Book –Symboles de l'Égpyte

Book –Symboles de l'Égpyte

Author :  Christiane Desroches Noblecourt, avec Daniel Elouard 

Score: 8/10

Year: 2004

Publisher: Desclée De Brouwer (Le Livre de Poche) 

ISBN 978-2-253-12248-7

Pages  152*

Language: French

Based on a series of conversations between Daniel Elouard and egyptologist Christiane Desroches Noblecourt, this book is presented as a continuous narrative, instead of a Q&A format, which is a very good choice. 



Due to its size, it cannot be an exhaustive representation of Ancient Egypte, nor does it try to. Instead, its 15 chapters offer a trip, both through time, and space : the reader is invited to traverse Egypte, from South to North, respectively from Upper to Lower Egypte, along the course of the Nile. 

The author, C. Desroches Noblecourt (1913-2011) was the very first woman to be a "Fellow" of the French Institute of Oriental Archaeology (= Institut Français d'Archéologie Orientale), and the first woman to lead an archaelogical dig, in 1938! 

At the time this book was published, 2004, she had already been to Egype in 100 different trips, and helped, by various campaigns with the Egytpian authorities as well as other governments, to preserve the Nubian temples from flooding caused by the Aswan Dam. In this book, part of her work to safeguard, dismentale and move specific temples to safer locations, whilst respecting the new plans for the Dam, is desribed. 

The book starts with what any history and Egyptology book should offer: a short overview of chronology of its periods and Dynasties, with key-figures in their course. 

Throughout the various chapters, different important findings for each zone are discussed, describing daily life, structures and symbols in Ancient Egyptian culture and religion. 

Furthermore, C.D.N dares to address the egyptian roots in some Christian iconographies and beliefs, as well as dispelling misconceptions, be it about Akhenaten's monotheistic attempts (not being as innovative as some thought, nor the precursor to current religions, nor isolated in Ancient Egypte), but also the unrealistic and illogical assertaions based on the Bible - where, indeed, Egype is mentioned 680 times, whilst in Egyptian there are no allusions to supposed biblical events, though these were contemporary writings! Israel/ancient Palestine, their land and people are barely mentioned, and non of the sociopolitical, nor natural disasters described in the bible, are ever written about in Egypte...

Despite its format, this book covers a lot of topics, all in the light of symbology and the importance of their belief systems ; It's a bit sad that there are no illustrations or photographs to accompany it, but, since one can infer an invitation to study each of these topics in more details, elsewhere, one would find all of it, and much more! 

So, this short, small book (just 141 pages, since it starts on P.9 and ends 152), is more of an overview and either reiterates knowledge you, I, have ready elsewhere before, or introduces you to the topics therein. The end result is the same : more curiosity, to learn and perfect, as much as we can. 

I love that at the end, the author asserts the importance to see beyond a dry chronological view of Ancient Egype, and explains the constant use of other tools to understand this ancient culture, and civilisation - with a very important message : don't try to understand it solely on your modern, current grid of interpretation, but try to go beyond, into the spirit of that period, where religious beliefs rely on the cycles of nature, heat and the entire populations waiting for the yearly floods to bring them their needed water, and reviilization of their crops, and their wellbeing. 

Sadly, this book hasn't been translated to Engligh, so I cannot suggest it to you unless you can read French.