Book Introduction:
Writing this encyclopedia and then revising and expanding
the scope of this work has been a genuine pleasure
and privilege. The ancient Egyptians have fascinated centuries
of human beings who have glimpsed or visited
their splendid ruins along the Nile. The words of these
ancients ring with a profound knowledge concerning
human aspirations and ideals. Such wisdom kept the
Egyptians vital and prospering for 3,000 years and
bequeathed remarkable concepts to the generations to
follow them.
The history of Egypt provides an overall view of the
nation in good times and in bad. The entries on religion,
social development, temples, the military, and art, among
others, give details about specific eras and accomplishments,
but the haunting beauty of the Egyptians themselves
can be found especially in the biographical entries
on royal and common individuals who spent their lives
serving the land and the spiritual heritage of the Nile
Valley. These individuals lived and died, laughed and
cried thousands of years ago, but they would prosper if
transplanted into the modern world. They possessed a
profound sense of cooperation in labors, of appreciation
for the beauty of their homeland, and a unique awareness
of the “other,” the presence of the spiritual aspects of
human existence on the Nile. The hours spent researching
the ancient Egyptians have expanded my own horizons,
and I am grateful for the experience.
