The Egyptians and their myths. Understanding polytheism.
Hazan| N° d'inventaire | 21502 |
| Format | 14 x 21 |
| Détails | 256 p., paperback. |
| Publication | Paris, 2018 |
| Etat | Nine |
| ISBN | 9782754114820 |
Egyptian religion has always held a fascination for those who observed it from the outside. Between repulsion and attempts at appropriation, classical antiquity left us this hesitation that persisted long after Champollion's decipherment of the hieroglyphs. Egyptology as a discipline is supposed to put things back in their proper place. Yet, ancient Egypt cannot be linked, even indirectly, to any of our various contemporary cultures. It is different, both by its antiquity and by the fact that it ceased to exist for nearly two millennia and that no informant can come and correct our errors and put us back on the right path. Myths, by the very term with which we designate them, are marked by an indelible defect: for us they are fables that cannot be believed; they presuppose, at best, a primitive state of thought. This is a trap that is difficult to escape, especially since, for the Egyptians, myths did not exist. By questioning the way in which the Egyptians lived their beliefs, by questioning the reasons that led their clergy to develop complex theological edifices, we can better perceive the way in which these beliefs shaped a society, permeated their perception of this time that we call historical; we also understand why writing was an indispensable support and vehicle of religion. But the paths that lead from Egyptologists to the Egyptians are delicate to travel and not always virtuous.
Egyptian religion has always held a fascination for those who observed it from the outside. Between repulsion and attempts at appropriation, classical antiquity left us this hesitation that persisted long after Champollion's decipherment of the hieroglyphs. Egyptology as a discipline is supposed to put things back in their proper place. Yet, ancient Egypt cannot be linked, even indirectly, to any of our various contemporary cultures. It is different, both by its antiquity and by the fact that it ceased to exist for nearly two millennia and that no informant can come and correct our errors and put us back on the right path. Myths, by the very term with which we designate them, are marked by an indelible defect: for us they are fables that cannot be believed; they presuppose, at best, a primitive state of thought. This is a trap that is difficult to escape, especially since, for the Egyptians, myths did not exist. By questioning the way in which the Egyptians lived their beliefs, by questioning the reasons that led their clergy to develop complex theological edifices, we can better perceive the way in which these beliefs shaped a society, permeated their perception of this time that we call historical; we also understand why writing was an indispensable support and vehicle of religion. But the paths that lead from Egyptologists to the Egyptians are delicate to travel and not always virtuous.