Some notes from Tales of Ancient Egypt by Roger Lancelyn Green (Puffin classics)

When the Greeks discovered Egypt, their civilization was at its end. Only priests could read the hieroglyphs, though myths were passed through word of mouth. We only rediscovered them after decrypting the hieroglyphs Natural conditions of the land play an important role in religious believes. Monotony if mud in Mesopotamia- Babylon- dreary religion of hopeless despair Breath-taking beauty of mountains and valleys and gulfs of sea and light of Greece- immortal myths Sharp, cold air of the Norse brilliant heroic fatalism of the sagas. Hunger and death were always at the door, which would explain the imporatance given to death. Hunger- too many little inundation years. Good inundation (from June to October)- good fertility; corn, vegetables, fruit like grapes, melons and dates. Ra or Amen-Ra was the most important god Isis- generally the Nile was part of her, as she is life.

Osiris first human pharaoh. God of death, will reign again for eternity. Reigns in the Duat (heaven) Pharaohs- all gods Houses- generally of mud bricks Pyramids- made of the most enduring stones- they tell us the myths (on their walls) All Egyptians tried to have good tombs and preserve the bodies of their parents. Pharaohs had the most success. Early Dynasties- built pyramids Later Pharaohs- dug rock tombs in the Valley of the death Series of coffins- innermost was made of gold and outermost from granite from Syene (Aswan) The Ushabti- figures of people performing actions of this world. Hieroglyphs of life + the afterlife to know what to expect (on the walls). Most stories are lost. Apart from the book of the Dead which those that could not afford paintings on tombs had buried with them.