History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)

Book Description

Recorded history is a finely-woven magic fabric of intricate lies about events predating the sixteenth century. There is not a single piece of evidence that can be reliably and independently traced back earlier than the eleventh century. This book details events that are substantiated by hard facts and logic, and validated by new astronomical research and statistical analysis of ancient sources.

Customer Reviews:

Calculations are only as good as your numbers.......2007-08-03

Yes, we can all agree that mainstream history is nearly 100% BS due to politics, economics, ego, problems with dating techniques, and various conspiracies. Agreed. But, I've been researching the distinct possibility that human history (in terms of civilizations) are much more ancient than we've been told, so coming across this book was very interesting to me. I wondered how Fomenko could be wrong (if at all) because he is very persuasive in his presentations. Then it dawned on me. If at previous times in prehistory, due to the various catastrophies that are well documented (comets, asteroids, planetary disruptions, plasma discharge, pole reversals, etc) the Earth was in a different position in relation to the sun, different tilt on its axis, different orbit, different rotation (in terms of velocity and DIRECTION), and the continents were in different positions, then would this not cause the ancients to see the sky (constellations) differently? In other words, is Fomenko making erronious assumptions about the physics of the Earth in pre-history, which then corrupt his data with regards to dating the relevant astrology? The last event to seriously disrupt our planet occured roughly 3500 years ago, according to other good researchers, so is it possible Fomenko has been confused by this? The vastly different physics of our planet in the not so distant past may explain this confusion, which is not to say the "mainstream" version of history is correct; on the contrary. I am not an expert in these fields, but wanted to see if this idea could spark discussion.

Pants on fire?.......2007-07-19

Will people ever read before spamming? Yes, Jesuits could not rewrite world history alone, they had help. Anyway, Dr Prof Acad A.Fomenko does not point to jesuits as the driving force of world wide history manipulation in published volumes 1,2,3;, actually he barely mentions the poor devils. Check it with 'Search inside' feature, please. China is rarely mentioned either, in fact, Dr Fomenko is completely eurocentric. Right, his theory contradicts all mainstream schools of history, because in their actual state they are all built on blatantly erroneus chronology. You don't need a mysterious cabal (conspiracy) to falsify history, the falsification is its modus operandi. It is inherent to history(ians) to falsify (distort) events, as it is inherent to humans to boast as it is inherent to power (authority) to legimize itself by referrring to glorious past made to its own order. Dr Prof Fomenko and team have identified scores of instances of such manipulation in Russian, European, etc.. history, and delivered valid statistical proof thereof. His own 'reconstruction' is completely another story. Forget c14 as a valid method of dating. W.Libby has initially discovered a brilliant method of INDEPENDENT dating. Too bad, c14 method has become a joke after a forced marrige with dendrochronology with consensual chronological scale inbuilt. Radiocarbon method can't stand blind tests, but is so very productive as a rubberstamp.

Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed. .......2007-04-09

There is no doubt that history as most know it is a sham, & institution's version of History both University & Church is fradulent & inaccurate. Everything was established with an agenda, The real "Dark Ages" are now when we have access to incredible amounts of information past authorities & more important 'common folk' didn't have but our institutions & educators are slow to evolve because of what has ignorantly & arrogantly been taught for too long. This is on many subjects not just Chronology.

For anyone to question "Why would a Mathematician have anything credible to say of History?" The answer is from Dr. Fomenko's preface in the book: "It would be worthwhile to remind the reader that in the XVI-XVII century Chronology was considered to be a subdivision of Mathematics." These volumes could possibly be some of the most important works to date & should be read by everyone with an interest in History, especially professors & educators who have a duty to the public. I have read both books & must say that 'Chronology 1' has some very eye opening & revolutionary information. Even if these volumes are part true the implications are profound & opens the doors to further investigations & questions which must be done. I speak several different lanquages & must say the logic Dr. Fomenko uses with "inflection" of words & words being read from left to right in one region & right to left in another then written backwards, the removal of vowels & get down to basics of words, or different cities & locations having the same name etc. is correct. Vowel usage has always been optional & varied, actually complicating linquistics & study. The first thing one has to understand is that words never had a fixed spelling in history like we do now, the spelling of words was mutable & regional, as well as names & titles of people were vast, varied & changed, NOTHING WAS FIXED or understood linear. Matters of Life & Death as well as financial profiteering yesterday & today were & are made with ignorant, illogical & conspiratorial views of history & reality, it's time people get closer to the Truth & society collectively grow up.

Very Interesting.......2007-03-07

It is a good proposal and I believe it will mature into something even better in the future. I think it deserves to be read.

History as Science Fiction.......2007-01-10

Anatoly Fomenko has written a very intriguing book, full of pictures, charts, and computer 'proof' of his thesis: backwards of AD900 we don't really know what happened or when. Between AD900 and AD1600 there is more certainty, but there is still a lot of fuzzy ground, and things don't get reliable until we get past the 1600's where the printing press made it very difficult for the perpetrators of this timeline manipulation to change anything that had been committed to print. The Dark Ages did not happen. Books were burned for a reason. One organization has doubled the actual length of its existence by expanding the real chronology. Read why.

I had always wondered why Christ died about AD33 and yet men waited until the 11th century to form the Knights Templar, the Cathars, etc and go after the Holy Land by force. Why the 1000 year gap? Turns out there wasn't more than a 10-12 year gap and he proves it using astronomy. This also implies that the planet is not as old as we have been told, and current Christian and other creationist scientists are already championing that idea without being aware of Fomenko's book. The two groups, creationist scientists and the Russian mathematical analysts corroborate each other. Fascinating.

