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Sources for Egyptian or Japanese polytheism.
- Thread starter Lorgar-Aurelian
- Start date
There is plenty for Egyptian mythology. There are many, many papyri from tombs going back many thousands of years; but more recently there are books by Egyptology experts.
Ancient Egyptian Magic
Daily Life of the Ancient Egyptians
Japanese is a little more tricky, because you do not get information from tombs. Instead you need to get it from accounts, historians, myths and cultural works like plays and books about various subjects. Japanese history is very long, so you really are talking about multiple periods with some fairly different lifestyles and religions in it.
Ancient Egyptian Magic
Daily Life of the Ancient Egyptians
Japanese is a little more tricky, because you do not get information from tombs. Instead you need to get it from accounts, historians, myths and cultural works like plays and books about various subjects. Japanese history is very long, so you really are talking about multiple periods with some fairly different lifestyles and religions in it.
Lorgar-Aurelian
Active Member
The Complete Gods and Goddesses of Ancient Egypt is the single best resource on ancient Egyptian religion I have ever come across. It is an encyclopedia with fantastically informative and detailed entries. When I am at my laptop tomorrow I will post a link so you see the specific book I mean. I have a copy and I always love going back to it.
Lorgar-Aurelian
Active Member
Thanks I really appreciate it.
Here you go: https://www.amazon.com/Complete-God...=complete+gods+and+goddesses+of+ancient+egypt
My copy is hardback, but, I see they have finally issued it in a paperback format. I assume no content has been cut from this edition...
@Lorgar-Aurelian
Trust me, if you are interested in ancient Egyptian religion, you want that book on your shelf.
Trust me, if you are interested in ancient Egyptian religion, you want that book on your shelf.
Lorgar-Aurelian
Active Member
Well they have it at my library so I was going to check it out then I might ask for it for my birthday since that is right around the corner now.
Please drop me a line when you get your hands on it. I think you will quite enjoy it!
Grandliseur
Well-Known Member
Just a few comments regarding the Japanese part of your question.
The problem is finding an English source, I would think. If you just wanted a taste of Japanese culture and how it views these issues, look at Gegege no Kitaro anime, and other Japanese famous animes that have gone international. One is 'Spirited Away' - a beautiful work that gives you an insight into the Japanese mind of how spirits work. The Studio Ghibli contains many movies with Japanese spirits, gods, demons, etc. This work can be found in English. It should give you a fun way of getting some insight into the Japanese mindset.
I have some knowledge of Okinawan customs, with ancestor worship and the Butsodan (family altar). In Okinawa there is also much worship of minor gods, for the sea, all kinds of things. They also have many Yuutas (functioning spirit mediums) where people go regularly for all kinds of problems (if they don't sleep maybe there is a larger spiritual problem behind it, maybe they neglected something.) Okinawans do not think of this as religion commonly. Many say they have no religion while they are deeply engaged in their religious functions. Some communicate directly with their 'gods' - back and forth type stuff, it seems.