Egyptian Myths

Egyptian Myths by: Jelisa R. Liggins

Egypt is located in northeastern Africa. Today it is bounded on the north by the Mediterranean Sea, on the south by the Sudan, on the west by Libya, and on the east by the Red Sea, Jordan, and Israel. In ancient times, the boundaries of Egypt were the Mediterranean Sea to the north and Elephantine (modern Aswan) to the south. Its eastern and western boundaries were in the high desert on either side of the narrow strip of Nile valley and low desert. The Nile River runs the length of the country flowing south to north. A general understanding of the world view of the ancient Egyptians is the best preparation for this brief examination of their confusing array of deities. The term "world view" denotes the set of widely held beliefs that people of a specific culture hold to explain what they observe in their world. The ancient Egyptians interpreted every occurrence in terms of the relationship between natural and supernatural forces. Those phenomena that figured prominently in their lives included the annual cycle of the Nile River's flood (or inundation), the enormous size and unchanging harshness of the surrounding desert, and the daily cycle of the sun's appearance in the east, gradual movement across the sky, and eventual disappearance in the west. The ancient Egyptians developed a world view in which these and other events and conditions were attributed to the actions of multiple, related gods and goddesses.

Creation Beliefs

Ancient Egyptian ideas about the creation of the world offer particularly valuable insights into the way these orderly, agricultural people viewed themselves and their land. Several versions of the creation myth exist, and each evokes images of the Nile River's inundation cycle and the growth of bountiful crops on the silt left behind by receding floodwaters.

According to one widely accepted creation myth, eight deities dwelled among the darkness and disorder of a great watery void before the world existed. The water was personified by the god Nun, and the creation of the world began when an earthen mound arose from him. Atum or in one version Re, the sun god, rose from this mound. In another version of creation, a lotus arose from the waters of Nun, and Atum appeared from within the lotus. Atum, from within himself, brought forth the deities who represented air (Shu) and moisture (Tefnet); then Tefnet gave birth to the sky (Nut) and the earth (Geb). Humans were often believed to be the products of Atum's or Re's tears.

View of the World

The ancient Egyptians imagined the world to be a far different place from what we now know it to be. They believed the earth was a flat platter of clay afloat on a vast sea of water from which the Nile River sprung. In this fundamental description of the world, the forces of nature were identified as divine descendants of the creator god. The Nile River, for example, was represented by the god Hapy.

The Nile Valley's stable and predictable natural cycles aided in the development of the Egyptian civilization. The river's annual inundation of its floodplain brought fertility to the land through water and silt; the region's perpetual sun promoted bountiful harvests; and the dryness of the climate provided ideal conditions for the safe storage of surplus crops. Because the very structure of the ancient Egyptians' civilization depended upon the continued predictability of their environment, they looked to their gods to perpetuate the status quo.

Of all the deities, the goddess Maat was the most important in perpetuating the status quo. The Egyptians believed that when the gods formed the land of Egypt out of chaos, Maat was created to embody truth, justice, and the basic orderly arrangement of the world. Maat personified the perfect state of the god-created world, and all that people had to do in order to live and prosper in the world was to honor and preserve Maat. On a national level, it was the king's responsibility to preserve Maat through daily offerings given at the temples. On an individual level, the goal of every Egyptian was to lead a honorable life that would allow entrance into the afterlife after death.

Gods and Goddesses

When we try to make some sense out of the many Egyptian gods and goddesses, we must keep two important facts in mind, First, early in Egyptian history Lower (north) and Upper (south) Egypt were unified under one ruler. This union resulted in the merging of several cultural traditions. Second, because ancient Egyptian civilization existed for more than three thousand years, the deities and myths gradually changed over time as a result of new ideas, contact with other peoples, and changing cultural values.

One of the best-known legends in Egyptian mythology, that of the god Osiris, revolves around a deity who at one time may have been a local ruler in the Nile River's delta. Originally he was a god associated with the city of Busiris in the Delta and is an example of a regional god who gained countrywide acceptance.

According to the myth, Osiris was the king of Egypt who was killed by his jealous brother Seth. This evil brother then cut up Osiris' body and scattered the parts throughout Egypt. Osiris had a faithful wife Isis who, along with her sister Nephthys, gathered the pieces together. Using her magical abilities, Isis put the pieces back together, but Osiris could never again live like the other gods. He, therefore, reigned as lord of the underworld, while his son, Horus, became the ruler of Egypt (see below). Osiris is represented as a mummified king.

Because the legend told of Osiris' death and rebirth, the Egyptians honored him as the god of the dead. He is depicted as a mummy holding the crook and flail, the insignia of kingship. During the Old Kingdom (ca. 2750-2250 B.C.), he became associated with the deceased pharaoh in the afterlife. During the Middle Kingdom (ca. 2025-1627/1606 B.C.), when many of the funerary rituals became available to much of the population, all individuals became associated with Osiris upon their deaths.

Horus, the falcon-headed son of Osiris and Isis, is the hero of a legend related to the Osiris myth. The focus of this legend is on a battle between Horus and his uncle Seth for the throne of Egypt. This battle was very intense because Horus also wanted to avenge his father's murder. Horus eventually defeated Seth and became the ruler of Egypt (the kings of Egypt were considered to be Horus on earth). During the course of the battle, however, Seth tore out and broke Horus' eye by smashing it on the ground. Another god, Thoth, picked up the eye and restored it.