Of course, all this flies in the face of what we have been told traditionally is the 'proper' chronology of western civilization, and most readers will experience 'cognitive dissonance' in reading this book. It means that our history going backwards from AD1600 becomes progressively more incorrect and unreliable until it cannot be trusted at all... in the space of 700-800 years.

Naturally, the curious, open-minded reader will want to know WHO did this, WHY, and did any of the events we think of as really ancient ever happen?
Dr. Fomenko is a respected scientist/mathematician at Moscow State University who has already answered these questions to the satisfaction of his initially skeptical colleagues. Most of them are now believers, a few still refuse to believe (the usual diehards), and of course the western press has ignored Fomenko's work -- for obvious reasons when you read the book. The ones who perpetrated this chronology ruse have a lot to answer for. They are still with us. That's why this book is a well-kept secret.

I gave the book a 4-star rating because I was unable to check out some of his claims; those I checked were as he said. But if even 1/3 of his claims are true, this punches a big hole in what we think is our history, the meaning of western civilization, our educational process (for repeating the ruse as gospel), and the trustworthiness of the organization that perpetrated this ruse, well-intentioned or not.

This book relates to current research into a Young Earth paradigm, to John Keel's discoveries about our planet, and Fr Malachi Martin's insights (in his now out-of-print books). We are indeed sheep who are manipulated and kept ignorant -- for a reason. While knowing what these men have to say may be the "booby prize" (as in: 'what can you do with this knowledge?'), it will provide interesting reading. Didn't someone say: "...and the Truth will set you free."?? For you to judge if this book contains the truth.

History: Fiction or Science? Chronology 2 (Chronology)

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Check and see
Suprise! Suprise!
Prescient St Augustine?
Something of a disappointment
Romulus courts Helen, Paris founds Rome, Moses goes to Troy..

History: Fiction or Science? Chronology 2 (Chronology)
Anatoly T Fomenko
Manufacturer: Delamere Resources LLC
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 2913621066

Product Description

`History: Fiction or Science? Chronology 2` is the second volume of the most explosive and astounding tractate on history ever written - however, every theory it contains, no matter how unorthodox, is backed by rock solid scientific data. The book is easy and pleasant to read; it is well-illustrated, contains hundreds of charts, graphs and illustrations, copies of ancient manuscripts, and countless facts attesting to the falsity of the chronology used nowadays. You will be amazed to discover: - That the chronology universally accepted today and taken for granted is simply wrong; - That ALL methods of dating of ancient sources and artefacts known today are erroneous or non-exact; - That there is not a single document that could be reliably dated earlier than the XIth century; The Author refers to the Middle Ages as the Antiquity and proves mutual superimposition of the Second and the Third Roman Empire, both of which become identified as the respective kingdoms of Israel and Judah. Furthermore, he asserts that the famous reform of the Occidental Church in the XI century by Pope Gregory Hildebrand was the reflection of the XII century reforms of Byzantine emperor Andronicus who in his turn identifies with Jesus Christ. The Trojan war counted by Homer happened only as late as of the XIII century A.D. and the great poet actually lived in XIV century A.D. No stone in history of Antiquity is left unturned. Literally. This book is the beginning of a major correction to the chronology we live with.

Customer Reviews:

Check and see.......2007-06-21

I don't care what other people say of this book. Those affirmig it's fake, they hadn't ever read it. Or have some special reasons to do so. "Living is easy with eyes closed, misunderstanding all you see..." This book won't make you feel comfortable. It'll make you feel free. It'll make you feel you're "not the only one" to feel you'd been lied to for centuries.

Suprise! Suprise!.......2007-03-22

Here is a serie of books which turns "the whole world" upside down. I learned a lot of it and I hope that a new book from A.T. Fomenko will follow very quick. A absolute must for everybody who is interested in history or even a little bit from it.

Prescient St Augustine?.......2006-02-05

We can so far divide the New Chronology into the following three parts:

a) The verifiable theory that proves consensual chronology wrong with the aid of astronomy, statistics and mathematics;

b) The new chronology hypothesis based on a new understanding of known historical facts and the most likely logical explanation of the most obvious inconsistencies inherent in the official version of history;

c) The history conjectures, that is experimental historical reconstructions based on assumptions that the authors believe to make sense in the light of their research and linguistic parallels - void of ironclad factual support to date.

Fomenko's theory complies with the most rigid scientific standards as a whole:

It gives a coherent explanation of what we already know.

- It is consistent: independent lines of inquiry all lead to the same conclusion.

- The predictions it makes are confirmed empirically.

Fomenko goes by the following axioms:

- Chronology is the basis of history;

- Human evolution has always been linear, gradual and irreversible;

- The "cyclic" nature of human civilization is a myth, likewise all the gaps, duplicates, "dark ages" and "renaissances" that we know from consensual history;

- The accumulation of geographical knowledge as reflected in cartography is a gradual and irreversible process;

- The chronological distance between a given manuscript and the events described therein is proportional to the amount of distortions it contains;

- There is no "useless" information in authentic ancient sources.

Why the mainstream historians do not shower mathematician Academician Dr.Prof Fomenko with thanks and laurels?

