Ancient Egypt is a unique civilization that originated on the banks of the Nile. Interest in it does not disappear even now, since historians and researchers continue to be attracted by numerous secrets and mysteries, most of which are still not solved. The problem lies in the difficulty of decryption. To better understand the culture of the ancient civilization, scientists had to study and decipher thousands of ancient manuscripts, as well as inscriptions on tombs and sarcophagi.
Myths and legends of Ancient Egypt: how did it all originate?
It is reliably known that the mythology of Ancient Egypt was formed under the influence of religion. People tried to find answers to eternal questions: how does life originate and what becomes of a person after death? The worship of deities became the foundation for the emergence of myths. It is noteworthy that the afterlife was assigned a major role, and the Egyptians themselves paid more attention to it than to life. This also affected the local architecture - the legendary pyramids, which not only acted as tombs of rulers, but also carried a serious sacred and religious meaning.
This helped to learn and understand the myths of Ancient Egypt, where the deeds of good and evil deities were described.
Gods of Ancient Egypt: in whom did people believe?
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The Egyptians believed that the gods created the earth, sky, water and people, endowing them with feelings. It was the belief in supernatural powers that helped them create incredible architectural masterpieces. As for the myths and legends themselves, they were written on papyrus scrolls and carved on the walls inside the ritual structures. It was only in 1822 that the French explorer Jean-François Champollion managed to understand, decipher and read the Egyptian hieroglyphs.
The gods treated people differently. Some were cruel and awe-inspiring, while others protected and helped mere mortals. In total, there were about 700 deities, each of which had several names (up to five names). They were depicted as animals or humans with a head or other body part from an animal. For example, the ruler of the underworld Anubis was painted as a man with a dog's head.
The gods created the world and supported it in every possible way, but they did it on the condition that people would worship them. The ancient Egyptians felt vulnerable and defenseless before the Creators. Therefore, they tried to show their humility and devotion by building temples and other architectural masterpieces in honor of the patrons.
Creation of the world - the version of the ancient Egyptians
Millions of years ago, when our world did not yet exist, there was only an endless ocean of Chaos, in which the first deity, Atum, appeared. He created a hill, hoisted himself on it and decided to create a new world. The first God understands that he will not be able to manage everything alone, so he creates the wind god Shu and the water goddess Tefnut.
All this time, darkness reigns in the universe. Atum, despite his power, loses his children. Trying to find them, he pulls out his own eye and throws it into the depths of Chaos.
After a while, the eye returned with the children. It understands what has happened, is angry with the owner and, in the hope of revenge, turns into a cobra. Atum immediately grabs a poisonous reptile and hangs it on his head so that he sees all the charm of the created world. Note that this is where the tradition of the Egyptian pharaohs to wear ureus kites on the crown came from.
Atum admired his creation until he noticed a lotus emerging from the water. Ra, the sun god, emerged from the flower. He illuminated the gloomy world, noticed Atum and his children and burst into tears of happiness. Every tear that fell to the ground turned into a person.
Ancient Egyptian myths about Osiris
Legends about Osiris - a dying and resurrecting deity are considered the most important in Egyptian mythology. It is about the god who occupied the throne of the ruler of Egypt. People respected and worshiped him, because he gave them knowledge, taught crafts, instilled a love of culture and music.
Osiris worried not only about the inhabitants of Egypt, he traveled around the world, educating and helping mere mortals. When the ruler was absent, the country was ruled by his sister and wife Isis. She continued her husband's business, teaching people agriculture and viticulture.
He did not understand why Osiris loves and cares for people, secretly envious of his fame. Seth hid his dislike and anger for many years until he came up with a plan for revenge. Together with his assistants, he arranged a feast, where, of course, he invited his naive brother.
At the height of the celebration, Seth commanded to bring a luxurious sarcophagus chest made of sykimora, trimmed with silver and diamonds. He said that he would give it to anyone for whom the chest would fit. Osiris, not guessing about the evil intent of his brother, climbed into the sarcophagus, which turned out to be ideal for his height and build. The ruler of Egypt did not know that Set had conspired in advance with a servant who secretly took measurements from Osiris.
The conspirators instantly slammed the chest shut, hammered it in with nails, sealed it with hot metal and threw it into the sea. The wife of Osiris, having learned about the betrayal, immediately rushed off in search of her. She managed to find a chest far from Egypt - where the waves of the sea brought it. But Seth was faster and more cunning again. Before Isis arrived, he stole the body of Osiris, cut his brother into 42 pieces and scattered them throughout Egypt.
It took Isis years to put them together. The gods Thoth and Anubis embalmed the body, preparing it for funeral rituals. For a time Isis revived Osiris and conceived a child from him - Horus. All the myths of ancient Egypt about the gods say that Horus is embodied in all the pharaohs who rule the country. As for Osiris himself, he went to the afterlife, becoming his ruler.
Confrontation between Horus and Set - the battle of good and evil
The Egyptians believed that Horus was one of the representatives of the sun gods. In the drawings, he was represented as a man with a falcon's head, and the sun with open wings was considered his symbol. Despite his good heart, Horus from an early age vowed to brutally avenge his father. When he matured and prepared to fight Set for the throne, Osiris came to him from the underworld and asked two questions.
Mountains.
- What deed do you consider worthy? Osiris asked.
“Helping parents,” Horus blurted out without hesitation.
Then Osiris asked who is more useful - a horse or a fighting lion. Horus considered that from a horse, arguing that a lion is suitable for defense, and on a horse you can pursue an enemy. Osiris liked the answers, so he blessed his son to fight Set.
Note that in Ancient Egypt, Seth was called the patron saint of foreign invaders and criminals, the god of thunder and desert, burning out all living things. He was represented as a man with a donkey's head.
There are various myths and legends of Ancient Egypt, dedicated to how the confrontation between Set and Horus ended. According to one version, the warring parties were reconciled, which was facilitated by the wise god Geb. He divided the power: he appointed Horus the ruler of Lower Egypt, and Set - Upper.
According to another version, they waged an endless and irreconcilable struggle, which continued until the intervention of Ra himself. He was tired of this confrontation, so he called a tribunal where all the Gods of Egypt gathered. It was they who decided that Horus should rule Egypt.
Ra took Set in his boat, on which he floats across the sky during the day - from east to west, and at night - from west to east (in the afterlife of Osiris). Seth must always stand on the bow of the boat and hit the serpent Apop with his spear - the main enemy of Ra. The Egyptians believed that if the snake swallowed the boat, then a solar eclipse would occur.
Legends and myths of ancient Egypt about the afterlife
The Egyptians believed that only the earthly path of man ends with death. If you mummify and save the body, then it will rise, like Osiris, in the afterlife of Duat.
The myths describe in detail the route that each deceased person had to take. The rook sailed to the gates to the kingdom of Osiris. Moving from west to east, she passed twelve gates, which were guarded by terrible monsters. At the end of the path of the dead, the Hall of Two Truths awaited, where judgment was carried out by weighing their hearts. A terrible fate awaited the sinners - they were devoured by a monster with a lion's head, and the righteous went to the fields of Jaru, where they lived forever and happily.
