Egyptian mythology

Maat represented as a divinity.

Egyptian mythology includes the study of beliefs based on the religion of Ancient Egypt from pre-dynastic times until the imposition of Christianity, when its practices were prohibited in the time of Justinian I, in the year 535.

Its development and influence lasted more than three thousand years, varying logically through time; therefore, an article or even a book can only summarize the multitude of entities and themes in this complex belief system. The varied Egyptian iconography is very different from the Greek or Roman: in Egyptian mythology many deities are represented with a human body, and heads of other animals.

History

The religious ideas of the ancient Egyptians had two phases:

• During the predystic period, they divinized those natural phenomena that were disconcerting them, or infusing fear, of those who did not know the reason of their proceeding; they associated these divinities with the characteristics of certain animals, and represented them with human form although conserving zoomorphic traits: the falcon in the god Horus, "the elevated", god of heaven; the Egyptian guard dog, They also attributed human concepts, such as the family relationship, so they formed triads composed of a god, his wife and his son, and also human passions for which they were worshipped giving offerings in the temples in exchange for requested favors, or received.

• Despite the grouping of the Egyptian peoples in the "Two Lands": the High and Lower Egypt, each of the noms (provinces) maintained its protective deities, which meant veneration to dozens of gods, which acquired greater or less relevance according to the importance of each city: in Heliopolis it worshiped Ra, in Thebes to Ammon, in Menfis to Ptah and Hator.

The priests of the main temples began to organize this multitude of gods and explain their relationships, the creation of the world, the flooding of the Nile, etc., devising and systematizing the beliefs in the so-called Heliopolitan, Theban, etc. theology, reflected in the Texts of the Pyramids, or the Book of the Dead, which were followed by the writing of other similar ones.

Geb, in the lower zone, with Shu and Nut.

His vision is based on his own country, fertile land next to a river and surrounded by a desert. Therefore the world for them was divided into three regions:

• Heaven, Nun, abode of the gods, whose heavenly goddess Nut, "The great that bore the gods," was represented as a woman with the arched body covering the whole earth.
• The Earth, abode of men, the House of Geb, the Creator God, represented as a man lying under Nut.
• The Beyond, or Duat, the realm of the dead, where Osiris ruled, and later Horus, space traveled in his solar boat through Ra during the night, and through which the spirits of the dead were passing through the dangers, whose god is Socar.

Genesis

Picture of Amon, in Karnak.

The main divinities were organized into five different groups:

• The Enéada de Heliópolis “The souls of Tot”: Atum, Shu, Tefnut, Nut, Geb, Isis, Osiris, Neftis and Seth; whose main god is Aton.
• The Ogdoada of Hermopolis: Nun, Nunet, Heh, Hehet, Kek, Kauket, Amon and Amonet; from where the god Ra arose.
• Elephantine triad: Jnum-Satis-Anuket (where Jnum is the primordial god).
• The The Thebes triad: Amon-Mut-Jonsu (where the main god is Amon).
• Menfis triad: Ptah-Sejmet-Nefertum (where Ptah was the main god; it is unusual that these gods were not related before this triad was formalized).

As the leaders of the various groups gained and lost influence, the dominant beliefs were transformed, combined and syncretized. Ra and the Aten became the Aten-Ra, with Ra's characteristics as dominant, and later Ra was in turn assimilated by Horus, as Ra-Horajti. After Ptah became Ptah-Seker, he was assimilated by Osiris, becoming Ptah-Seker-Osiris.

The same thing happened with the goddesses: Hathor was initially given the characteristics of other goddesses, but was ultimately assimilated with Isis. The malefic gods were amalgamated in the same way, under the name Seth, who was originally a hero but later received all the characteristics of the evil gods, in condemnation of being chosen as a patron god by the hated and brutal Hyksos foreign rulers who they seized power for a while.

