ANCIENT EGYPT: MYTHOLOGY AND RELIGION TO WRITING?

ANCIENT EGYPT: MYTHOLOGY AND
RELIGION TO WRITING?
ORIGINS OF EGYPTIAN HIEROGLYPHICS
The earliest known examples of writing in Egypt
have been dated to 3400 BC
 The ancient Egyptians believed that writing was
invented by the god Thoth
 The ancient Egyptians called their hieroglyphic
script “mdju netjr” or “word of the gods”

CHRONOLOGY

Timeline
 Early
dynasties I and II : 3400
3400-2980
2980 BC
 Old kingdom aka pyramid age, dynasties III to VI: 29802475 BC
 Middle Kingdom aka Feudal Age,
Age dynasties XI and XII:
2160 to 1788 BC
 The empire dynasties XVIII to XX: 1580 to 1150 BC
 Decadence Dynasties XX to XXVL 1150 to 660 BC
 Restoration Dynasty XXVI 663-525 BC
 Persian conquest 525 BC
 Greek Conquest 332 BC
 Roman Conquest 30 BC
NATURE OF EGYPTIAN RELIGION
MYTHOLOGY
NATURE
EGYPTIAN RELIGION
H
E
L
I
O
P
O
L
I
S
HELIOPOLITAN
CREATION MYTH
-The
The Great Ennead
-Beginning of time= Nu
A
T
U
M
-First god to appear from Nu
-Creator
C t off the
th World
W ld
-Mated with Shadow to
create Shu and Tefnut
SHU AND TEFNUT
Tefnut
-Goddess of rain and
moisture
-Represented
p
the p
principle
p of
order
*Exemplified the
Shu
-Patron of dry air
-Creator of wind
Egyptian
society’s belief of
nature’s intrinsic
link to the
actions of the
Gods.
GEB AND NUT
Children of
Shu and Tefnut
G b Earth
Geb:
E h
Nut: Skyy

OSIRIS



God of
F tilit God
Fertility,
G d
of Agriculture,
God of the
Underworld,
Kingg of the
Dead
Life//Death//
//
//
Rebirth
Tricked and
killed by his
brother Seth
ISIS




Wife of Osiris
Recovered his body
R
Recovered
d his
hi pieces
i
again
i after
ft S
Seth
th
scattered them across Egypt
Preserved her husband’s body parts
with cloth wrapping
pp g
MYTHOLOGY MOVES TOWARDS RELIGION
Atum was first in line as the highest god, with
Osiris as second in line
 Amen was a figure similar to Atum in a different
creation myth. When Uast became state capitol
of Eg
Egypt
pt in the Middle Kingdom
Kingdom, Amen became
the state god, later combining with Ra (aka
Atum), to become Amen-Ra, king of the Gods.

HORUS
Son of Isis and Osiris
 Set out to avenge his
father’s death and
kill his uncle Seth
 Represented by a
bird

MA
MA’AT
AT- PRINCIPLE OF HARMONY AND BALANCE
Concept based on alleged goddess, Ma’at, who
stood for justice and harmony
 In charge of viziers and officials in the
government
 Offerings were made to her by pharaohs who
wished to instill peace and harmony

TAWARET
Aka the Great One
 Goddess known to look over
women during pregnancy and
childbirth
 Her amulet is said to have powers
of protection over families
 Head of a hippopotamus, arms
and legs of a lion,
lion tail of a
crocodile, breast and stomach of a
pregnant woman

GODS& ANIMALS?
A byproduct of a primitive branch of Egyptian
faith and religion
 Animals represent totems or emblems of
society?




Myths of creation were largely established by the end
of the Old Kingdom
Religious customs during Pre-dynastic
Pre dynastic and Early
Dynastic period
Painted pottery holds remains of religious shrines
TEXTS TO PRESERVE RELIGIOUS BELIEFS
Hieroglyphic texts, ivory tablets, cylinder seals
all succeeded in preserving examples of
religious shrines
 Rituals also helped preserve religious custom

Egyptian style of society progressed to a
developed theocratic system during the Old
Kingdom
 Religion and politics became very closely tied
 New royal family,
family new state god

RELIGION THROUGH THE SOCIETAL LADDER








- Wisdom Literature
interacting properly with people of all different rungs of
the social ladder
 living by the rule of rule of law
 pursuing a life of safety and in turn, success
Three main texts
-Instructions of Ptahotep
-Instructions to Kagemni
-Instructions
Instructions of Duauf
INSTRUCTIONS OF PTAHOTEP
Ptahotep
-vizier
vizier to King Isesi
-four parts to his teachings
“How to make achievements in the world”

INSTRUCTIONS TO KAGEMNI
Kagemnii
K
-son of King Huni, of the 3rd Dynasty
-instructed
i
d
*discretion of speech
* modification of behavior
*restraint of greed
Let your name go forth,

while your mouth is silent,
silent
when you are summoned
don’t boast of strength,
Among those your age
lest you be opposed,
one knows not
what may happen,
what God does when he punishes
INSTRUCTIONS TO DUAUF
Duauf: son of Khety; man of low birth
 Teachings for the son of Duauf, to guide him in
finding success as a scribe

CONCLUSION




Much of ancient Egyptian society was shaped by their
specific religion and culture, beliefs which originated from
their creation myths
Everything that people could not explain directly from their
own actions was attributed to the whims of the gods
It is unsure whether or not religion and mythology were the
specific driving forces for the creation of writing, however
there is much evidence to show that once created, writing
was quickly utilized to preserve religious shrines and legends
If not the main cause for creation, need to record religious
custom was definitelyy a catalyst
y for its p
progression
g
into new
forms.
SOURCES








http://www.love-egypt.com/animal-gods.html
http://unitedorder.org/maat.php
http://www.touregypt.net/godsofegypt/osiris.htm
http://www.egyptianmyths.net/shu.htm
Willis Roy G
Willis,
G. World Mythology.
Mythology New York: H
H. Holt,
Holt 1993.
1993 Print.
Print
http://www.philae.nu/akhet/history8.html
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d&pg PA3&dq ancient+egyptian+religion+history&ots yCbMUVMgu
d&pg=PA3&dq=ancient+egyptian+religion+history&ots=yCbMUVMgu
4&sig=g2SqG_NwZ7O4swZwhb1HDw1PDLU#v=onepage&q=ancient
%20egyptian%20religion%20history&f=false
htt //
http://www.mnsu.edu/emuseum/prehistory/egypt/religion/mytholog
d /
/ hi t / g t/ ligi / th l g
y.htm