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The Dawning Moon of the Mind: Unlocking the Pyramid Texts
A stunning and original interpretation of an ancient system of poetic, religious, and philosophical thought Buried in the Egyptian desert some four thousand years ago, the Pyramid Texts are among the world’s oldest poetry. Yet ever since the discovery of these hieroglyphs in 1881, they have been misconstrued by Western Egyptologists as a garbled collection of primitive myths and incantations, relegating to obscurity their radiant fusion of philosophy, scientific inquiry, and religion. Now, in a seminal work, the classicist and linguist Susan Brind Morrow has recast the Pyramid Texts as a coherent work of art, arguing that they should be recognized as a formative event in the evolution of human thought. In The Dawning Moon of the Mind she explains how to read hieroglyphs, contextualizes their evocative imagery, and interprets the entire poem. The result is a magisterial religious and philosophical text revealing a profound consciousness of the world with astonishing parallels to Judeo-Christian culture, Buddhism, and Tantra. More than twenty years in the making, The Dawning Moon of the Mind is a monumental achievement that locates one of the origins of poetic thought in Western culture. Almost before science, art, and written language, these texts set forth the relationship between time and eternity, life and death, history and ideas. In The Dawning Moon of the Mind they emerge in their original luminosity and intelligence alongside a persuasive argument for their central importance to the history of language.
304 pages, Paperback
First published December 8, 2015
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
May 1, 2017
I received this book as a Goodreads giveaway.
"The Dawning Moon of the Mind" is a hybrid book, by necessity. It definitely is not a scholarly book where the hieroglyphs of the Saqqara Unis pyramid are dissected to an inch of their footnoted life. Morrow instead has thrown out the method of exegesis and instead substitutes a method of synthesis where pretty much everything is allowed in interpreting the meanings and uses of the hieroglyphs.
The columns of hieroglyphs that adorn the passageways to the tomb of Unis are wonderful, as well as the blue ceiling of stars (I know - I'm lucky to have seen them personally.) Unis was an Old Dynasty pharaoh and his pyramid is one of the first pyramids constructed. What is incredible to ponder is that even though the Old Dynasty hieroglyphs are the oldest examples of the script, it is apparent that the written language we see written in stone had already been developed over hundreds of years if not a thousand years before that!
I felt sorry for the previous translators of the pyramid texts (as Morrow calls the hieroglyphs.) Their literal translations are pretty hideous in the examples that Morrow cites. Of course she probably cherry-picked them, but as she states in her rationales at the beginning of the book - either we have to accept that the scribes carved gibberish on the walls, or that the texts in fact are coherent and that the translations are gibberish.
The beauty of the book is that Morrow infuses the world view of the ancient Egyptians into the interpretation of the texts. Essentially the pyramid texts are describing the process where Unis has become the god Osiris through the star Sirius and is taking his place in the astronomical heavens. But it is much more than that - he is also taking his place as the progenitor of the seasons, the floods, the creation and destruction of day and the night. All of nature is subsumed in the hieroglyphs - Egyptian birds and mammals stand for themselves, and in puns on their sounds illuminate the texts meanings. Morrow is brilliant in making the connections between all the different ways the hieroglyphs are used by the scribes - as direct ideograms, as consonants, as the thing themselves, as puns and sound poems. The problem with past translations is that they have been informed mostly by symbol replacement - Morrow makes it clear that the scribes were as cunning and playful as James Joyce when creating the verses.
And verses is the key word. Verses are used in poetry and in religion. Morrows point is that this is a fundamental religious and poetic text. The allusions and comparisons to Semitic and Indian religions make it seem apparent to this reader that much of Egyptian theology has survived to present day in other religions. The shape changing allusiveness is on par with modern poetry, such as T.S. Eliot and W.H. Auden who Morrow extensively quotes to make her comparisons. In fact I want to say that this book is a translation of the pyramid texts as passed through an Eliot/Auden filter - the debt owed to those authors is large. But I don't think that is a bad thing. As a result Morrow has produced a beautiful work that stands with those authors in the way it expanded my view of the ancient Egyptians, if not the natural world.
