From Fetish to God in Ancient Egypt

London: Oxford University Press/Humphrey Milford, 1934. First Edition. Hardcover. Royal octavo. This is the first edition, in the second state binding (first state binding had full gilt image to front panel). Bound in green cloth with blind-stamped image to front panel. 546pp. 240 black and white illustrations. Short tear to cloth at upper spine. Light corner wear, otherwise a near fine copy. This is Budge’s classic work on the religion of the predynastic portion of Egyptian history as well as the cults, theological systems and religions of the dynastic period. The book is in two parts. Part one contains the principal facts about the religious beliefs and thoughts of the Egyptians, and their conception of God and the ‘gods’, their enneads and triads, the religions and systems of the great cities, etc. Magic, the cult of animals, the cult of Osiris, and the Tuat, or Other World, are treated at some length. Part two of this work is devoted to a series of revised English translations of a considerable number of fine hymns; myths, both ritual and aetiological; legends of the gods, and a few miscellaneous texts. The aetiological myths, i.e. those which were invented to account for some existing condition, are of special interest for myths constructed in the same way exist in Babylonian literature. Budge covers a lot of ground here and it is evident that a great amount of skilled research went into this volume. It is considered by many to be one of Budge’s finest works.