The Russians:

Because Fomenko asserts that there was no such thing as the Tartar and Mongol invasion followed by three centuries of slavery, providing a formidable body of documental evidence to prove his assertion. The so-called "Tartars and Mongols" were the actual ancestors of the modern Russians, living in a bilingual state with Arabic spoken as freely as Russian. The ancient Russian state was governed by a double structure of civil and military authorities. The hordes were actually professional armies with a tradition of lifelong conscription (the recruitment being the so-called "blood tax"). Their "invasions" were punitive operations against the regions that attempted tax evasion. Fomenko proves that Russian history as we know it today is a blatant forgery concocted by a host of German scientists brought to Russia by the usurper dynasty of the Romanovs, whose ascension to the throne was the result of coup d'état, charged with the mission of making their reign look legitimate. Fomenko proves Ivan the Terrible to be a collation of four rulers, no less. They represented the two rival dynasties - the legitimate rulers and the ambitious upstarts. The winner took it all! Over some 30 years of controversy, Russian historians have made a most remarkable transition - they were initially accusing the young mathematician Fomenko of anticommunist dissident activity and attempts to deface the historical legacy of Soviet Russia; nowadays the middle-aged mathematician is accused of adhering to "pro-communist Russian nationalism" and defacing the proud historical legacy of Great Russia.

The Westerners:

Because Fomenko blows consensual Russian history to smithereens, successfully removing a crucial cornerstone from underneath the otherwise impeccable edifice of World History. Fomenko adds insult to injury, wiping out one by one the Ancient Rome (the foundation of Rome in Italy is dated to the XIV century A. D.), the Ancient Greece and its numerous poleis, which he identifies as the mediaeval crusader settlements on the territory of Greece, and the Ancient Egypt (the pyramids of Giza become dated to the XI-XV century A. D. and identified as the royal cemetery of the Global "Mongolian" Empire, no less). The civilization of the Ancient Egypt is irrefutably dated to the XII-XV century A. D. with the aid of the ancient Egyptian horoscopes cut in stone. He was the first one to decipher and date all such horoscopes, coming up with mediaeval dates in every case. English historians rage at the suggestion that the history of Ancient England was de facto a Byzantine import transplanted to the English soil by the fugitive Byzantine nobility. To reward the English historians who consider themselves the true scribes of World History, the cover of the present book portrays Tintoretto's Jesus Christ crucified on the Big Ben.

The Chinese:

Because Fomenko wipes out the Ancient History of China outright. No such thing. Full point. The compilation of the so-called Ancient Chinese History is reliably datable to the XVII-XVIII century only. It is perfectly recognizable as the Ancient European history, reworked and transcribed in hieroglyphs as yet another historical transplantation, this time performed on the Chinese soil by the loving Jesuit hands. The Chinese are the next in line to go berserk. Chinese history is inevitably bound to get both more ancient and more eventful, proportionally to the growing involvement of China in the world affairs. Chinese historians will keep on finding valid proof of prehistoric Chinese spaceflights until the Politburo orders them to shut up.

The Arabs:

Too bad. Islam with all its key figures is datable to XV-XVI century A. D. Arabic historians may find consolation in the crucial historical role of the Ottoman Empire in the XVI-XVII century. The trouble is that this empire was initially a Christian state, with Hagia Sophia identifiable as Temple of Solomon, according to Fomenko! We can only guess if the acquisition of Alexander the Great (a Macedonian and a Christian) as the founder of the Muslim World Empire will make Fomenko's theories more acceptable to the Arabic mainstream. He certainly does not spare any holy cows at all, claiming The Stone of Qa'Aba in Mecca to contain the lost Arch of the Covenant.

The Divinity:

Despite of reiterated statement that his theory is all about chronology and not Religion, Fomenko stirs up a whole condominium of wasp nests. His collection of anathemas, fatwa, and other condemnations from all parties concerned is already considerable. Little wonder, considering that the history of religions à la Fomenko looks as follows: the pre-Christian period (before the XI century and JC), Bacchic Christianity (XI-XII century, before and after JC), JC Christianity (XII-XVI century) and its subsequent mutations into Orthodox Christianity, the Catholicism, Islam, Buddhism, and so on.

According to Fomenko we know strictly NOTHING about the events that predate the X century A. D.

St Augustin was prescient when he spoke unto us: "be wary of mathematicians, particularly when they speak the truth."

Something of a disappointment.......2005-09-09

After having read the first volume of this expected series of 7 volumes I was triggered by the thesis of these authors that ancient Greek and Roman history did in fact take place in the Middle Ages. So I started studying medieval history of the Middle East - also known as Islamic history - to find out if the opponents of the ancient Greeks and Romans - the Acheamenid Persians, Sassanids, Scythians, Egyptians, etc. - also have their duplicates in medieval history. My search was disappointing: none of the many medieval Islamic dynasties seemed to correspond to the ancient middle eastern rulers.

However, I did find a close correspondence between Herodotus' Persian kings and medieval events:

- the defeat and capture of an Anatolian king - the Lydian Croesus - by the Persian conqueror Cyrus is identical to the defeat and capture of another Anatolian king - sultan Bayezid - by the Asian/Mongol conqueror Tamerlane;
- the Persian conquest of Egypt by the cruel tyrant Cambyses reds almost exactly as the Ottoman conquest of Egypt by Selim the Grim (note the nickname!);
- Darius the Lawgiver of the Persian Empire looks very much alike to Sulayman the Magnificent, the Lawgiver in Islamic history;
- Xerxes, whose main claim to fame is to be defeated by the Greeks at the naval battle of Salamis, looks like Selim II (the Sot) whose main claim to fame is to be defeated by a Spanish-Italian alliance at the naval battle of Lepanto.

I should have expected Fomenko et al. to arrive at similar conclusions, however, they claim that the Persian kings are the alter egos of the Angevin kings of Sicily whose biographies do not contain the exploits of the Persian kings.

The similiarities I indicate lead to the conclusion that Herodotus must have written his Histories at the close of the 16th century. But this is extremely late, given that Herodotus is "the Father of History", so therefore all other "ancient" histories must have been fabricated even later. Yet, the founders of modern chronology - Scaliger and Petavius - laid their foundations also at the close of the 16th century and had the full corpus of ancient histories already at their disposal.

