Gods of Ancient Egypt is the first book to trace the origins of all the major deities of ancient Egypt and link each of them to a particular time and place. It is, however, more than a gazetteer of gods: the evocative text recounts the sometimes racy, sometimes amusing, mythological stories associated with the major deities, and, since the basis of religion in ancient Egypt was not belief but cult, particularly the local cult, there are sections on personal religion and temple ritual. The significance of the religious artefacts of ancient Egypt, from the smallest amulet to the largest temple, is also explained.

In addition to a lavish range of photographs and line illustrations, many in colour, there is a map of the principal cult centres, a list of localities giving their modern as well as their classical and ancient Egyptian names, and a helpful chronological table and glossary.