1. Egyptian Mythology: A Quick Overview Mr. Upchurch’s Mythology 101 Lectures Series 5 An Overview & Background Lecture

2. Egyptian? From Egypt ☺ This environment was SUPER influential to their mythological beliefs. You could literally have one foot on the extremely fertile soil of the Nile on one on in the barren desert. Thoughts of life and death and their interconnectedness were central.

4. Maat (Ma’at, Mayet) EGYPTIAN MORAL CODE/BALANCING FORCE Stemming from realization of the fine- line between life and death A concept personified by a goddess…

5. Maat the Goddess The Personification of Truth, Justice, and Cosmic Order Daughter of Re (or Sun God) Emerging with him from Chaos Helped guide the sun and the daily “resurrection” ritual Had a giant ostrich feather that she wore on her head

6. Afterlife Judgment “the deceased was brought into the great hall of judgment, before Osiris, accompanied by Isis and Nephthys and forty-two other gods.... The dead person would attest to having lived a just life.” -- Kenneth Davis

7. Afterlife Judgment Heart was weighed against the goddess’ feather on a scale Heart=all a person was Pure heart=to feather Evil heart=heavier destroyed and eaten by the demon Ammut. Initially, this was only for royalty. This changed later.

8. Maat the Concept The rituals that ensured cosmic balance The opposite of Maat was Isfet (chaos) Regulated the way the Pharaoh ruled, and the common people lived. Pharaohs: building temples, making offerings to the gods, keeping enemies at bay, and making honest decisions. Common People: It was considered a crime against Ma’at if a person practiced jealousy, dishonesty, gluttony, laziness, injustice, and ungratefulness

9. Kingdoms? Egyptian History can be divided into 3 major time periods: Old, Middle, and New Kingdoms These are interrupted sporadically by stretches of social upheaval or foreign rule known as “intermediate periods.” The beliefs of the kingdoms directly effected the mythology of the respective culture (but we will not delve too deeply into this distinction in this overview).

10. Old Kingdom Pyramid Age (approx. 2686-2160 BC) Kings/Pharaohs deified Absolute power—both king & high priest Only he would spend eternity with the gods, continuing to maintain “Maat”. Complete union of religion and government

11. Middle Kingdom After 1st intermediate period Approx. 2055–1650 BC Egypt began to trade with Syria and the advance Minoan civilization from Crete Golden Age/“Renaissance” art, architecture, and religion reach new heights.

12. New Kingdom New succession of powerful kings Possibly began using the term Pharaoh? 1150-1295 BC Egypt became the world’s greatest power Also, possibly around this time, wealthy, non-royal people could buy their way into the afterlife.

13. Burial Literature There is no anthology of Egyptian beliefs or mythology Nonetheless, they wrote…on everything We get much of our information from their tombs. These are the primary burial texts: Pyramid Texts Coffin Texts Book of Dead

14. Pyramid Texts Some of oldest known religious writings Sometimes called “spells” “how-to” manuals/travel guides to the afterlife They sometimes warned of dangers and included the correct dialogues with gatekeepers and governing deities. They were like a “cheat sheet” of answers to questions that would vouch for the legitimacy and purity of, specifically, a king and his right to be heir of the gods.

15. Coffin Texts Ornate coffins developed from an obsession with proper preparation for the afterlife. The texts were then written on the coffins. Used by both common people and royalty Very similar in content to pyramid texts

16. Book of Dead Best known From the New Kingdom era 200 “spells” for afterlife happiness The Ultimate “How to Achieve Maat” Guide In later years, wealthy Egyptians could purchase a personal papyrus copy to be buried with.

17. Creation Account See Video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uTy49 JlgJZE Approximately 8 variants

18. Gods and Goddesses Could be regional, like Celtic, but were commonly fused. We’ll try and focus on the 9 most significant (with a quick reference to others) The Great Ennead The 9 most influential 3 was a number of perfection, power, and/or balance 3x3=9

19. The Great Ennead (almost always in pairs) Atum (Re, Ra Atum-Ra, Ra-Atum) Shu Tefnut Geb Nut Osiris Isis Set Nephthys

21. He is all powerful and gave birth(?) to them. They were married and gave birth to them. They were born intertwined and married, but were forced to separate. Before or after their separation, they produced these four kids.