It seems to me that Fomenko has to address these inconsistencies, maybe in the forthcoming 5 volumes?

Another critique of their book is that the correspondencies between different rulers are often based on a superficial comparison of the biographies; upon a more thorough comparison many details appear that do not correspond at all.

Finally, the authors rely heavily on the works of Gregorovius (1821-1891!!) - his medieval histories of Rome and Athens - as the source of medieval history; these works are - at least in the West - hoplessly outdated and have been superceded by more up-to-date works (for instance, Julius Norwich's trilogy on Byzantine history is not even cited).

Romulus courts Helen, Paris founds Rome, Moses goes to Troy.........2005-07-30

If you agree with Fomenko that Roman chronology is basically the foundation of the entire edifice of global chronology; you would also certainly agree that despite its numerous gaps and inconsistencies, Roman history is the best-documented field of ancient history, and thus a reference scale. But how well is the actual date of the Eternal City's foundation known?

Firstly, Rome is supposed to have been founded by the Trojans who had to flee after the fall of Troy. Some claim Rome to have been founded by Aeneas and Ulysses shortly after Troy had fallen; others are of the opinion that there was an entire dynasty that ruled for 500 years between the fall of Troy and the foundation of Rome.

Well, that's just an innocent 500 years long misunderstanding compared with what heretic Fomenko says, asserts, proves in his second volume: Second Roman Empire, Third Roman Empire, Biblical Kingdom of Israel, Biblical Kingdom of Judah, Holy Roman Empire are stories about basically same events, written from different points of view at different times. The underlying events have actually taken place during xii-xv cy. These histories have been written and perfected by multitude of highly talented humanist and clerical writers of xiii-xvi cy disguised as "ancients" with glorious names like Homer, Pluto, Thucydides etc..Chronology 2.0 beta..

Historians are kindly invited to report the bugs.

Hathor Rising: The Power of the Goddess in Ancient Egypt

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Hathor Rising - definately worth a read
Not for beginners
Faulty logic turns fact into fantasy
Original and Fascinating
Insightful Read!

Hathor Rising: The Power of the Goddess in Ancient Egypt
Alison Roberts
Manufacturer: Inner Traditions
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 089281621X
Release Date: 1997-06-01

Book Description

Â
â€¢Â Â The first book to seriously examine the feminine aspect of Egyptian religion sheds new light on the important role of the goddess Hathor-Sekhmet.

â€¢Â Â This accessible study sheds much new light on ancient Egypt and provides a powerful new perspective on women's theology.

â€¢Â Â The text is accompanied by nearly 200 striking and unusual illustrationsÂ

Drawing from temple art, myths, rituals, and poetry, Hathor Rising is the first book to seriously examine the feminine aspect of the complex Egyptian pantheon and to shed new light on the pivotal place held there by the fiery serpent-eyed goddess, Hathor-Sekhmet. The primary importance of this goddess is emphasized by the serpent coiled over the forehead of every pharaoh--the supreme symbol of royal power in ancient Egypt. The erotic vitality and fierce aggression of the goddess, qualities commonly perceived as masculine in nature, gives the reigning Pharaoh the capacity for dynamic leadership. The author explores the symbolism behind this and other manifestations of the goddess in Egyptian cosmology and provides new revelations on the rich tradition of feminine divinity in Egypt. Hathor Rising is the most important study of one of the world's oldest civilizations to appear in years.Â

Customer Reviews:

Hathor Rising - definately worth a read.......2005-05-21

It's so refreshing to read a book such as this one which explores the feminine aspects of the Egyptian Pantheon in depth. The book appears well researched and the author comes across as having a very genuine interest Hathor and her impact on Egyptian life.
I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it to anyone wanting more than the 'this is this, that is that' you often find in books covering Egyptian Gods and Goddesses.

Not for beginners.......2005-03-09

If you are a New Ager who thinks Gerald Massey, Alvin Kuhn and R.Schwaller de Lubicz have the inside track on Egyptian religion, this isn't the book for you. Try the fantasy/New Age section where those books of creative fiction belong.

If, like one reviewer on this page, you are unaware that Hatshepsut did not have a son (only a step-son/nephew) and most recent historical research suggests that he did not kill her or even dismantle her monuments, you might need to brush up on your history in a decent and recent history book before heading into this complex topic. This is a book which presumes a knowledge of ancient Egypt greater than one can pick up in historical novels or trips down the Nile.

If, on the other hand, you have a genuine interest in scholarly study of ancient Egyptian religion, especially the much-neglected feminine aspect you will find this book useful and interesting. This is particularly true since similar good books on Egyptian goddesses are either not in English or prohibitively expensive.

Faulty logic turns fact into fantasy.......2004-07-08

I was disappointed to find that many of the author's assertions are supported by incorrect interpretations of historical customs. It was, therefore, impossible for me to consider those assertions. For example, the author holds that we can tell Hatchepsut was highly respected because there are so many statues in her honor. What the author ignores is the fact that the Pharaoh's (ALL of them) commissioned numerous statues of themselves during their reign. (Ramses the II seems to hold the record. I saw many hundreds of statues of him while in Egypt in January.) While Hatchepsut was arguably the most successful Pharaoh of Egypt, the statues are not proof of that. Such a basic misinterpretation destroyed the credibility of this author.

Hatchepsut was likely murdered by her son because she was very powerful and well respected, and because she would not turn over the rule to him. Many of the statues and glyphs of Hatchepsut were defaced by him and his followers after her death. Had the author pointed this out, it would have paid higher tribute to the power of women at the time because there is NO truly powerful person who has no enemies.

