Ancient Egyptian Magic: A Hands-On Guide to the Supernatural in the Land of the Pharaohs

A vivacious historical account of heka, or the magic of classical Egypt. Resplendent with photos of art and artifacts that illustrate, for instance, a papyrus amulet you would wear during the year's "demon days" or a painting of Anubis embalming a mummy. Contains quotations from many original sources of actual spells, incantations, and practices for everything from ensuring the safe delivery of the placenta to deifying your pet cat. Billed as a how-to guide, this is also an enlightening read for anyone interested in ancient history, culture, and religion.