Robert K. Ritner

Robert Kriech Ritner is an American Egyptologist currently at the Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago.

Ritner received his B.A. in psychology from Rice University in 1975. He subsequently received his Ph.D. (with honors) in Egyptology from the University of Chicago in 1987. His dissertation was titled "The Mechanics of Ancient Egyptian Magical Practice." Between 1991 and 1996, Ritner held the position of Marilyn M. Simpson Assistant Professor of Egyptology in the Department of Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations at Yale University. In 1996, he was recruited to the University of Chicago's Oriental Institute and Department of Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations.

Ritner is widely known for his work on Egyptian religious practices, language, medicine, literature, magic, and political history. Within the Mormon studies community, Ritner is known for confirming the conclusions of other Egyptologists who have investigated the Joseph Smith papyri. Ritner has concluded that the Book of Abraham is a "well-meaning, but erroneous invention by Joseph Smith."^[1]

Works

Books

• Ritner, Robert K. (1993), The Mechanics of Ancient Egyptian Magical Practice, Chicago: Oriental Institute of University of Chicago, ISBN 0918986753, OCLC 28176694
• Simpson, William Kelly; Ritner, Robert K. (2003) [1973], The literature of ancient Egypt: an anthology of stories, instructions, stelae, autobiographies, and poetry (3rd ed.), New Haven, Connecticut: Yale University Press, ISBN 9780300128567, OCLC 234083884
• Nissinen, Martti; Ritner, Robert Kriech; Seow, C L; Machinist, Peter (2003), Prophets and prophecy in the ancient Near East, Atlanta: Society of Biblical Literature, ISBN 158983027X, OCLC 51969302
• Yener, K Aslihan; Batiuk, Stephen; Ritner, Robert Kriech (2005), The Amuq Valley regional projects, Chicago: Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago, ISBN 1885923325, OCLC 66385293
• Ritner, Robert K. (2009), The Libyan Anarchy: Inscriptions from Egypt's Third Intermediate Period, Writings from the ancient world, no. 21, Atlanta: Society of Biblical Literature, ISBN 9781589831742, OCLC 60671773
• ——; Coenen, Marc; Marquardt, H. Michael; Woods, Christopher (2013), The Joseph Smith Egyptian Papyri: A Complete Edition, Salt Lake City: Signature Books, ISBN 1560852208, OCLC 869043745

Chapters

• Ritner, Robert K. (1989), "Horus on the crocodiles: a juncture of religion and magic in late dynastic Egypt", in Simpson, William Kelly, Religion and philosophy in ancient Egypt, New Haven, Connecticut: Yale Egyptological Seminar, Dept. of Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations, Yale University, ISBN 0912532181, OCLC 20996843

Articles

• Ritner, Robert K. (1979), "Egyptians in Ireland: a question of Coptic peregrinations" (PDF), Rice University Studies, William Marsh Rice University, 62 (2): 65–87, OCLC 5160106
• —— (July 1984), "A Uterine Amulet in the Oriental Institute Collection", Journal of Near Eastern Studies, 43 (3): 209–221, doi:10.1086/373080, JSTOR 544461
• —— (1985), "Anubis and the Lunar Disc", The Journal of Egyptian Archaeology, 71: 149–155, JSTOR 3821720
• Foster, Karen Polinger; Ritner, Robert K. (January 1996), "Texts, storms, and the Thera eruption", Journal of Near Eastern Studies, 55 (1): 1–14, doi:10.1086/373781, JSTOR 545376
• Ritner, Robert K. (April 2000), "Innovations and Adaptations in Ancient Egyptian Medicine", Journal of Near Eastern Studies, 59 (2): 107–117, doi:10.1086/468799, JSTOR 545610
• —— (2000), "The 'Breathing Permit of Hôr' Thirty-four Years Later", Dialogue, 33 (4): 97–119
• —— (2003), "'The Breathing Permit of Hôr' among the Joseph Smith Papyri", Journal of Near Eastern Studies, 62 (3): 161–77, doi:10.1086/380315, JSTOR 10.1086/380315
• ——; Moeller, Nadine (April 2014), "The Ahmose 'Tempest Stela', Thera and Comparative Chronology", Journal of Near Eastern Studies, 73 (1): 1–19, JSTOR 10.1086/675069

References

1. http://signaturebooks.com/a-response-to-translation-and-historicity-of-the-book-of-abraham-by-dr-robert-ritner/

• "OSIRIS AND ISIS Opens at UChicago's Oriental Institute, 10/17", BroadwayWorld.com, Dance News Desk, BWW [BroadwayWorld], September 17, 2014
• Ame, Pakinam (April 28, 2014), "Bronze age weather report solves some ancient mysteries", House of Wisdom, Nature Middle East, Nature.com, Nature Publishing Group, Macmillan Publishers
• Rothman, Lily (February 21, 2014), "There's a Very Good Reason Why Katy Perry's "Dark Horse" Video Is Set in Ancient Egypt", Time
• "Spring 2013 Lecture Series: Magic, Ritual and Healing in Ancient Egypt", CMAA Lecture Series, cmaa-museum.org, California Museum of Ancient Art
• "Houston Harper Lecture with Professor Robert K. Ritner", chicagobooth.edu, Booth School of Business, University of Chicago, April 29, 2012
• "Scholar Says Mormon Scripture Not an Egyptian Translation", SignatureBooks.com, Signature Books, February 2012
• Ayad, Mariam (April 5, 2010), "April 16 Lecture Will Explore Curses and Love Charms of Ancient Egypt", News & Events: Press Releases, memphis.edu, University of Memphis

Academic reviews of his works

• Bianchi, Robert Steven (July–September 1994), "Book Review: The Mechanics of Ancient Egyptian Magical Practice by Robert Kriech Ritner", Journal of the American Oriental Society, 114 (3), JSTOR 605124
• Kákosy, László (1994), "Book Review: The Mechanics of Ancient Egyptian Magical Practice by Robert Kriech Ritner", Journal of the American Research Center in Egypt, 31: 223–225, JSTOR 40000679
• Morris, Larry E. (2004), "The Book of Abraham: Ask the Right Questions and Keep On Looking", FARMS Review, 16 (2) — a review of: "The 'Breathing Permit of Hôr' Thirty-four Years Later" and "'The Breathing Permit of Hôr' among the Joseph Smith Papyri"

External links

• Robert Ritner, Professor of Egyptology, Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations, Division of Humanities, University of Chicago