I have great respect for the ancient Egyptian culture, in part because women were respected as equals then. But in order to pay true respect to them and to understand the culture better, it is important to maintain a connection to facts, and resist glossing over those circumstances which aren't as palatable.

Original and Fascinating.......2001-09-18

Ms Roberts provides an original and unusual insight into the feminine aspect of Egyptian religion exploring the importance of the goddess Hathor-Sekhmet. A fascinating read.

Insightful Read!.......2001-03-28

This book is by far one of the most insightful books on Ancient Egyptian Theology. Ms. Roberts brings to light much information often neglected by "egyptologists" bent on focusing only on the male aspect of the very complicated Egyptian Cosmologies. The importance of Hathor in the roles of Kingship is a subject that I found fascinating and helped me understand more fully how the Egyptians viewed their Kings (and Queens)and the world around them. This is a must read for anyone bogged down by the out-dated material previously printed on the Egyptian Pantheon.

Shenoute and the Women of the White Monastery: Egyptian Monasticism in Late Antiquity

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Shenoute and the Women of the White Monastery: Egyptian Monasticism in Late Antiquity
Rebecca Krawiec
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
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"Virgins of God": The Making of Asceticism in Late Antiquity (Oxford Classical Monographs)

ASIN: 0195129431

Book Description

This book depicts the lives of female monks within a monastery located in upper Egypt in the period 385-464 CE. During this period, the monastery was headed by a monk named Shenoute; thirteen of his letters to the women under his care survive. These writings are fragmentary, only partially translated, little studied, and written in difficult-to-decipher Coptic. Despite these problems, Krawiec has used the letters to reconstruct a series of quarrels and events in the life of the White Monastery and to discern some of the key patterns in the participants' relationships to one another within the world as they perceived it.

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Watered-down Jan Assman
This is THE MEAT of the Egyptian Goddesses!
THE GODDESS RETURNS
A REAL JEWEL
Excellent, comprehensive survey of early Egyptian goddesses.

The Great Goddesses of Egypt
Barbara S. Lesko
Manufacturer: University of Oklahoma Press
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Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0806132027

Customer Reviews:

Watered-down Jan Assman.......2002-05-01

Basically, an adequate book for beginners, but nothing original or new. Ms. Lesko takes other scholars' ideas, most notably Dr. Jan Assman and waters them down for popular consumption. This is acceptable for an amateur egyptologist like Ms. Lesko to do as long as the original work is cited. Fortunately, she uses good judgement in choosing scholarly works that are exceptional. Serious students of Egyptology, however, should go right to the source and forego this book.

This is THE MEAT of the Egyptian Goddesses!.......2002-01-20

This is a great reference and in depth exploration into the many goddesses of a land I love....Egypt. It is not a picture book of any sort, it's power is in it's informational material.I found this book on my quest for knowledge of Hathor. This book gave me more then enough...and opened my eyes to interest in other deities of Egypt. I highly recommend it!

THE GODDESS RETURNS.......2000-06-08

At last, a scholarly work that makes accessible information that proves what those of us who have been steeped in ancient Egyptian lore have known all along. Using the latest scholarly material, and her own brilliant insights, Barbara Lesko aptly demonstrates that the ancient goddesses of Egypt were NOT considered merely consorts of more supreme male dieties, but were highly evolved and viewed as significant creative forces in their own right. Dr. Lesko examines extant evidence of the ancient cults of Isis, Hathor, Neith, Mut and others to present a coherent, comprehensive and chronological picture of how various feminine deities were incorporated into the daily lives of the ancient Egyptians and their neighbors, spanning the nearly 6,000 years of recorded history. For perhaps the first time, this material is presented in a format accessible to non-historians and to non-academicians.

In addition, Dr. Lesko shows us that, in the end, the powerful attributes of the goddesses assimilated into one super-goddess, i.e., Isis. The cult of Isis grew to be very powerful, and became so resonant with the common people that its adherents covered much of the known ancient world. Remanants of Isian worship have been found in such far-reaching locations as Pompei, Santorini, Crete, Malta, Turkey, Southern France and even as far north as England and Scotland -- a testiment to the enduring popularity of the divine feminine creative force in the lives of these ancient peoples. In addition, Dr. Lesko postulates that the remnants of the cult of Isis may also have merged with the Christian Marian cults, where the super-goddess was often venerated in the form of Black Madonnas and Christian cathedrals dedicated to the mother of Christ. Interestingly, Dr. Lesko also points out that the cult of Isis still has many adherents around the world today.

This book is a ground-breaking scholarly contribution to a field that has been dominated soley by the patriarchal perspective. Dr. Lesko skillfully avoids the pitfalls of much of the goddess-focused literature by sticking to documented fact and avoiding politically-inspired cliches. Her book is clearly and concisely written. One does not have to be an expert Egyptologist to follow it. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is interested the study of ancient Egypt, ancient religions, and the veneration of the archetypal Mother goddess.

A REAL JEWEL.......2000-05-18

This book chronicles the goddesses who inspired Ancient Egypt's greatness, for they were important to the poor and the elite alike. The author focuses on Nut, Neith, Nekhbet, Wadjet, Hathor, Mut, and Isis. Some of the goddesses had their origins in the Predynastic whereas others were later political creations. A few of these goddesses, Lesko argues, can be traced through an association with various animals to African clan divinities. These great goddesses were believed to protect and nuture Kemet (the land of Egypt) and its pharaoh. The book has many black and white illustrations accompanying the text. It is a great reference and resource for consultation by students and scholars.

