EGYPTIAN'S

MYTHS AND LEGENDS

What is a Myth?
 A Myth is a traditional or cultural
story that typically explains the
beliefs, customs, or natural
phenomena of a society. Myths
often involve gods, supernatural
beings, or legendary heroes and are
passed down orally or through
written texts.
 They can serve various purposes, such as
explaining the creation of the world,
teaching moral lessons, or providing a sense
of identity and cultural continuity. Myths
are not necessarily based on historical
events but are significant for the insights
they offer into a culture's values, beliefs,
and worldview.
 When we talk about Egyptian mythology,
one of the first things that often comes to
mind is the pantheon of ancient Egyptian
gods and goddesses. These deities played a
central role in Egyptian mythology and
religion, with well-known figures like Ra, the
sun god; Isis, the goddess of magic and
motherhood; Osiris, the god of the afterlife;
and Anubis, the god of embalming and the
dead.
 The Egyptian mythology also includes
stories about the creation of the world,
the journey of the soul after death, and
the interactions between gods and
mortals, all of which are fascinating
aspects of this rich and enduring
mythological tradition.
 Famous Literary Pieces
1. The Book Of The Dead

2. The Myth Of Osiris and Isis

3. The Myth Of Anubis And The Weighting
Of The Heart
The Book Of The Dead
The "Book of the Dead" was not written
by a single author; instead, it is a
compilation of religious and funerary texts
that evolved over time in ancient Egypt.
These texts were created by various priests,
scribes, and scholars over centuries. The
Book of the Dead is a collection of spells,
prayers, and instructions.
 These texts were often written
on papyrus scrolls and placed in
tombs to assist the deceased in
their journey to the Egyptian
underworld and beyond.
It served as a bridge between the
earthly existence and the afterlife,
offering guidance and protection to
the deceased and reflecting the
profound beliefs of the civilization
that produced it.
2. The Myth Of Osiris and Isis
The myth of Osiris and Isis, like many
ancient myths, does not have a single
identifiable author. Instead, it
developed over time through the
collective cultural and religious
traditions of ancient Egypt.
 Isis and Osiris: The Good Gods

Isis and Osiris are the good guys. Nebthet, their

sister, is also a good goddess. Their brother Seth,
however, is elementally evil. As the archetype of
the devil, he only tries to harm.

According to the myth, Isis and Osiris came down

to earth to civilize Egypt. After bringing civilization
to the people of the Nile Valley, Osiris leaves to
teach the rest of the world; thus, the diffusion of
civilization from Egypt to other lands is explained.
 While Osiris is away, Seth tries to do horrible
things to Egypt. Fortunately, Isis is very
powerful. The goddess of magic, She is even
called “She who knows all the names.”

What does that mean?

According to their culture, if you wanted to

work a magic spell against someone, you
would have to know the victim’s name, for
example, “May this happen to Marvin.” Now,
Isis knows everyone’s name.
 When an Egyptian child was born, they often had two
names. One was the real name that only his mother
knew; the other name was the name that everyone
else called you. If you are named Marvin but the family
calls you Harry, everyone knows you by Harry. If
someone tries to do an evil spell on you and says, “Oh,
may Harry break his leg,” it won’t work, because your
name is Marvin.

Isis, as “She who knows everyone’s name,” is

something of a hero. She keeps her evil brother Seth in
check, and nothing terrible happens to Egypt.
 Seth Plots to Murder Osiris

Osiris then returns, having civilized other countries.

Seth, however, lays a plan.

While Osiris is sleeping, Seth takes his brother’s exact

bodily measurements and builds a wooden chest to
those proportions. At a banquet, Seth says, “I’ll give a
wonderful prize to anyone who fits exactly into this
chest.” Guest after guest tries, but none of them quite
fit. It’s similar to Cinderella’s slipper.
 Finally, Osiris tries—and it fits him just
right. Seth is ready for this: He nails the
chest shut, pours molten lead on the
chest, and throws it into the Nile. There is
no contradiction involved in someone
being a god and dying. A god is greater
than man—but mortal, and so Osiris dies
in the chest.