During the time of Hellenic influence on Egypt, what lasted most vigorously was the triad: Osiris, Isis, and Horus; and his enemy Seth, as exemplified in the "Legend of Osiris and Isis". The triad had assimilated many of the earlier cults and deities, and each god was worshiped in his preferred place of worship: Osiris at Abydos, Isis at Dendera, and Horus at Edfu. Even at this stage, the fusion continued, with Osiris as an aspect of Horus (and vice versa), gradually moving towards monotheism. However, monotheism, or henotheism, had emerged earlier, fleetingly, in the 14th century BCE. C., when Akhenaten had tried to prioritize the cult of Aten, in the form of a solar disk, although it was later violently rejected by the clergy and the Egyptian people.

According to the Royal Canon of Turin, several gods ruled Egypt: Ptah, Ra, Shu, Geb, Osiris, Seth, Thot, Maat and Horus; each for immense periods, then the Shemsu Hor reigned for 13,420 years, before the first dynasty of pharaohs arose. Thus Menes's predecessors held the Egyptian throne for 36,620 years.

Main Egyptian Divinities

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  Ra

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  Amon

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  Isis

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  Osiris

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  Horus

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  Seth

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  Maat

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  Ptah

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  Thot

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  Anubis

Life after death

The initial belief in the immortality of gods and pharaohs, later extended to the rest of the Egyptians, meant that embalming and mummification were practiced, in order to preserve the integrity of the individual in the future life, according to the texts of mythology Egyptian. In addition, they believed that if a person was missing any part of his body, he would not go to the afterlife.

The spirit of the Egyptians

The ancient Egyptians believed that the human spirit was made up of the Ba, the Ka and the Aj.

The Egyptians believed that the spirit of the deceased was led by Anubis towards the place of judgment, in the "room of the two truths", and the heart of the dead, which was the symbol of morality of the deceased, it was weighed, in a scale, against a feather that represented the Maat, the concept of truth, harmony and universal order. If the result was favourable, the deceased is brought before Osiris in Aaru, however, Ammit, "the eater of hearts", who was represented as a mixture of a crocodile, a lion and a hippopotamus, destroyed those hearts whose sentence was negative, preventing his immortality.

The right words

The Book of the Dead was a series of 190 magical formulas, adapted to the particular circumstances of each individual, which were deposited next to the deceased, or engraved on the walls of the tomb to facilitate their journey through the Duat; it also contained the right words to use at his trial: the right words. One of the best examples of the Book of the Dead is the Ani Papyrus, created around 1240 BC. C., which in addition to texts contains many images of Ani and his wife on their journey through the world of the dead.

The Judges of the Duat

The 42 judges of the Duat are: Ahí, Am Khaibit, An Af, An Hetep ef, Arfi Em Khet, Ari Em Abef, Basty, Desem Besek, Desem Snef, Fenti, Hept Khet, Heref Haf, Her Uru, Hetch Abhu, Kenemti, Khemiu, Maa Antuf, Neb Abui, Neb Heru, Neb Maat, Neba, Nefertum, Neha Her, Nehebkau, Neheb Nefert, Nekhenu, Qerrti, Ruruti, Sekhriu, Sera Kheru, Sertiu, Set Qesu, Shet Kheru, Ta Retiu, Tcheser Tep, Tem Sepu, Tenemiu, Tutu, Uamenti, Uatch Rekhit, Usekh Nemmt and Utu Nesert.

The monotheistic period

Ajenaton and his family venerating Atón, in Ajetatón (Amarna).

A short interval of monotheism (Atonism) occurred under the reign of Akhenaten, focused on the Egyptian sun deity, Aten. Akhenaten outlawed the worship of other gods and built a new capital, Akhetaten (Amarna), around the temple for the Aten.

Religious change lasted only until the time of Tutankhamun, the son of Akhenaten and a secondary wife. As this change was very unpopular it was quickly outlawed. In fact, the erasure of the names of Akhenaten and Tutankhamen from the walls and from the royal lists is related to this radical religious change.

After the fall of the pharaoh of Amarna, the original Egyptian pantheon endured as the dominant faith, until the advent of Coptic Christianity and, later, the imposition of Islam, although the Egyptians continued to have relationships with other monotheistic cultures, such as the hebrews. Surprisingly, the Egyptian people hardly resisted the spread of Christianity, sometimes explained by stating that Jesus of Nazareth was originally a syncretism linked primarily to Horus, with Isis representing the Virgin Mary.