Excellent, comprehensive survey of early Egyptian goddesses........2000-03-03

Great Goddesses of Egypt examines the changing images and history of seven of the most important Egyptian goddesses, from Nekhbet to Mut and Isis. Some were prehistoric figures; others political figures of later times: Great Goddesses of Egypt deserves ongoing mention as an excellent resource introducing the facts about early Egyptian goddesses.

Dreams of Isis: A Woman's Spiritual Sojourn

Average customer rating:

Unconventional view of Egypt
Excellent for anyone's individual spiritual journey.
Not what I thought it would be
A very soul-full book...
Written by a Woman, But I Like it Too!

Dreams of Isis: A Woman's Spiritual Sojourn
Normandi Ellis
Manufacturer: Quest Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0835607127

Book Description

Her writing is so strong it pierces through the paper and lands squarely on the truths we've faced or know we must.-- Clarissa Pinkola Estes, Ph.D.

Customer Reviews:

Unconventional view of Egypt.......2005-10-19

This book is unique in that it focuses not only on Egyptian Mythology / Religion, but contains the writer's reflection on those principles within the context of her life. This blend of personal reflection and scholarly research make it a uniquely personal and unconventional look at this topic.

Her writing style does tend to be prosaic (i.e. stream of consiousness). But, the insights she brings to the able are worth the effort and time it takes to read this book.

Excellent for anyone's individual spiritual journey........2004-02-21

This book is a wonderful blend. She not only lets you peek inside her personal spiritual journey and sojourns to Egypt, but also helps you relate and comprehend the sometimes confusing Egyptian pantheon. She helps you identify with not only Egyptian religion, but gives clues to how Christianity and Wicca are connected as well. It is a great tale that encourages the reader to explore for themself and find their own spiritual path.

Not what I thought it would be.......2001-07-21

I did not enjoy this book, but I confess that perhaps I simply misunderstood what this book would be about when I purchased it. I was looking for a book about Isis, and instead got a book about a woman who seemed to be suffering an identity crisis - a subject that from my point of view, has been done to death. That I am sure is not the authors fault, but if you are looking for a book about Isis, you will be frustrated by just how little this book really refers to her.

A very soul-full book..........2000-12-21

I love this book,but than again I love all the author's books.I didn't know what to expect from this book though.Since it was a journal type of book,I thought I might not like it.I was wrong...I LOVE IT! She is a very Soul-Full person (Iknow that's not how it's spelled,but the author is a very spiritual person and that shines through in this book) I had to re-read chapter 9 ,Ab: the intelligence of the heart,this chapter really made me think,it's so full of wonderful insights.Ex:"...Desire is life manifestly unfolding.If we fail to acknowledge our deep desires,we remain empty inside and vulnerable to the manipulations of those who would seduce us and feed upon our desire nature.We buy goods we don't need,thinking things will supply what we lack in the world.We wind up having affairs thinking that will satisfy our love nature.We rush blindly from this business deal to that,thinking that money and prestige will give us back the power we know we lack.All our addictions-eating disorders,alcoholism,smoking,overt sexuality,violence- are evidence of the desire nature out of control because the heart has tried to tell us what it wants,and we have not paid attention." Further in the chapter it says..."Simplicity of the heart keeps our aims and purpose in life clear.What matters is what is at hand at the moment...In hotep(peace) we contemplate our lives and concentrate our energies on the true desires of the heart aligned with God,rather than chasing after this or that fleeting thought..." The author also says the hieroglyph for peace(hotep) is a loaf of bread,implying nuturing, simplicity,contentment and rest...The ancient egyptians were very wise indeed,they knew how to live life to the fullest and Normandi Ellis conveys this over & over in this book.I got some deep insights into the egyptian myths (which can be confusing) but she explains their meaning very simply and you have an "Aha" moment and know what they meant by that myth. I highly recommend this book,if you are a deep thinker like Ellis.

Written by a Woman, But I Like it Too!.......2000-06-23

I can only add to the previous review by saying that I am not a woman, yet I shared the great joy of reading it in my own way. I am not sure what the standards of the reviewer are, but I think she is mistaken in her stinginess if only 4 stars where her comments seem so glowing. I agree with the glowing and would suggest top rating of this excellent work of art!

Nefertiti: Unlocking the Mystery Surrounding Egypt's Most Famous and Beautiful Queen

Average customer rating:

A very good book to plunge into ancient Egypt
Egypt's most beautiful queen
The Mysterious Queen
Can we get some new theories?
The Mysterious Queen

Nefertiti: Unlocking the Mystery Surrounding Egypt's Most Famous and Beautiful Queen
Joyce A. Tyldesley
Manufacturer: Penguin (Non-Classics)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0141017244

Amazon.com

She was the beloved wife of "heretic king" Akhenaton, who defied ancient custom by practicing monotheism and by elevating Nefertiti far above the role of subservient consort previously played by Egyptian queens. Her image has ravished Western viewers ever since a magnificent limestone bust unearthed at the royal retreat of Amarna went on display in Berlin in 1924. But frustratingly few facts are known about this woman who lived more than three millennia ago. As she did in Hatchepsut: The Female Pharaoh, British archeologist Joyce Tyldesley makes a virtue of necessity by writing a book that is as much a cultural history as a biography. As Akhenaton swept away the plethora of old gods, dismaying many of his subjects, he needed a strong female figure to soften the abstract austerity of Aten, the sun deity; his beautiful queen was celebrated in official art and inscriptions that focused on the domestic life of the royal family. Tyldesley meticulously analyzes this iconography to evaluate Nefertiti's position in Egypt and her importance to her husband, who clearly cherished her beyond the demands of propriety or political necessity. The author cannot give readers a strong sense of Nefertiti's personality--the evidence simply isn't there--but she paints a wonderfully evocative picture of life at the civilized heart of the ancient world. --Wendy Smith

Book Description

The classic account of EgyptÂ's most famous queenÂ—now fully revised

For over a decade, Nefertiti, wife of the heretic king Akhenaten, was the most influential woman in the Bronze Age world: a beautiful queen blessed by the sun god, adored by her family, and worshipped by her people. Her image and her name were celebrated throughout Egypt and her future seemed golden. Suddenly Nefertiti disappeared from the royal family, vanishing so completely that it was as if she had never been. No record survives to detail her death, no monument serves to mourn her passing, and to this day her end remains an enigmaÂ—her body has never been found. Fully revising her classic biography of EgyptÂ's sun queen, historian Joyce Tyldesley draws on a wealth of scholarly and archeological evidence to investigate the truth behind the life, times, and mysterious disappearance of the legendary Nefertiti.

