Hathor Rising: The Power of the Goddess in Ancient Egypt

• 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.

Alison Roberts, Ph.D., studied ancient Egyptian and Akkadian at the University of Oxford. She completed her doctoral thesis "Cult Objects of Hathor" in 1984, and has since written and lectured on ancient Egypt. She lives in England.