Henotheism and other theories

Some Egyptologists consider this cult closer to henotheism; several scholars, especially those with Judeo-Christian religious leanings, believe that it is incorrect to view this period as monotheistic, and indicate that the Egyptians did not worship the Aten, but the royal family as part of the pantheon of gods, who would receive their divine energy from Aten. Others believe that Moses and Akhenaten were the same character.

External influences

Egypt maintained relations with the inhabitants of Nubia, Libya and Canaan, the border, commercial or warlike peoples in various periods. He was also influenced by the Ptolemaic Greek rulers, who ruled Egypt for 300 years. Egypt was eventually incorporated into the Roman Empire, ruled initially by Rome and later from Constantinople, until the Arab conquest.

Hyksos period: 15th dynasty and 16th dynasty

After the collapse of the Middle Kingdom begins the so-called Second Intermediate Period of Egypt. During this time, in the Nile delta, the Hyksos rulers (Asian immigrants) emerged, dominating Egypt personally, or through vassal rulers (15th dynasty and 16th dynasty). It is the rise of the god Seth, later reviled after the expulsion of the Hyksos.

Libyan Period: Dynasty XXII to Dynasty XXIV

Egypt had long had ties to Libya. After the death of Ramses XI, the high priest of Amun Herihor, took control of Egypt until they were replaced (with no signs of obvious fighting) by the Libyan kings of the XXII dynasty. The first king of the new dynasty, Sheshonq I, served as a general under the rulers of the 21st dynasty. It is known that he appointed his own son to be high priest of Amun, an occupation that was previously a hereditary position.

Ptolemaic Period (304 to 30 B.C.)

It began with Ptolemy I Soter and ended with Cleopatra VII. Ptolemy I Soter "savior", founded the Ptolemaic dynasty, which would rule Egypt for about 300 years. The Ptolemies promoted the cult of Serapis, syncretic deity of Osiris and Apis. Several Ptolemaic kings adopted the Egyptian custom of marrying their sisters, and many ruled jointly with their wives. The last of the Ptolemies, the famous Cleopatra, was one of the few queens to rule Egypt.

Roman Period (30 BC to AD 639)

Egypt was incorporated into the Roman Empire and ruled first from Rome and later from Constantinople (until the Arab conquest). Christianity was introduced into the Jewish communities of Roman Egypt in the II century. At first he was vigorously persecuted by the Roman authorities, who feared religious discord more than anything else, in a country where religion had always been supreme. But it quickly gained adherents among the Jews of Alexandria. From these, it passed to the Greeks, and later to groups of Egyptians, who found its promises of personal salvation and its teachings on social equality satisfactory.

Theodosius ordered all pagan temples closed in the IV century. Only the distant temple of Isis in File remained open until the year 535, when Justinian I ordered it closed and imprisoned all its priests. This was the end of more than three thousand years of Egyptian religion.

Festivities of the ancient Egyptians

No people has had more religious ceremonies than the ancient Egyptians, since they not only chose all kinds of animals as objects of worship, but even vegetables in the gardens. Just as the Egyptians were the first to invent most of the pagan divinities known to the Greeks, they were also the first to establish the festivals celebrated in their honor, the pomp of their cult, the ceremonies, the oracles, etc.

The main festivals of this town, like those of the Persians and Indians, were established according to the marital seasons of the year: the most solemn, called "the festival of the Lamentations of Isis" or the disappearance (Death) of Osiris, began on the 17th of "athyr" or November 13, according to Plutarch:

This feast was consecrated to mourning and tears: towards the winter solstice was celebrated "the Search of Osiris" and on 1 "tybi" or 2 January the "taken of Isis" to Fenicia: a few days later the feast of the "Reappearance of Osiris" joined the shouts of joy of all Egypt to the pure joy of Osiris: the feast of the Simplies and the

Shortly before the new moon of "phamenoth" (March), the Egyptians solemnized the entrance of Osiris on the moon (luna-lunus, hermaphrodita), which was supposed to be fecundaba, so that at the same time fecundated to the earth; on the 30th of "epiphi" (24 July) the feast of the Birth of Horus, representative of Osiris was celebrated

Horus, son of Isis and Osiris, was the emblem of the season in which the Sun feeds everything, penetrating the atmosphere with its well-made heat; the battles of Typhoon and Horus marked the deadly qualities that at a certain station the air of Egypt was loaded, and that the benign influence of the Sun came to neutralize.