But the myth doesn’t end there.

Osiris: The First Mummy

The Nile flows northward to the Mediterranean, and

the chest washes ashore at Byblos (modern Lebanon).
According to the myth, there is a huge storm that
blows the chest into the branches of a tree, which
grows to tremendous proportions, encompassing the
chest in its trunk.

The king of Byblos wants to build a palace, and he

needs large trees—cedars of Lebanon—for pillars. This
particular tree is cut down and incorporated into the
palace as a pillar, where Osiris is hidden.
 Isis, the devoted wife, sets out on a journey to
recover the body of her husband. Eventually, she finds
out where Osiris is, talks to the queen of Byblos, is
given a job as her handmaiden and explains that her
husband is in a pillar in the palace. The queen is
sympathetic, and the pillar is cut down. The chest is
taken out and Osiris is indeed dead. Isis then brings
the body back to Egypt for proper burial.

Seth, always scheming, finds the body and hacks it

into 14 pieces, which he scatters up and down the
Nile. Isis, wanting to give her husband a proper burial,
finds the pieces, aided by her sister Nebthet.
They find almost all of the pieces of Osiris, but the
phallus is missing. It was thrown into the Nile and
devoured by fish.

Isis reassembles Osiris, fashions an artificial phallus to

complete him, says magical words, and breathes life into
him. Osiris resurrects and he becomes the God of the
Dead. In this sense, Osiris is the first mummy.

Good Triumphs, Evil Remains

Following his resurrection, Isis and Osiris have a child,
Horus, who does battle with his evil uncle, Seth. There are
two important results from this battle.
 One is that Horus’s eye is taken out in the
battle, but it’s magically regenerated. Thus, good
triumphs.

The other important element is that Horus

defeats Seth—but doesn’t kill him.

This is an existential statement: Evil will always

be with us, and so we have to be vigilant to
continue to triumph over it.
Q: Who was Osiris killed by?

Q. Was Osiris cut into pieces?

Q. How did Isis and Osiris have children?

3. The Myth Of Anubis And The Weighting Of
The Heart

Is a significant part of Egyptian mythology. It involves

Anubis, the god of the afterlife, guiding the deceased
through the judgment process. The writer of this myth is
not known, as it has ancient origins and was likely passed
down through oral tradition before being recorded in
various texts.
Synopsis:

In ancient Egyptian mythology, after death, the

souls of the deceased embarked on a journey
through the afterlife. This journey led them to
the Hall of Ma'at, where judgment awaited.
Anubis, the god of mummification and the
afterlife, played a crucial role in this judgment
 The heart of the deceased, believed to contain
all their life's deeds and actions, was placed on
one side of a scale, while the feather of Ma'at,
symbolizing truth and justice, was placed on the
other. If the heart weighed less than the feather,
signifying a virtuous life, the soul could continue
its journey in the afterlife. However, if the heart
was heavier, indicating a life filled with
wrongdoing, the soul would be devoured by
Ammit, a fearsome creature, leading to its
annihilation.
 This myth emphasized the significance
of leading a just and righteous life in
Egyptian culture and the belief in a moral
judgment of one's actions in the afterlife,
with the heart serving as a symbolic
record of a person's morality.
What is a legend?
 A Legend is a traditional story or narrative that
has been handed down through generations,
often within a specific culture or community.
Legends typically involve extraordinary events,
heroes, or characters and often blur the line
between fact and fiction. Unlike myths, which are
often associated with gods and the supernatural,
legends usually focus on human or historical
figures and events.
 Legends can serve various purposes,
such as explaining the origins of customs
or landmarks, teaching moral lessons, or
celebrating the deeds of legendary
individuals. These stories are an integral
part of folklore and cultural heritage in
many societies.
When people hear the term "Egyptian legend,"
several iconic images and concepts often come
to mind:
1. Pharaoh and Pyramid
2. Gods and Goddesses
3. Cleopatra
4. Hieroglyphics
5. Mummies
6. The Nile River
7.Sphinx
8. Tombs and Treasures
 Famous Legend Pieces
1. The Legend of Ra and the Sun
2. The Legend of the Sphinx
3. The Tale of the Shipwrecked Sailor
1. The Legend of Ra and the Sun