"The Dawning Moon of the Mind" is a hybrid book, by necessity. It definitely is not a scholarly book where the hieroglyphs of the Saqqara Unis pyramid are dissected to an inch of their footnoted life. Morrow instead has thrown out the method of exegesis and instead substitutes a method of synthesis where pretty much everything is allowed in interpreting the meanings and uses of the hieroglyphs.
The columns of hieroglyphs that adorn the passageways to the tomb of Unis are wonderful, as well as the blue ceiling of stars (I know - I'm lucky to have seen them personally.) Unis was an Old Dynasty pharaoh and his pyramid is one of the first pyramids constructed. What is incredible to ponder is that even though the Old Dynasty hieroglyphs are the oldest examples of the script, it is apparent that the written language we see written in stone had already been developed over hundreds of years if not a thousand years before that!
I felt sorry for the previous translators of the pyramid texts (as Morrow calls the hieroglyphs.) Their literal translations are pretty hideous in the examples that Morrow cites. Of course she probably cherry-picked them, but as she states in her rationales at the beginning of the book - either we have to accept that the scribes carved gibberish on the walls, or that the texts in fact are coherent and that the translations are gibberish.
The beauty of the book is that Morrow infuses the world view of the ancient Egyptians into the interpretation of the texts. Essentially the pyramid texts are describing the process where Unis has become the god Osiris through the star Sirius and is taking his place in the astronomical heavens. But it is much more than that - he is also taking his place as the progenitor of the seasons, the floods, the creation and destruction of day and the night. All of nature is subsumed in the hieroglyphs - Egyptian birds and mammals stand for themselves, and in puns on their sounds illuminate the texts meanings. Morrow is brilliant in making the connections between all the different ways the hieroglyphs are used by the scribes - as direct ideograms, as consonants, as the thing themselves, as puns and sound poems. The problem with past translations is that they have been informed mostly by symbol replacement - Morrow makes it clear that the scribes were as cunning and playful as James Joyce when creating the verses.
And verses is the key word. Verses are used in poetry and in religion. Morrows point is that this is a fundamental religious and poetic text. The allusions and comparisons to Semitic and Indian religions make it seem apparent to this reader that much of Egyptian theology has survived to present day in other religions. The shape changing allusiveness is on par with modern poetry, such as T.S. Eliot and W.H. Auden who Morrow extensively quotes to make her comparisons. In fact I want to say that this book is a translation of the pyramid texts as passed through an Eliot/Auden filter - the debt owed to those authors is large. But I don't think that is a bad thing. As a result Morrow has produced a beautiful work that stands with those authors in the way it expanded my view of the ancient Egyptians, if not the natural world.
February 27, 2016
An unbelievably important poetics and original, stunning re-reading of the pyramid texts. She reminds us how to see. How to look for meaning in the tightest of texts: The enigmas, the riddles. And she does this on the most important of themes, the journey of the soul. This book will never leave my primary shelf; it will be sitting there with van Gennep, Andrew Welsh, Frenzel, Borges Seven Evenings and a few others. Thank you
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August 8, 2022The Pyramid Texts. For my fifth stop on my quest to read all the religious texts of the world, I went all the way back to the oldest one we have, buried deep in the pyramid of Unis in Saqqara.
This is a fascinating read, with extensive notes on both content and translation. I learned so much! I really had no idea that Arabic has so many roots in Ancient Egyptian! Seeing the etymological roots laid out was really interesting.
I’m this book we have Morrow’s full translation of The Pyramid Texts, her theories and context and translation process. I don’t think I’ve ever read anything with so much in depth analysis of the translation, but given how many ways each hieroglyph can be interpreted, it was really interesting.
I wish there were more translations so that I could compare and come to my own conclusions. How much of this is true interpretation, how much is what Morrow believes? I won’t ever know, as ancient Egypt is more removed from us than I can fathom.
