Search  for anything...
Thames & Hudson

The Complete Gods and Goddesses of Ancient Egypt

  • Based on 837 reviews
Condition: New
Checking for the best price...
$50.57 Why this price?

Buy Now, Pay Later

As low as $8.43 / mo
  • – 6-month term
  • – No impact on credit to apply
  • – Instant approval decision
  • – Secure and straightforward checkout

Ready to go? Add this product to your cart and select a plan during checkout.

Payment plans are offered through our trusted finance partners Klarna, Affirm, Afterpay, Apple Pay, and PayTomorrow. No-credit-needed leasing options through Acima may also be available at checkout.

Learn more about financing & leasing here.

Selected Option

Free shipping on this product

FREE 30-day refund/replacement

To qualify for a full refund, items must be returned in their original, unused condition. If an item is returned in a used, damaged, or materially different state, you may be granted a partial refund.

To initiate a return, please visit our Returns Center.

View our full returns policy here.

Availability: Only 1 left in stock, order soon!
Fulfilled by Amazon
Arrives Saturday, Jun 20
Order within 5 hours and 14 minutes
Available payment plans shown during checkout
Protection Plan Protect Your Purchase
Checking for protection plans...

Recently Viewed

Format: Hardcover


Description

Worshiped for over three-fifths of recorded history, ancient Egypt's gods and goddesses are among the most fascinating of human civilization. The lives of pharaohs and commoners alike were dominated by the need to honor, worship, and pacify the huge pantheon of deities. From lavish tomb paintings and imposing temple reliefs to humble household shrines, countless tributes throughout Egypt reflect the richness and complexity of their mythology. This book examines the evolution, worship, and eventual decline of the numerous gods and goddesses―from minor household figures such as Bes and Taweret to the all- powerful deities Amun and Rethat made Egypt the most completely theocratic society of the ancient world, and made Egyptians, according to Herodotus, "more religious than any other people." • "Rise and Fall of the Gods" considers the origins of Egypt's deities, their struggles to control cosmic forces, and their eventual decline. • "Nature of the Gods" examines the forms, appearances, and manifestations of the deities, as well as the transcendence of preeminent deities such as Amun. • "Worship of the Gods" introduces the rituals and mysteries of formal Egyptian worship, including the importance of temples and festivals. • "Kingship and the Gods" discusses the all-important position of the king, who served as a bridge between the gods and humanity. • "The Many Faces of the Divine" is a unique catalogue of Egypt's gods and goddesses grouped according to their primary forms, discussing their iconography, mythology, and worship, and their influence over time. With hundreds of illustrations and specially commissioned drawings, this is a comprehensive and authoritative guide to the deities that lay at the heart of Egyptian religion and society. 400 illustrations, 170 in color Read more

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Thames & Hudson


Publication date ‏ : ‎ May 26, 2003


Edition ‏ : ‎ First Edition


Language ‏ : ‎ English


Print length ‏ : ‎ 256 pages


ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0500051208


ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 07


Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.85 pounds


Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 8 x 1.2 x 10.3 inches


Best Sellers Rank: #747,115 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #21 in History of New Age & Mythology #32 in Ancient Egyptians History #136 in General History of Religion


Frequently asked questions

If you place your order now, the estimated arrival date for this product is: Saturday, Jun 20

Yes, absolutely! You may return this product for a full refund within 30 days of receiving it.

To initiate a return, please visit our Returns Center.

View our full returns policy here.

  • Klarna Financing
  • Affirm Pay in 4
  • Affirm Financing
  • Afterpay Financing
  • PayTomorrow Financing
  • Financing through Apple Pay
Leasing options through Acima may also be available during checkout.

Learn more about financing & leasing here.