In addition to these general festivals throughout Egypt, there were local festivals, some of which attracted an immense concourse of population: such were the festivals of Bubastis in the city of this name; that of Neith or Minerva in Sais, called the festival of "Lighting Lamps"; that of the Sun in Heliopolis; that of Buto or Latona, in the city of this name; that of Mars in Paprenis, enumerated by Herodotus:

All the Egyptian feasts were celebrated on the new or full moon: that of the "Lámparas encendidas" is much like that of the "Faroles" which is still celebrated in China: it was that party to light around the houses a multitude of lamps full of oil and salt and let them burn all night. Who has not heard of the feasts that were celebrated throughout Egypt when a new ox Apis was born? The priests went out to find him with great pomp to lead him first to Heliopolis, where he remained forty days, and then to Menfis where his room was prepared: when he died, it was a day of mourning and a general funeral feast for all Egypt. This country owed the Nile such great fertility that it is not strange that the Egyptian superstitious made him a god: so they celebrated in their honor parties called "Niliacas".

In addition, the Nile was one of the ways in which they worshiped Osiris: on September 24, on the summer solstice, it was when it reached its highest point of beneficent flooding of this river, which then presented the spectacle of a smiling archipelago through which multitudes of boats crossed; September 24 was, therefore, a day of joy and one of the most solemn festivals in which the river dams were opened to the noise of universal acclamations and the shouts of joy from an immense crowd: the panther being thrown into the river it was an offering made to the god; these festivals lasted seven days, during which it was believed that the priests enjoyed a truce with the crocodiles and could bathe safely in the Nile.

Since the Ptolemies, mainly in Roman times, nothing equaled the brilliance and solemnity of the festivals of the god Serapis who dethroned, or at least erased the ancient divinities among the Egyptians, as Mithras had done among the Persians: Serapis was then the universal god of Egypt, and his worship tended to Christian unity in the same way as that of Mithras.

Temples

Hatshepsut Temple in Deir el-Bahari.

Many temples still stand, others are in ruins from erosion and vandalism; Unfortunately, quite a few have disappeared, being used as a source of materials for other constructions. Pharaoh Ramses II was a great promoter, restorer and, unfortunately, also a usurper of the temples of previous pharaohs.

The most important temples are in the current locations:

• Deir el-Bahari: set of temples of Mentuhotep II (XI), Hatshepsut and Tutmosis III (XVIII). The Hatshepsut funerary complex, with large staggered courtyards and columned structure of great harmony (built about a thousand years before the famous Parthenon of Athens, one of the most beautiful architectural works)
• Karnak: temple complex, extended for five hundred years, in Thebes, the capital of ancient Egypt from the Middle Empire.
• Luxor: initiated by Amenhotep III and expanded by Ramses II, was the ceremonial center of the Opet festival.
• Abu Simbel: two great temples (spees) of Ramses II, south of Egypt, on the western shore of the Nile River.
• Abidos: temples of Sethy I and Ramses II. Place of veneration of the first Pharaohs, with a large funeral complex.
• The Ramesseum, the memorial temple of Ramses II, next to the Tebana necropolis; the main building was dedicated to funeral worship.
• Medinet Habu: memorial temple of Ramses III. Complex of temples dated from the New Empire.
• Edfu: Ptolemaic temple located between Aswan and Luxor.
• Dendera: temple complex. The main building is the temple of Hathor.
• Kom Ombo: temple of the region that controlled the trade routes from Nubia to Upper Egypt.
• File Island: Isis (Ast) temple, built in the Ptolemaic era.