And yet, it’s also so human, so beautifully, beautifully human. This work is so old. So so old. It makes me wonder: what are we going to be to the people of 6522?
The rituals, the opening of the mouth, the offerings, the mummification, they are all here.
Part of me feels the assertion that this is connected to Tantra is tenuous. But I’m not a scholar on either, so I don’t know. A lot of Morrow’s hypotheses are based around Egyptian mythology being an astronomical interpretation, and, when added to her translation, makes a ton of sense. She also says that the ceremony is tantric, and she makes a great claim for it, I just don’t know enough to feel educated on that.
Have we always been reimagining the same thoughts, over and over again? As the Greek gods have their origins in Sumer, and their myths in Egypt, so does Christianity, and even modern thought.
We are taught that Rome is another iteration of Greece, that her gods were adapted and changed to fit the new ideas and ideals. We are taught that Greece is separate from Egypt, from Sumer, from Judaea.
We are not taught, at least at first, that Rome adored Egypt, and took her gods as her own. We are not taught about the cults of Isis and Amun-Ra that flourished throughout the empire. And we are not taught of Mithras, from the East. Rome adapted her gods from more than just Greece, and Greece’s gods and myths are not entirely her own.
So is it so much of a stretch of the mind to think that it started much earlier than that? That these cultures, so close together, we’re not so separate after all? Did Dionysus not go to India and bring back his leopard?
What if we’re more linked than we were lead to believe. What if, humanity has always been one.
Do I believe in there being a universal religion? No. But this is as far back as we can go, and I see the threads, or at least Morrow pulls them out of the tapestry for us to view.
This was a beautiful, beautiful book. I highly highly recommend. And like all of the religious texts I read, I will not give it a star rating. But the notes themselves definitely deserve 5 stars.
September 23, 2016
When the Royal Saqqara Pyramids were opened in in the late 1800s it was discovered that the walls of the burial chambers were covered in hieroglyphics that were 4000 years old. The deciphering of the Rosetta Stone enabled historians and Egyptologists to read the text on the walls, but no one could understand the collection of myths, incantations and ritualistic texts. To us in our modern age, they reveal a culture and religion with a worldview and understanding of the natural world that is completely alien.
In this book, Brind Morrow argues that they are actually a coherent and intelligent work of art and literature. She suggests that what we are reading is poetic and not mythology, and taking a more literal view of it might answer some of the questions it raises. The entire middle section of the book is her full translation of the text from the walls of the entrance chamber, antechamber and sarcophagus and at nearly 100 pages of the book it is pretty comprehensive. In the final section she picks up on details from the texts, and expands her theory of what it all means.
There were parts of this I really liked, the translation is quite magnificent for example; you get a sense of just how the ritual elements would be performed and spoken. But it is not a light and easy read as she goes into lots of detailed explanations of meaning and significance of particular hieroglyphics. There are a number of photos and diagrams scattered throughout the book, which does bring a sense of the scale of the place. At times I did get a little out of my depth, but then I haven’t read huge amounts about the Egyptian period to fill in the context. This would be an ideal book for anyone with a fascination in the Egyptian period.
In this book, Brind Morrow argues that they are actually a coherent and intelligent work of art and literature. She suggests that what we are reading is poetic and not mythology, and taking a more literal view of it might answer some of the questions it raises. The entire middle section of the book is her full translation of the text from the walls of the entrance chamber, antechamber and sarcophagus and at nearly 100 pages of the book it is pretty comprehensive. In the final section she picks up on details from the texts, and expands her theory of what it all means.
There were parts of this I really liked, the translation is quite magnificent for example; you get a sense of just how the ritual elements would be performed and spoken. But it is not a light and easy read as she goes into lots of detailed explanations of meaning and significance of particular hieroglyphics. There are a number of photos and diagrams scattered throughout the book, which does bring a sense of the scale of the place. At times I did get a little out of my depth, but then I haven’t read huge amounts about the Egyptian period to fill in the context. This would be an ideal book for anyone with a fascination in the Egyptian period.
