Kemetic Konnections
The following
links and books are recommended for the further study of Kemetic Orthodoxy,
Egyptology, hieroglyphics... or just for fun!
Click on above for information relating to the practice
of the ancient Egyptian religion called Kemetic Orthodoxy.
Hieroglyphics.net: A fun and relatively easy way to get started in the study of hieroglyphics. Fonts available to download!
Neferchichi's Tomb: An entertaining site featuring the indomitable and adorable Neferchichi (a pharaonic chihuahua), who hosts a considerable array of fun stuff to buy with an Egyptian theme. Also, graphics and fonts available for the public domain.
Pharaonic Village: Step back in time—about 3,000 years or so—and visit the site created by Dr. Hassan Ragab and his son on the outskirts of Cairo: an exact replica of an ancient Egyptian village. Twenty years in the making, it has been described as "the most precise living recreation of the golden days of Pharaonic Egypt."
The
Plateau: Home site of Dr. Zahi Hawass, former Director of Egypt's
Supreme Council of Antiquities, and a tireless fighter for keeping the treasures
of ancient Egypt in their proper place and out of the hands of "collectors."
A good way to keep up with the latest archaeological discoveries in Egypt.
Dr. Hawass was the first to prove through excavation and research that the
pyramids were NOT built by "slave labor," but by volunteer workers
who were well-fed and received excellent medical treatment which wasn't typical
care for slaves anywhere at that time. Volunteer workers were easy to find
in the agricultural off-seasons, and those working on a Pharaoh's tomb or
other monument believed that their efforts would guarantee a better place
in the Afterlife.
Recommended Reading:
Ancient Egyptian Literature: An Anthology, translated by John Foster. This anthology offers an extensive sampling of all the major genres of ancient Egyptian literature, featuring exquisite written expressions of poetry, stories, hymn, prayers and wisdom texts.
The Ancient Gods Speak: A Guide to Egyptian Religion, edited by Donald B. Redford. Provides over 90 in-depth articles ranging from Anubis to The Opening of the Mouth ceremony of reanimation.
Awakening Osiris: The Egyptian Book of the Dead, translated by Normandi Ellis. A beautiful work of personal devotion and interpretation of the classic guide to the Underworld that is highly readable and deeply spiritual.
Conceptions of God in Ancient Egypt, by Erick Hornug. The Library Journal describes this book as "A masterly, scrupulously documented work that combines close attention to textual and artifactual evidence with penetrating theological insights."
The Egyptian Book of the Dead: The Book of Going forth by Day, translated by Dr. Raymond Faulker. This is the best translation I've found of the texts that were intended to be a guide to navigating the Afterlife. Beautifully illustrated with commentaries by Dr. Ogden Goelet and a preface by Carol Andrews.
Hieroglyphs Without Mystery, by Karl-Theodor Zauzich. This is the best primer I've found for beginners who want to study one of the first written languages developed. It's very basic and user-friendly, and there are exercises throughout to test and develop your knowledge and skills in the use of hieroglyphs.
People of the Pharaohs: From Peasant to Courier, by Hilary Wilson. This book provides a detailed study of the life, beliefs and achievements of the ancient Egyptian people by examining ten trades, professions and occupations covering all levels of society from the peasant farmer to the King.
The Priests of Ancient Egypt, by Serge Sauneron. Using as his sources the Egyptian texts and the testimony of classic authors, Sauneron illuminates the role of the priesthood in Ancient Egypt.
Religion and Magic in Ancient Egypt, by Rosalie David.This is the first book to provide a complete historical overview of this extraordinary civilization, dating from its earliest settlements in 5000 B.C.E to the Roman province of the fourth century C.E.
Religion in Ancient Egypt: Assimilation and Resistance, by David Frankfurter. An exploration of cultural resilience that examines the complex fate of classical Egyptian religion during the centuries from the period when Christianity first made its appearance in Egypt to when it became the region's dominant religion (roughly 100—600 C.E.).