Customer Reviews:

A very good book to plunge into ancient Egypt.......2007-06-16

In my opinion, Joyce Tyldesley accomplishes an excelent recopilation of all science currently knows and theorizes about this queen and about the "Amarna" period in Ancient Egypt. What is excelent about it is that she does it in a very readable prose, explaining the nature of family relations, religion, social mobilization, and power during this period of Egyptian history. I loved this book and recommend it to any one who wonders what daily life was back in Egypt 3 to 4 thousand years ago!
R-Egypt in the Age of Cleopatra: History and Society Under the Ptolemies

Egypt's most beautiful queen.......2006-05-07

One of the most famous faces in the world, and perhaps one of the most well-known pieces of sculpture, is the exquisite bust of the Egyptian queen, Nefertiti, which is currently housed in the Berlin museum. She's also widely regarded as Egypt's most beautiful queen (I wonder what Cleopatra would have to say about that?). But what do we really know about her? Not a lot, as Joyce Tyldesley's book, Nefertiti, shows us. In fact, so little is known that a book that is rather short to begin with takes a lot of side trips talking about her husband and the unusual monotheistic religion that he formed. Thankfully, Tyledesley never claims to have all of the answers. Unfortunately, that didn't stop the publishers from advertising that she did. Yes, bad cover copy once again leads the reader astray, and while the book is interesting enough despite that, I still have to knock it down some for that. Many of the questions that the back cover asks ("Did she ever rule Egypt as king? When did she die?") don't actually have answers within the book. Tyledesley gives her best estimate, and refutes some of the common theories, but she admits that there's no way to tell.

Tyldesley has certainly given us an interesting book, however. She begins by giving an overview of Nefertiti's father-in-law, Amenhotep III, and his rule. She goes into great detail about Amenhotep's mother, Tiy, and examines some of the questions about them. It takes almost fifty pages before Nefertiti comes on the scene, and Tyldesley introduces her with the question of her parentage. No record has ever been found of her birth and only one relative has come to the fore. Some believe she was a foreigner come to Egypt, perhaps a Nubian princess? Tyldesley effortlessly deflects most of these theories, even as she does admit that they could be true. I was very glad to see that Tyldesley rarely assumes anything, giving the reader all sides of the story, even as she provides evidence that supports what she believes is the case.

The book then moves on to examine the reign of her husband, Akhenaten, and the religion that he founded (and which, subsequently, was pretty much wiped from history by subsequent pharaohs). Nefertiti does figure in this at times, as it has been proposed that she was a goddess figure much like Akhenaten was the god. Some images that date from this period show Nefertiti acting similar to what high priests would do in the previous religion, smiting enemies or leading religious ceremonies. For the most part, however, the chapter is about Akhenaten's rule, and subsequent chapters give us more detail, even as they examine Nefertiti's role in the whole thing. In fact, one of the chapters (called "Queen, King, or Goddess?") brings up the question of whether or not Nefertiti ever ruled in her husband's place, perhaps after he died. Once again, Tyldesley deals with that by giving us as much information as is known, stating that it's most likely that she never served as king and detailing why the other hypotheses aren't very credible.

I found these chapters especially interesting because, while I had heard of Akhenaten and his replacing of all the Egyptian gods with his own divinity, I didn't really know much about it. Tyldesley does a wonderful job giving the reader as much information about this period as she can, detailing all the references that Egyptologists have discovered about this period. She sets the scene wonderfully too, so clearly that I almost felt like I was walking the streets of ancient Amarna (what archeologists now call the city Akhenaten founded, though I don't think she ever explains why this is).

When Tyldesley begins discussing the "sunset" of Akhenaten's reign, that's when the book really begins to take a side trip. Nefertiti disappears from the narrative, and we must assume that she died at this point (Tyldesley does bring up some people's theory that she fell out of favour and was wiped from the record, but she quickly discounts it after explaining what evidence these theorists use for it). She then discusses the fall of Akhenaten, the birth of Tutankhamen, and the gradual erasure of the Amarna era as subsequent monarchs move back to the original capital and bring the old gods back. Another of Akhenaten's wives is believed to be Tut's mother, so we have a great many pages where the supposed thrust of the book is completely off screen. While this was interesting, I do believe that the book may have been tighter if it had remained centered on Nefertiti. Perhaps Tyldesley just takes too long to summarize what happened to Akhenaten after she disappears?

The book ends on a wonderful note, however, as Tyldesley gives a rundown of how Nefertiti came back to prominence with the discovery of the sculpture and further archeological research that brings Nefertiti back to the forefront. For the longest time, archeologists thought that Queen Tiy was the main inspiration for Akhenaten's religious reforms (as Tyldesley notes, a book on the Queen's of Egypt written in 1908 only gave Nefertiti six pages), but subsequent findings have restored Nefertiti to her rightful place. I love reading about archeology, so this was probably my favourite chapter in the book, and it's a fitting conclusion to it.