22. Atum (Re, Ra Atum-Ra, Ra-Atum) All powerful, central god Symbolically died and came back every day (was swallowed by Nut) “This… is the focal point of all Egyptian belief. The sun’s daily birth and death symbolized the eternal cycle of life and death. For Egyptians, life and death and the role of the sun as life-giver were all tied together in the regular cycle of the flooding of the Nile, which brought the fertility to the soil and the harvest that sustained Egypt. It carried over into the Egyptians’ core belief that humans could also live, die, and be reborn.” – Kenneth Davis

23. Spit out his children Shu and Tefnut (twins that later married) Nightly journey represented a journey through Duat (the underworld)

24. Ra/Re (variant of Atum) Later myths re-create Atum as Ra. Man was created from his tears Old Kingdom: Re-Horus (morning sun) Re-Atum (evening sun) Middle/New Kingdom: Amun-Re Father of the Pharaoh

25. Shu & Tefnut Children of Atum/Re (Sneezed out) Shu (brother) & Tefnut (sister) are paired together. They represent that Egyptian concept of life and death in balance. Shu= dry air & preservation. Tefnut=moist/corrosive air & change. Shu is often depicted in his role of separating Nut and Geb. Tefnut was depicted as lion-faced woman with a disk hat circled by two cobras.

28. Geb Earth god Weird, because the earth god is almost always female Brother-Husband of Nut Thus father of Osiris, Isis, Seth and Nephthys Guided the dead to heaven and he gave them meat and drink. He was married to his sister, but also had forced relations with his mother (Tefnut). Neither of which were punishable. He was honored as a great king.

29. Either depicted famously in his separation from Nut (he’s on the ground) or as a man wearing a crown…that sometimes has a goose on it. The goose was his symbol because he is called the “Great Cackler”. His laughs caused earthquakes.

31. Nut Sister-wife of Geb (earth) Sky Goddess (cover in stars that were the spirits of the dead) Laughter= Thunder/ Tears=Rain Almost always in arched position Sometimes portrayed as a woman with a vase of water on her head Mother of all gods Played a role in the sun god’s passage from morning to night She gave birth to him in the morning and swallowed him at night

33. Osiris Oldest son of Geb and Nut God of Fertility, Death, and Resurrection Originally a god of vegetation Credited with bringing plants and seasons to the earth, teaching humans farm, abolishing cannibalism, and creating civilization. One of the most significant and famous 2 nd only to Atum/Re Later became the judge of the dead—a crucial part of society.

34. Followed Geb as ruler of Egypt Civilized Egypt with sister-wife—So he decided to do the same for the world, & left Isis in charge while he left to do this. Isis ruled wisely in his place Set plotted to kill Osiris Set invited Osiris to attend a banquet At the banquet was an Osiris- sized, carved, wooden chest that Set had made Cinderella scenario—Whoever fits gets the box as a prize. Osiris fit… but Set nailed him inside, sealed it with molten lead, and threw it into the river

35. He died, and the box drifted into the sea… landing under a tree. Eventually the tree grew around, and encompassed the box (and dead body) When the tree was cut down, it became famous for its great smell Isis was so upset by his death that she literally cried a river… The Nile Isis, Anubis, and Nephthys went looking for Osiris’ body Hearing about the tree… they were suspicious They found the box and hid it in a swamp When Isis open the box, she turned into a bird and flapped air into his lungs—bring him back to life.

36. Osiris lives only long enough to help in the conception of Horus Set finds out that his body has been buried in a tomb…and chops him into 14 pieces Isis is unsuccessful in her search for all of these pieces She finds 13 and buries them They became sites of major temples Osiris then becomes the god/lord of the dead He grants or denies permission to enter the afterlife. Though not as powerful, he is more popular than Ra/Atum. Because he came back to life, he serves as a motivation for the Egyptian people to strive for beating death. Thus the famous burial rituals.

37. Set takes over the throne after he “defeats” Osiris. When Horus grows up, however, he challenges and defeats Set. Thus many pharaohs take the name “Horus”.

40. Isis Twin-Sister-Wife of Osiris Also super significant Created the Nile with her tears (after Osiris died) Taught the Egyptians how to grind flour, spin, and weave Was a healer goddess who could cure illnesses Tricked this information out of Atum Introduced Marriage Widely worshipped as “The Great Mother” Mother, importantly, of Horus

41. …the beguiling Isis became the most significant goddess in the Egyptian pantheon—mother of god, healer, the powerful goddess with deep knowledge of magical arts…In one legend, Isis tricked the aging Re into confiding his secret names to her. Using magic to create a snake that bit Re, Isis healed the god only after he revealed all of these names to her. With this knowledge, Isis acquired unmatched skills in magic and healing. In Egyptian, her name is related to the word for “throne,” and she is often depicted in Egyptian art as a throne for the king. Kenneth Davis

43. Seth/Set Evil Storm god/ god of Choas Enemy of Osiris Originated as a desert deity Personified rage, anger, and violence Good Side?—He was charged with protecting Atum from Apep (evil dragon/serpent) in his nightly journey through Duat Most famous for his hatred toward his brother Osiris (the favorite child) He is a Set-Animal (unknown animal now) and man

45. Nephthys Fourth child of Geb and Nut Once marriage to Set (abandon him) Considered to be the female version of Set…the desert (thus early myths call her barren) Most known for being the Mother of Anubis by Osiris Both mother and son become important to funeral rites—she’s on the vital organ jars

