Research - Ancient Egyptian Mythology

Egyptian mythology is the collection of legends from ancient Egypt's history, which describe the actions of the Egyptian gods as a means of understanding the reality of the universe. Myth appears frequently in Egyptian writings and arts, particularly in stories and in religious material such as hymns, ritual texts, funerary texts, and temple decoration.
These sources rarely hold a complete account of a myth and often describe only small fragments. This lack of narrative in myth-related writings has prompted a debate among scholars about whether cohesive myths existed in ancient Egyptian culture.

Inspired by the cycles of nature, the Egyptians saw time in the present as a series of patterns, where the earliest periods of time were linear. Myths are set in these earliest of times, and myths set the pattern for the cycles of the present. Current events repeat the events of myth, and in doing so renew maat, the fundamental order of the cosmos.
The most important episodes from the mythic past are the creation myths, in which the gods form the universe out of primordial chaos; the stories of the reign of the sun god Ra upon the earth; and the Myth of Osiris and Isis, concerning the struggles of the gods Osiris, Isis, and Horus against the disruptive god Set. Events from the present that might be regarded as myths include Ra's daily journey through the world and its otherworldly counterpart, the Duat.
Recurring themes in these mythic episodes include the conflict between the upholders of maat and the forces of disorder, the importance of the pharaoh in upholding maat, and the death of the gods.

Details of these events differ greatly from one text to another and often seem to contradict each other. All Egyptian myths, however, are meant originally as symbols, expressing the behavior and essence of each of the deities in metaphorical terms. Each variant of a myth represents a somewhat different symbolic perspective to the story, enriching the Egyptians' understanding of the gods and the world through these Myths.

Mythology profoundly influenced Egyptian culture. It formed much of the basis for ancient Egyptian religion, inspiring or influencing many of its rituals and providing the ideological basis for kingship. Scenes and symbols from myth appeared in art in tombs, temples, and amulets. In literature, myths or elements of them were used in stories that range from humor to allegory, demonstrating mythology's prevalence and versatility in Egyptian tradition.