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Conversations in the House of Life: A New Translation of the Ancient Egyptian Book of Thoth
Contributor(s): Zauzich, Karl-Theodor (Author), Jasnow, Richard (Author)
ISBN: 3447101164     ISBN-13: 9783447101165
Publisher: Harrassowitz
OUR PRICE:   $29.70  
Product Type: Paperback
Published: March 2014
Qty:
Temporarily out of stock - Will ship within 2 to 5 weeks
Additional Information
BISAC Categories:
- History | Ancient - Egypt
- Religion | History
LCCN: 2014386850
Physical Information: 0.5" H x 5.1" W x 7.9" (0.70 lbs) 244 pages
Themes:
- Chronological Period - Ancient (To 499 A.D.)
- Cultural Region - North Africa
- Cultural Region - Middle East
 
Descriptions, Reviews, Etc.
Publisher Description:
Conversations in the House of Life offers a new translation of a text first published as The Ancient Egyptian Book of Thoth (2005). The composition is a dialogue between a Master, perhaps the god Thoth himself, and a Disciple, named "The-one-who-loves-knowledge." Originally written in Demotic, the text dates to the Graeco-Roman Period (ca. 300 B.C. to 400 A.D.). The dialogue covers everything from how to hold the writing brush and the symbolic significance of scribal utensils to a long exposition on sacred geography. The work may be an initiation text dealing with sacred knowledge. It is closely associated with the House of Life, the temple scriptorium where the priests wrote their books. The 2005 publication was aimed at specialists, but Conversations in the House of Life is intended for the general reader. The revised translation reflects recent advances in our understanding of the text. The explanatory essays, commentary, and glossary help the reader explore the fascinating universe of the Book of Thoth. As a document of Late Period Egyptian thought it is of importance to all those interested in Graeco-Roman Period intellectual history; students of the Classical Hermetica will find the Book of Thoth especially intriguing. The express goal of Conversations in the House of Life is to make this challenging Ancient Egyptian composition accessible to the widest possible audience.