May 27, 2017
I don't remember how exactly this book ended up on my to-read list, but after reading the novel The Pyramid Texts (unrelated, except the pyramids), I decided to finally put in an ILL-request for this book.
This book was amazing and awe-inspiring and sometimes repetitive and insightful and refreshing and made me rethink a lot of what I thought I knew about the birth of Christianity.
Morrow challenges the primitive, mythological, and coarse translations by Egyptologists of the earliest known pyramid hieroglyphs, and she does so in no uncertain terms. She brings us a new translation, rooted in poetry and astronomy, and with a contextual understanding of Egyptian culture. The result is a revelation -- much more accessible and recognizable -- both in the stars and in the countless ways the Egyptians shaped modern life -- from the Greeks to the early Christians to today.
I was sometimes frustrated with the organization of this book -- with its commentary and explanations sometimes so separated from the verses being referred to. But there is such an embarrassment of riches here for further thought. There were so many passing references that I wanted to delve into. I would like to borrow Morrow's brain for a little while. There is so much beyond what was the focus of this particular book that I was fascinated by. I've added another of her books on language to my to-read list, but I think I'm going to have to look up some comparative religion as well.
This book was amazing and awe-inspiring and sometimes repetitive and insightful and refreshing and made me rethink a lot of what I thought I knew about the birth of Christianity.
Morrow challenges the primitive, mythological, and coarse translations by Egyptologists of the earliest known pyramid hieroglyphs, and she does so in no uncertain terms. She brings us a new translation, rooted in poetry and astronomy, and with a contextual understanding of Egyptian culture. The result is a revelation -- much more accessible and recognizable -- both in the stars and in the countless ways the Egyptians shaped modern life -- from the Greeks to the early Christians to today.
I was sometimes frustrated with the organization of this book -- with its commentary and explanations sometimes so separated from the verses being referred to. But there is such an embarrassment of riches here for further thought. There were so many passing references that I wanted to delve into. I would like to borrow Morrow's brain for a little while. There is so much beyond what was the focus of this particular book that I was fascinated by. I've added another of her books on language to my to-read list, but I think I'm going to have to look up some comparative religion as well.
May 12, 2018
Indeed Brind Morrow meets her stated objective to "bring the language and literature of Egypt our of obscurity and into the land of the living." Taking on the 5000-year old literature that is carved inside the earliest of Ancient Egyptian pyramids she applies her extensive on-site experience and great poetic sensitivity to make sense out of what has been a mish-mash of speculation and ignorance.
She excellently compares her reading of the Pyramid Texts with the teachings of tantric personal study. Her connection of the Pyramid Texts to ceremony, initiation and shamanic traditions brings the text out of the solely funerary tradition to something that is relevant to living individuals in today's world.
The layout of the book is a bit curious. It has three main sections. The first introduces readers to the actual hieroglyphs with photos from the Pyramid of Unis. My only criticism is that more of this wasn't carried throughout the rest of the book.
The middle section is a complete new translation of the Pyramid Texts. Excellent work!
In the final section she returns to a commentary on the many interpretative aspects of her work.
This work is a quantum leap forward on our appreciation of the Ancient Egyptian world view.
Note: there is a printing error on pages 243 to 250 where verse descriptions are given for the Sacophoagus Chamber before the actual intro to the Chamber.
She excellently compares her reading of the Pyramid Texts with the teachings of tantric personal study. Her connection of the Pyramid Texts to ceremony, initiation and shamanic traditions brings the text out of the solely funerary tradition to something that is relevant to living individuals in today's world.
The layout of the book is a bit curious. It has three main sections. The first introduces readers to the actual hieroglyphs with photos from the Pyramid of Unis. My only criticism is that more of this wasn't carried throughout the rest of the book.
The middle section is a complete new translation of the Pyramid Texts. Excellent work!
In the final section she returns to a commentary on the many interpretative aspects of her work.
