egyptian Religion

ISBN 0-415-32556-0 (set)

ISBN 0-415-33037-8

Miniset: Social and Cultural Anthropology

Series: Routledge Library Editions Anthropology and Ethnography

Egyptian Religion

SIEGFRIED MORENZ

Translated by

ANN E. KEEP

METHUEN & CO LTD

II NEW FETTER LANE LONDON EC4

First published 1960 by

W. Kohlhammer GmbH.

1960 W. Kohlhammer GmbH., Stuttgart

English translation first published 1973 by

Methuen & Co Ltd, II New Fetter Lane, London EC4

Methuen & Co Ltd 1973

Printed in Great Britain

at the University Printing House, Cambridge

This edition is not for sale in the United States of America, its dependencies and the Philippine Republic

International Standard Book Number 416 76550 0

Dedicated to the Hohe

Evangelisch-Theologische

Fakultt

of the

Eberhard-Karls-Universitt

Tbingen

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Where standard English translations of Egyptian sources were available, these have been used; in the notes these works are given in square brackets. For the Pyramid Texts use has been made of The Ancient Egyptian Pyramid Texts, translated into English by R. O. Faulkner, Oxford, 1969. In transcribing Egyptian words the translator has not adhered to the form used by the author, but used the form now most generally accepted.

The translator and the publishers would like to thank Dr Rosalie David of the Manchester Museum for her advice and assistance in preparing the text for publication.

Enter, also here are gods

(after Heraclitus)

During the present century Egypt has become a centre of attraction for ever-growing numbers of people. The Nile valley and its monuments are visited by tens of thousands of tourists each year. The political and economic life of the Arab peoples evoke equal interest of a different kind. The countrys development is taking place in a rich historical context, which reaches back beyond classical antiquity and ancient Israel to the earliest advanced civilizations of the Orient. This growth of interest in Egypt has long since ceased to be the preserve of a few specialists, but finds expression in school curricula and influences the outlook of ordinary men and women. All this creates a need for books which can enable lovers of ancient Egypt to enter into the spirit of its great civilization.

It is only natural that in discussing this literature one should begin with those works that deal with the countrys artistic riches. The connoisseur of today has at his disposal numerous illustrated volumes, and also a superb analysis and interpretation by W. Wolf, entitled Die Kunst gyptens. Gestalt und Geschichte (1957). One is then led to the history of ancient Egypt. In this field some excellent monographs have been published in recent years. Among those in German we may mention A. Scharffs contribution to Scharff and Moortgat, gypten und Vorderasien im Altertum (1950) and E. Otto, gypten, Der Weg des Pharaonenreiches (1953; 3rd ed., 1958). In regard to economic conditions, geography and settlement reference may be made to H. Kees, Das alte gypten. Eine kleine Landeskunde (1955; 2nd ed., 1958; translated by F. D. Morrow and edited by T. G. H. James as Ancient Egypt. A Cultural Topography, London, 1961). For cultural history the German reader must still consult earlier works such as A. Erman and H. Ranke, gypten und gyptisches Leben im Altertum (1923) and H. Kees, gypten (in Handbuch der Altertumswissenschaft, III, I, 3, 1933).

Yet behind all aspects of life of those who dwelt on the Nile in ancient times behind their art, political structure and cultural achievements one may sense forces at work which are religious in origin. To penetrate into this alien but fascinating field of inquiry is the desire of many and a necessity for all who seek a clearer understanding of ancient Egypt. In this field also there is no lack of comprehensive studies in German, not to mention textbooks, illustrated volumes and brief summaries in general surveys. In