Why was a humble dung beetle chosen to represent the sun god as Khepri, or a desert jackal to represent Anubis, the embalmer god? Ancient Egyptian religion, with its many gods and symbols, has always been a source of wonder and mystery to the monotheistic West.

In this compact guide to the gods and symbols of ancient Egypt many puzzling and intriguing questions are answered in nearly 300 entries, ranging from Acacia to Wreath.

Over 100 illustrations, with extended captions, complement the text and the book also includes a chronological table, bibliography and index.