This work is a quantum leap forward on our appreciation of the Ancient Egyptian world view.
Note: there is a printing error on pages 243 to 250 where verse descriptions are given for the Sacophoagus Chamber before the actual intro to the Chamber.
August 19, 2017
This was such an incredible book. The author doesn't just directly translate the hieroglyphs, she takes the meaning and translates it using contextual clues. She uses their environment, spoken language, religion, and philosophies to decode the mysterious riddles and poems. Susan Brind Morrow treats the Ancient Egyptians as if they were an incredibly intelligent (and religious) society, which is something they don't always get proper credit for. I absolutely loved reading about things around them that might have influenced the way they viewed the world. This book gives an insight into the Ancient Egyptians that we don't normally see, and I loved every moment.
"Great Night uncovers her arms
A hundred thousand souls
As the head of the sun sleeps below
She weeps these tears"
"Great Night uncovers her arms
A hundred thousand souls
As the head of the sun sleeps below
She weeps these tears"
September 20, 2021
This book was inspiring to me, especially as an artist. She brings an interesting, fresh and poetic way of reading hieroglyphs that actually makes sense. The language comes alive under her hands, with the sounds and imagery of the nature that would have surrounded the Ancient Egyptians - the rustle of birds' wings, the slink of a jackal, the movement of the stars in the sky. She also connects these to their mythology - how certain stars in the night sky relates to the human body, as well as their view of death. She does the same with how some imagery and stories of animals relates to their gods.
This is one of those books I will come back to periodically.
This is one of those books I will come back to periodically.
July 5, 2017
Enlightening and intriguing scholarly examination on the world's oldest significant body of religious text. Immensely thought provoking and downright informative book. Morrow makes an in depth analysis of the philosophical poetry behind the spells of King Unis pyramid. Truly a must-read for Ancient Egypt buffs, philosophers and academics alike.
May 26, 2021
Very informative, I always wondered how to read the pyramid text. And the author does prove it's just like poetry . Enjoyed reading this book.
July 19, 2020
Christian introduced me to the phrase "the past is a foreign country," and I use this all the time when thinking about books (or thinking about writing reviews of books). I think this book, more so than any other history book I've ever read, gave me trust issues. Before bed one evening, Christian and I discussed what this book meant when it talks about the universe. I have an idea what the universe is, the person reading this review of this book has an idea of what the universe is, the author of this book has an idea of what the universe is, and the ancient Egyptians had an idea of what the universe is. Are all these ideas the same? And did the hieroglyphics actually contain a word or idea of the universe, or is it inference from the author? I'm not quite clear on that. You have to place absolute, essentially blind faith in the writings and translations. In any interpretation of history, the reader has to have a certain degree of trust, but in this case, reading this book, I felt like I was standing above a yawning chasm of my own ignorance.
If you can move beyond this, and just give yourself over to the interpretations and poetry of this translation, this book is a wild ride. Even if you can't, this book is still a wild ride. Embrace the foreignness.
If you can move beyond this, and just give yourself over to the interpretations and poetry of this translation, this book is a wild ride. Even if you can't, this book is still a wild ride. Embrace the foreignness.
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March 18, 2016I was not nearly smart enough to love this book. Or even like it.
I'm sure it's full of interesting and intriguing insights. But I wouldn't know for sure, despite the fact that I read at least two-thirds of it.
I'm sure it's full of interesting and intriguing insights. But I wouldn't know for sure, despite the fact that I read at least two-thirds of it.
March 16, 2017
In this brilliant new translation, this internationally renowned scholar reveals how the texts in the Pyramid of Unis are all about kundalini, the creation of the body of light and tantra. A fascinating insight into ancient Egyptian spirituality.
February 27, 2018
I went to Egypt to see the Pyramid of Unas. To see the Texts. I was able to enter the chambers and marvel at them last month! I'm now rereading this book in wonderment.
May 20, 2017
very interesting synopsis. Looking forward to read it.
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