The religion of ancient Egypt / by W.M. Flinders Petrie.

  • Flinders Petrie
Date:
1906
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The religion of ancient Egypt / by W.M. Flinders Petrie. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    11/114 (page 1)
    THE RELIGION OF ANCIENT EGYPT CHAPTER I THE NATURE OF GODS Before dealing with the special varieties of the Egyptians’ belief in gods, it is best to try to avoid a misunderstanding of their whole conception of the supernatural. The term god has come to tacitly imply to our minds such a highly special¬ ised group of attributes, that we can hardly throw our ideas back into the more remote conceptions to which we also attach the same name. It is un¬ fortunate that every other word for supernatural intelligences has become debased, so that we can¬ not well speak of demons, devils, ghosts, or fairies without implying a noxious or a trifling meaning, quite unsuited to the ancient deities that were so beneficent and powerful. If then we use the word god for such conceptions, it must always