As Tyldesley says in her introduction, "We simply do not have the information to write the definitive 'warts and all' biography which we have come to expect of more modern subjects." However, she has definitely given us the closest thing possible to it. She demonstrates the mystique Nefertiti had (and still has), presents us with her theories, and even gives credence to other, more conflicting ones (sometimes before demolishing them). This is a great book, marred only by a tendency to drift away from the subject occasionally. Those with an interest in Egyptology should lap this up.

David Roy

The Mysterious Queen .......2005-10-07

In the world of Egyptology, Queen Nefertiti is probably the most interesting female figure. Not much is known about the queen making her that much more fascinating. Finding an extended book about Nefertiti is hard to find due to the fact that her history is so vague. This book is probably one of the best about the queen and the book is relatively recent, so the information and new "discoveries" about her are pretty accurate. Not the whole book is about Nefertiti because we don't really know that much about her. The book also describes Amenhotep III and Queen Tiy, the parents of the fascinating Akhenaten. Akhenaten is the other major person besides Nefertiti in the book. He was the husband of Nefertiti as well as the first prominent monotheistic figure in history. One does get the idea of Nefertiti's almost goddess-like presence in Egypt as well as her high status in society often ruling equally beside her husband in the book. Tyldesley does a great job with Nefertiti. This is probably a must have book for Nefertiti as well as Akhenaten.

Can we get some new theories?.......2004-10-10

All in all, this is a pretty good book, in a textbook-y way. In my opinion, it was mainly a rehash of the popular theories of Nefertiti, and not really anything new and exciting for us to read.

Side note to reviewer Ma Ra: If you are so ticked off at Nefertiti looking more Middle Eastern than African, there's a sculptor that's been dead for 3000 years that you'll have to take it up with. Anyone with eyes who has seen Ancient Egyptian art knows that they depicted themselves as more Middle Eastern looking than what modern people consider "African". Sounds to me like you're pushing a sterotype.

The Mysterious Queen.......2004-06-01

Nefertiti was the most influential woman in ancient Egypt. Her entire life, where she came from and how she died, in shrouded in mystery. She married in her early teens to Amenhotep IV who may have been sixteen or seventeen. After marrying she became a mother to six daughters and became a member of the Royal Court of Amarna. She was the first queen to be equal with the king. They lived at Thebes where they ruled the upper and lower kingdoms.

The one thing I did not like about this book was how it seemed to go into more detail about Amenhotep IV and his family than Nefertiti. That was probable do to the fact that we know so little about her. Nothing of her life is know before she was married and very little is know after Amenhotep IV dies. The book gave Amenhotep IV inter family line and went on for too long. It took you away from the central topic.

The best thing is the attention to detail. Every little factor, from family history to the culture is given. It gives the reader a since of what life was like and makes you feel as if you were actually there. The artier takes evidence from archeological remains to make this God like queen more like a real person. This was a book that you could get in to.

Average customer rating:
Attic Grave Reliefs That Represent Women in the Dress of Isis (Hesperia Supplement)
Elizabeth Walters
Manufacturer: American School of Classical Studies at Athen
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0876615221

Average customer rating:

an attractive book for everyone

Mistress of the House, Mistress of Heaven: Women in Ancient Egypt

Manufacturer: Cincinnati Art Museum
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Daughters of Isis: Women of Ancient Egypt (Penguin History)

Women in Ancient Egypt

Hathor Rising: The Power of the Goddess in Ancient Egypt

ASIN: 1555951309

Book Description

Dazzling treasures illuminate women's lives through 3,000 years of ancient Egypt.

Customer Reviews:

an attractive book for everyone.......2000-06-16

Ancient Egyptian art was the star attraction of the Mediterranean world for 3000 years, only for some of it to be transported to various museums across the world. This book examines those scenes in over 25 American museums as well as private collections which serve to shed light on the role of Ancient Egyptian women in their society. Objects such as mummy cases, coffins, statues and other sacred items also hold much information. The book contains essays by Egyptologists Janet H. Johnson, Catherine H. Roehrig and Betsy M. Bryan. A chronological index, map, beautiful photos, bibliography and index have also been included. It is an excellent book, recommended for all serious students and scholars to have in their private libraries.

Average customer rating:

As glorious and awe-insprirng as the Amarna-epoch, itself.

Royal Women of Amarna
Dorothea Arnold , Lyn Green , and James Allen
Manufacturer: Abrams, N
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Customer Reviews:

As glorious and awe-insprirng as the Amarna-epoch, itself........1999-04-22

"Royal Women of Amarna" portrays not only some of the most beautiful pieces created by any craftsmen of the ancient world with both text and fabulous plates, but also the personalities of the women who inspired such timeless masterpieces. This work is more than a mere collection of museum pieces; it tells the tale of every known Queen and princess of the period, spanning from the reign of Amenhotep III to that of his son Akhenaten, even those princesses who are attested by name only in the historical record. The possible reasons for the prominence of females during this period are examined, as well as the symbolism embedded in the art: a personal fascination for me was the theory that the shape of Nefertiti's blue crown is based on the hairstyle worn by women about to give birth, stressing both her fertility and her link to Tefnut. Whilst examining the women who made up a great part of his life, the book also gives some insight and wonderful, suggestive hints towards the personality of Akhenaten, himself. Again, the plates are the best one could ever hope for, making each piece seem tangible to those who have never seen them first hand(including myself) but plan to (including myself:), and the book would be worth purchasing for them alone if the text were not just as compelling. "The Royal Women of Amarna" is a must for any Amarna bookshelf and works of the late, great Cyril Aldred should find no shame in sharing company with them.

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