Introduction:
Lasting for at least 3,500 years, Egyptian beliefs and religion is much like that of the Greeks. It is one of the oldest mythological systems that has ever existed. The Egyptians found many objects worthy of worship, including celestial bodies such as the sun, moon, and stars. They also honored animals and kings, and even birth and death. Pharaohs were believed to have descended from the gods, and the animal most worshiped by the Egyptians would have to be the cat. There are many, many gods or goddesses associated with Egyptian mythology. Some are shown having animal heads, and human bodies, and others had fully human characteristics. Having more than one shape or appearance, the gods usually had more than one name, too. Egyptian myths today may be very different from when they were originally created due to the fact that the ancient Egyptians never recorded any of these myths, and as a result, they have been stretched and exaggerated and changed from their original versions.
Egyptian Gods:Egyptian Name (Greek Name)
PHARAOHS – Egyptian leaders, or kings, who were worshiped as gods, and looked upon as being the god’s own descendents. Which god they were supposedly associated with depended on the period of time.
There are many, many other gods, but very little is known about them. It would be nearly impossible for one to write information on every Egyptian god that ever existed. Many animals were just as sacred as the certain gods themselves, and as it has been portrayed, many, if not all of the gods, have some sort of animal form. Some of he most cherished animals, other than the greatly worshiped cat and dog, include the bull, crocodile, ram, and the bird.
THE CREATIONIn the beginning, there was nothing except the ancient ocean of chaos, and this sea contained the makings to create anything that was to come. Ra, the sun god, first emerged from the sea and gave birth to Shu and Tefnut. These two children then gave birth to Geb and Nut, and therefore all the physical aspects of the universe were completed. Ra's tears created man, and as years passed and this god of sun grew old and frail, man revolted and turned against him. Anger intensified in Ra, and he decided to discuss matters with the other gods. They then decided to destroy all of mankind, and Ra assigned Hathor with this task. Hathor was very successful, and nearly wiped out the entire human race, but then Ra yielded, and retreated into the heavens, leaving Shu in his position. At this point, the present world was created.
Geb and Nut then married, against the orders of Ra. Shu was ordered to separate them, and although he defeated Geb, he was too late, for Nut was pregnant. Ra, however, had announced that she could not give birth in any month of the year. Due to this dilemma, the god of learning, Thoth, gambled with the moon for more light, and won five extra days, which were added to the original Egyptian calendar of only 360 days. Nut gave birth to Osiris, Horus, Set, Isis, and Nephthys on these days. Osiris was the example of good, while Set became the exact opposite and was evil. In this way, the two extremities of moral actions were finally completed.
THE STORY OF OSIRISOsiris was the son of Geb and Nut, and eventually took over the throne of his father, and then married his sister, Isis. He taught the Egyptian people how to make their own food through farming, and other ways, and turned them away from their originally cannibalistic nature. Everyone was happy and peaceful under his control. However, Osiris' brother, Set, loathed and envied him, and intended to kill him. While Osiris was away trying to accomplish civilization in other areas of the world, Set was plotting. Upon his brother's return home, Set announced a banquet. At this feast, Set brought out a beautiful chest, and said it would belong to whoever fit most properly into it. Everyone tried, and when it was Osiris' turn, the king jumped in, only to realize that his brother had deceived him. The lid was slammed shut, Osiris suffocated, and he was thrown into the river. Set was therefore made king. Isis then wandered in grief, and she discovered where the chest had traveled. With the help of Nephthys and magic, she was able to conceive a child with Osiris. This child was Horus the hawk, and he was raised in seclusion due to the ever-present fear of Set. When Set discovered Horus' existence and Isis' possession of her husband's corpse, he set out to, yet again, cause problems. Set therefore found Osiris' body, cut it into fourteen pieces and threw them into the river. Isis was distraught, but able to recover thirteen of the pieces. Horus had the power to put these remaining pieces together, and he then put together an army and went off to fight Set. After three days of combat, Set was defeated, and was handed over to Isis to be watched over. Set used persuasion, and was set free. Upon Horus' return home, he was infuriated by the release of his enemy, and cut his mother's head off. Isis then received the head of Hathor, the cow-goddess, from Thoth and was brought back to life. Isis and Horus fought Set once more, and finally defeated him by throwing him into the Red Sea for all of eternity. They returned home, and were able to revive Osiris into a god-like existence, and he was sent into heaven. He then became the god who judged all of the souls who were attempting to enter the underworld. Accepted as the king, Horus therefore took the throne as it was wanted of him. Egypt then grew great and prosperous, and Horus fathered four pure sons, from which every Egyptian Pharaoh, from that day forward, was said to be in some relation to them.