Similar Products

Top Amazon Reviews

    • Has Everything!
Format: Paperback
If you want to know about the Gods & Goddesses of ancient Egypt, this is the book! I could not believe how many there were. The book is very well researched and written. I found it easy to understand and gave me an idea of early Egypt. This is a great reference book on the subject and worth having in your library. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on December 5, 2025 by Gary M. Buyachek
    • Wondrously Diverse - And So Many Photos.
Format: Paperback
A great book for anyone interested in Ancient Egypt. It starts with a basic historical and cultural overview then switches to the "encyclopedia" part cataloging the different deities by type (mammalian, avian, reptilian, amphibian and more). As much as possible we are given information on eras of prominence, locality, deity attributes and worshipper practice. Egyptian religion comes up in different ancient conspiracy theories, so this is a good resource to have for basic fact checking. But maybe the best part are the photo and pictures - Egyptians worshiped cow goddesses and frog goddesses, crocodile gods and hawk-gods. The ancient Egyptian artists rendered all of them wonderfully, making this book a testament to Ancient Egyptian artistry and imagination. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on August 19, 2025 by Elizabeth Pyatt
    • Easy to Read but Packed with up-to-date Details
Format: Hardcover
I agree with the other reviewers - beautifully illustrated, mostly in full color. It is comprehensive yet particularly the first half of the book is easy to read in it's entirety. The first part of the book covers general concepts of Egyptian Religion and the deities. The second covers individual deities in detail. I had been looking for a book on Ancient Egyptian religion and deities which was neither outdated in its ideas, nor sterile or boring, nor full of fluff, nor overwhelmed with dense detail, nor assumed detailed prior knowledge of anthropology, archeology or African/Near Eastern history and religion. This book is it. It is beautifully clear and explains how Egyptian views of each deity changed over time. It clearly presents for each deity what syncretism occurred (merging with other gods or the adoption of other gods' attributes) with time. It contains some of the most recent thinking on how the Egyptians might have viewed their own deities. My only minor negative would be that there are no references or footnotes in the text itself for the expert. However, within the body of the text, the author does mention which academics advanced which important concepts and coupled with the extensive and detailed bibliography arranged by subject matter at the end of the book, this minor gripe is assuaged. The binding and quality of the book, its print, and illustrations are beautiful - it would make a lovely gift for someone. Easy to read for both the beginner and the non-beginner in this area, but full of crystal clear detail for one who wants a good reference book even for more advanced students of religion. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on July 15, 2007 by Artemesia
    • A Wonderful Reference Book
Format: Paperback
A wonderful and informative book that is beautiful and demonstrates a fascinating culture with it's Pantheon of gods and goddesses. Reading the book makes me feel like Indiana Jones is my companion in this adventure of learning.
Reviewed in the United States on August 1, 2025 by Paul Coca
    • Important
Format: Hardcover
Excellent overview and organized delivery of content. Must have encyclopedic representation.
Reviewed in the United States on November 29, 2025 by Amazon Customer
    • A Plethora of Deities
Format: Hardcover
Richard Wilkinson's latest book (he has previously written "Reading Egyptian Art," "Symbol and Magic in Egyptian Art," and "The Complete Temples of Ancient Egypt") presents the reader with an impressive selection of all the major gods and goddesses, and many of the minor ones, of ancient Egypt. Although hardly "complete" in the technical sense (Wilkinson discusses "only" 500 of Egypt's 1500 or so deities, and much more could be said about the ones he does discuss), the book is fairly "complete" in a practical sense: most gods that most readers want to look up, will get at least a brief mention. For example, you will find here the 24 Hours of the Day and Night, 12 (of 21) Gates of the Underworld, all 42 Gods of Judgement, and all 42 (hmm... there's that number again!) Nome Deities. The book begins with twelve brief essays (4-6 pages each) on Egyptian religion, covering such topics as creation myths, manifestations of divinity, temple and popular worship, and divine kingship. The essays are thoughtful, informative, and up-to-date with current scholarship. I wish they had been longer, because they deserve to be expanded at greater length than the book allocates to them. The rest of the book, some 180 pages, is devoted to a "Catalogue of Deities," organized by biological shape (anthropomorphic male and female, mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish, insects, and inanimate objects). This is a great idea, but it could have been taken even further. A visual index of shapes would make lookup much easier, and would only take an additional page or two. A name index is, of course, provided. Why not give a hieroglyphic index as well? Going to the individual entries, Wilkinson generally provides information about the mythology, iconography, and worship of each deity. The deities are generously illustrated, with line drawings and photographs. Again, I would wish that many of these entries could be expanded, both in terms of discussion and in terms of visual iconography. This is not a criticism of Wilkinson; it just reflects the practical limitations of the book. To summarize, Wilkinson's "Gods and Goddesses" is a very well-written, thoughtful, accurate, beautifully produced and illustrated reference on the religion of ancient Egypt. In terms of coverage it is somewhere between a handbook and an encyclopedia. I am very glad to have it in its present form, and I only wish that it had been much longer, since it is clear that Wilkinson has more to say about this subject than could fit into the covers of the present book. I would gladly pay double the price to have a truly complete encyclopedia of Egypt's gods from this author. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on May 2, 2004 by Michael Gunther
    • Great depth of information
Format: Paperback
This is exactly the information I needed to find the information I needed for my writing. Finding this book helped to improve some plot points that I was working on as it contains much more information about the gods and goddesses of Egypt than I have been able to locate online. This book has made me wish they made these kinds of encyclopedic books for all gods and goddesses for every mythology, religion, and dogma in the world. It would make researching the different aspects of divine beings so much easier. If you are a comprehensive book on Egyptian mythology, gods, and goddesses then this is exactly the book you need. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on June 11, 2024 by Brett Goodwin
    • An A-Z of Ancient Egypt
Format: Paperback
A fascinating deep-dive into the world of Ancient Egypt. The book is more of an illustrated encyclopaedia that a conventional history book, but arguably strikes a nice balance between the two.
Reviewed in the United States on December 17, 2025 by Daniel McNabb

Can't find a product?

Find it on Amazon first, then paste the link below.
Checking for best price...