like many ancient myths, does not have a

single identifiable author. Instead, it is a
product of oral tradition and evolved over
centuries within the ancient Egyptian culture.
These stories were passed down from
generation to generation, and different
versions of the myth may have existed in
various regions of Egypt.
 The legend of Ra and the Sun is a
central story in Egyptian mythology that
explains the daily journey of the sun
across the sky and its symbolism. It
revolves around Ra, the sun god, who is
often depicted as a powerful deity with
the head of a falcon and a sun disk on
his head.
According to the legend:

Creation of the Sun: In the beginning,

there was darkness and chaos. Ra
emerged from this chaos and created the
world. He was responsible for bringing
light and life to the universe.
Daily Journey: Ra embarked on a daily
journey across the sky, sailing in a boat
called the "Barque of Ra." During the
day, he would ride his boat from the
eastern horizon to the western horizon,
symbolizing the rising and setting of
the sun.
Night Journey: At night, Ra would
travel through the underworld, facing
challenges and battles against various
mythical creatures and adversaries.
This represented the perilous journey
of the sun through the darkness of
night.
 Symbolism: The legend of Ra and the Sun
holds deep symbolism. Ra's daily journey
represents the cycle of life, death, and
rebirth. The rising sun signifies the birth of
a new day and new opportunities, while
the setting sun symbolizes the end of one
phase and the transition to another.
Importance: Ra was not only the sun
god but also the creator of all things,
making him one of the most important
deities in Egyptian mythology. His
journey through the sky and the
underworld reflected the eternal order
and balance in the cosmos, a
fundamental concept in Egyptian belief.
2. The Legend of the Sphinx
like many ancient myths and legends, does
not have a known or attributed author.
Instead, it is a product of ancient Egyptian
culture and oral tradition. Stories about the
Sphinx, particularly the idea of it posing
riddles to travellers, were likely passed down
through generations verbally before being
recorded in written form.
The sphinx is a treacherous and merciless
being with the head of a woman, the
haunches of a lion, and the wings of a bird.
 One of the most famous legends
involving the Sphinx is the riddle of the
Sphinx. According to the myth, the Sphinx
guarded the entrance to the city of Thebes
and posed a riddle to anyone who wished
to enter. The riddle went something like
this:

"What has four legs in the morning, two legs

in the afternoon, and three legs in the
evening?"
 The answer to the riddle is a
metaphor for the stages of human
life: crawling as a baby, walking as
an adult, and using a cane in old
age. Oedipus, a legendary hero,
was able to solve this riddle, and in
doing so, he defeated the Sphinx
and gained entrance to Thebes.
Riddle: Some try to hide, some
try to cheat; but time will show, we
always will meet. Try as you might
to guess my name.

Answer:
Riddle: I’m alive, but without
breath; I’m as cold in life as in
death; I’m never thirsty, though I
always drink.

Answer:
Riddle: What can run, but
never walks; has a mouth, but
never talks; has a head, but never
weeps; has a bed, but never
sleeps?

Answer:
3. The Tale of the Shipwrecked Sailor

The Tale of the Shipwrecked Sailor" is

an ancient Egyptian story that revolves
around a sailor who is shipwrecked on an
island. Alone and stranded, he
encounters a giant serpent, or snake, who
initially appears threatening but later
becomes his ally.
 The sailor narrates his story,
emphasizing how he wisely speaks to
the serpent and treats it with respect.
In return, the serpent helps the sailor
by guiding him off the island and
ensuring his safe return home.
 The tale highlights the importance of
wisdom, diplomacy, and respectful
communication, even in the face of
danger. It's a classic example of
ancient Egyptian literature and
storytelling.
Thank you