• The first book to seriously examine the feminine aspect of Egyptian religion sheds new light on the important role of the goddess Hathor-Sekhmet. • This accessible study sheds much new light on ancient Egypt and provides a powerful new perspective on women's theology. • The text is accompanied by nearly 200 striking and unusual illustrations 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.

Drawing together temple art, myths, rituals and poetry, Hathor Rising reveals a rich tradition of feminine divinity. It explores how the sexual polarity of Hathor and the sun god manifests in the Pharaoh's life' as well as Hathor's connection with Isis and the moon cults. The serpent cult was given a new impetus by Hatshepsut, the innovative female Pharaoh whose remarkable reign, early in the 15th century BC, laid the foundations for the cultural splendour of New Kingdom Egypt. Ecstatic, musical, heart-centred -- the serpent tradition was interrupted only by the reign of Akhenaten who suppressed much of the serpent cult in favour of a trinitarian father god.

The fragmentary evidence allows us only tantalising glimpses of the sophisticated and complex society of the ancient Egyptians, but the Greek historian Herodotus believed that the Egyptians had 'reversed the ordinary practices of mankind' in treating their women better than any of the other civilizations of the ancient world . Carolyn Graves-Brown draws on funerary remains, tomb paintings, architecture and textual evidence to explore all aspects of women in Egypt from goddesses and queens to women as the 'vessels of creation'. Perhaps surprisingly the most common career for women, after housewife and mother, was the priesthood, where women served deities, notably Hathor, with music and dance. Many would come to the temples of Hathor to have their dreams interpreted, or to seek divine inspiration. This is a wide ranging and revealing account told with authority and verve.

Goddess of the sky. The mother of mothers. The Eye of Ra. Goddess of beauty. The powerful goddess Hathor had many roles in Ancient Egypt. In this empowering and engaging narrative, learn about this Egyptian deity's past as the deadly Sekhmet and how she was reborn as the benevolent Hathor. Find out where she fits in a family of gods. Additional facts explore Hathor's role in Ancient Egyptian culture and how the goddess's influence appears in popular culture today.

Ever since alchemy first emerged in Graeco-Roman Egypt, alchemists have said their wisdom came from the pharaonic temples. Yet though the West has had unprecedented access to this hidden knowledge since the decipherment of hieroglyphs, ancient Egypt's connection with alchemy still remains obscure, doubted even by many. Focussing on the beautiful temples at Abu Simbel and Dendara, dedicated to the fiery serpent-eye goddess Hathor, this groundbreaking book explores for the first time the legacy left to alchemists by the pharaohs. It also goes deep into Ramesses VI's extraordinary tomb at Thebes to discover the secrets of growth and renewal guarded by Osiris and vivified by Hathor's copper love. Both metallurgical and mystical, these sacred secrets laid the foundations for the Hermetic art. The transmission initially came through Graeco-Egyptian and Jewish alchemists, then Islamic adepts, many of whom were Sufis belonging to an Akhmim alchemical lineage, until eventually Hathor's alchemy reached medieval Europe to inspire the 'rising dawn' tradition. And with a spiritual vision grounded in nature, it still has vital relevance for our world today.

" ... explores the pivotal place of the fiery serpent-eye goddess, Hathor-Sekhmet, in the mysteries of Osiris, the Egyptian god of the dead. Weaving together myths, rituals and temple art, it recreates the craft world of ancient Memphis, with its heart-centred religion and vitalizing feminine divinities."--Page 4 of cover

Presents information about the book "Martian Metamorphoses: The Planet Mars in Ancient Myth and Religion," written by Ev Cochrane and published by Aeon Publishing in Ames, Iowa. Provides a summary and a table of contents.