47. Other Significant Gods/Goddesses Horus Anubis Ammut Bast Bes Taweret Hapy Hathor Mehet- Weret Sekhmet Serget Thoth Wepwawet

48. Horus Very famous Egyptian god. Known for being the Heir of Osiris and the representation of Egyptian rule/power Many Pharaohs took his name and were thought to be his physical manifestation He was often portrayed as a man with a falcon head The famous “Eye of Ra” is also called the “Eye of Horus”

52. Anubis Jackal-Headed son of Osiris and Nephthys Adopted by and faithful servant of Isis Wrapped Osiris’ body…making 1 st mummy Important in burial rituals Would place the heart and feather on the scales during judgment Would take those who passed to Osiris

55. Ammut Devourer of the Dead Goddess/demon Stood by the scales of judgment and eats failures No actual record of this happenings Represented by the three most feared animals in Egyptian mythology: head of crocodile, body of lion, and hindlegs of hippo.

59. Bast (Bastet) Daughter of Ra Catlike goddess of love, sexuality, and childbirth In her city, Bubastis, thousands of cats were mummified in her honor.

61. Bes & Taweret Often seen together Bes was an ugly but benevolent household dwarf god Taweret was goddess of childbirth Lucky but fearsome…a hippopotamus head, a lion’s limbs, the tail of a crocodile, a swollen human belly & breasts Scared away evil spirits

64. Hapy God of Nile Floods He keeps the land along the river fertile Male… but portrayed as a pregnant woman (signs of fertility) Very important feast day in his honor One ancient text describes 1,000 goats being sacrificed to him

66. Hathor Powerful/Complex goddess Protector of lovers and women (especially in childbirth) Connected to Ra (Wife and/or Daughter) Helped raise Horus, and aided him against Set Sometimes said to marry Horus Men aspired to be Osiris after death. Women aspired to be Hathor.

67. Three forms.. as a woman wearing a crown consisting of a cow's horns and a sun disk; as a woman with cow ears; and as a cow…or woman with cow head Two sides: Joyful, benevolent, and fertile (mostly the cow- side)…associated with Mehet-Weret the ancient sky/cow goddess who’s name means “great- flood” Vengeful: took on the form of the lion-goddess Sekhmet and tried to destroy humanity (this lion goddess is said to be very powerful and the one responsible for punishing the gods.

71. Thoth (or Djehuty) Originally a moon god… but known for his role in judgment He records the weighing of the scales Considered the inventor of writing Something he is said to have written the Book of Thoth… a magical book of spells. Appearance… man with head of an ibis (bird)… or as a baboon… or as the moon

73. Wepwawet Another funeral god Dog’s body and the head of a jackal His name means “the opener of ways.” He guides the dead person’s soul through the underworld and assists in the weighing of the heart.

75. Heroes There are no real heroes in Egyptian mythology just gods and kings.

76. Good and Evil Distinct, but in balance…thus a necessary co-existence.

77. Trickster Set

78. Nature and Animals They play a very prominent role (possibly more so than any other mythology) Many animals are worshipped & many deities are a combination of animals and/or humans (i.e. birds, cows, snakes, hippos, lions..etc.) Specifically, cats were highly worshipped. Remember Bast and the thousand cats that were mummified in her honor!

81. Fantastic Beasts Many of the gods and goddesses previously mentioned could be classified as fantastic beasts due to their animalistic characteristics. The most famous Egyptian Fantastic Beast, however, is the Sphinx.

82. Sphinx There are Egyptian and Greek versions of the Sphinx Egyptian were more frequently portrayed as male King/ram/hawk head, lion body Symbols of power Both were guardians Greek more frequently had female faces, eagle wings, and told riddles

89. Works Cited http://www.eyelid.co.uk/dynasty1.htm http://www.eyelid.co.uk/dynasty2.htm http://www.eyelid.co.uk/dynasty3.htm http://www.civilization.ca/civil/egypt/egcr09e.html http://www.civilization.ca/civil/egypt/egcr02e.html http://osiris.colorado.edu/LAB/GODS/index.html http://www.crystalinks.com/egypt2.html http://kiaoranz.tripod.com/ancientegypt/id4.html http://www.egyptianmyths.net/section-deities.htm http://www.ancientegypt.co.uk/gods/home.html http://www.reshafim.org.il/ad/egypt/egyptian_mythology.htm Davis, Kenneth C. (2009-12-10). Don't Know Much About Mythology (Kindle Location 1190). Harper Collins, Inc.. Kindle Edition. http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/353517/Maat/ http://www.aldokkan.com/pyramid_text/coffin_text.htm http://rosicrucian.org/publications/digest/digest1_2009/05_web/ws_05_francini/ws_05_francini.pdf http://www.greatdreams.com/nine/nine.htm http://www.touregypt.net/featurestories/set.htm