商品簡介
Cairo native Ayad (Institute of Egyptian Art and Archaeology, Tennessee) examines five royal women--one Libyan, two Nubian, and two Saite--who held the title during the two centuries in which the unusual institution of God's Wife of Amun reached its zenith. They were all daughters of kings, she explains, and argues that they were brought to the Egyptian capital and raised to the highest religious position in order to bind their royal families and as an alternative to their being married off to create disruptive foreign alliances. Drawing on archaeological, textual, and iconographic evidence, she discusses the historical setting, rites and rituals, and avenues to legitimacy. The volume is well illustrated with maps, drawings, and a section of color plates. Annotation c2009 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)