Indeed Dan, the review here at Oxbow makes the book sound great. I've found
a copy at another university library, but am thinking I might need to *own*
it though.
~Caroline.
http://www.oxbowbooks.com/bookinfo.cfm/ID/53586
The Mechanics of Ancient Egyptian Magical Practice
by Robert K Ritner
To date, no comprehensive treatment of Egyptian magic has focused on the
practice of the magician. Both general studies and textual publications have
emphasized instead the religious elements in the contents of recited spells,
while the accompanying instructions, with their vignettes and lists of
materials, instruments, and ritual actions, remained uninvestigated. This
study represents the first critical examination of such "magical
techniques," revealing their widespread appearance and pivotal significance
for all Egyptian "religious" practices from the earliest periods through the
Coptic era, influencing as well the Greco-Egyptian magical papyri. The
author also discusses the "pagan-Egyptian" influence on Old and New
Testament practices and in the lives of the Coptic Desert Fathers. The third
edition is a reprinting of the second, which included minor corrections from
the original edition. This volume is a significant revisionist approach to
ancient Egyptian magic. As a result of a methodical analysis of both the
textual and archaeological records, Ritner concludes that the boundaries
between ancient Egyptian magic, religion, and medicine were not as strictly
observed as modern commentators believe. Furthermore, he categorically
denies the frequent attempts of moderns to define ancient Egyptian magic as
a phenomenon dealing with the supernatural, practiced primarily for
nefarious purposes sub rosa by strictly observed as modern commentators
believe. Furthermore, he categorically denies the frequent attempts of
moderns to define ancient Egyptian magic as a phenomenon dealing with the
supernatural, practiced primarily for nefarious purposes sub rosa by
individuals outside of the religious mainstream. Ritner's engaging prose
style and felicitous exegesis of even the most arcane material make for easy
reading. But more important still, the content of the work ensures that it
will become a vital reference tool for all engaged in any aspect of ancient
Egyptian religion. [From a review by R. S. Bianchi in Journal of the
American Oriental Society 114 (1994) 513-14]. xviii + 322, 22 b/w figs, 2
tbs (Studies in Ancient Oriental Civilization 54, Oriental Institute 1993,
revised edition 1997)
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