Egyptian Myths. From Pyramids and Pharaohs to Anubis and the Book of the Dead

The ancient Egyptian civilization left behind so many mysteries that the land of the pyramids is still perceived as a place full of wonders, where myth and reality merged into one. This is a land where the god Ra floated across the sky daily in his solar boat, and with every sprout, Osiris awakened. The book in pocket format is about Egyptian mythology and how the inhabitants of the Nile Valley explained the world around them.

Dr. Gary Shaw invites you to get to know not only the gods but also the people of Ancient Egypt - to understand how they saw the world and their place in it. You will learn who was the Nameless One for the Egyptians, what to do in the afterlife, how to apply magic in everyday life, and why the end of the world is not so frightening.

The author discusses the creation and evolution of the universe and the reign of gods on earth, introduces us to the manifestations of Egyptian deities in nature, and the inventive ways Egyptians communicated with the omnipresent invisible forces, along with their beliefs about life after death.

From stars and celestial bodies sailing on boats to the wind directed by the god Shu - Egyptians saw divine manifestations everywhere. Gods and goddesses, spirits, and demons could be wicked or helpful, wise or dangerous. The book tells of the adventures of the most famous deities such as Ra, Osiris, Isis, Horus, and Set, as well as lesser-known yet equally captivating myths.

Who this book is for
For lovers of history, mythology, and their place in modernity. For anyone who wants to immerse themselves in the lives of ancient peoples.

From the author
What was before me? What is happening around me? What will happen to me after death? Like us, the ancient Egyptians tried to unravel the mysteries of existence; like us, they proposed hypotheses by observing the surrounding world. What we now call Ancient Egyptian mythology arose from such observations and reflections; over time, they formed a unique picture of the universe.

Mythology is not just a collection of stories about gods and heroes; it is a way to conceptualize the ordering of the world. Every morning, a huge glowing sphere rises over the horizon; all day it rolls across the sky, and then sinks in the west. What is this sphere?

From their hypotheses and theories, an original picture of the world was born, from which a special perception of reality was formed; myth became the backbone of society, a network of cultural representations imposed upon indifferent nature. Infused with internal logic, life gained meaning; chaos was replaced by order; helplessness was replaced by confidence; knowledge expelled ignorance. The world, with its harsh sandstorms and deadly scorpions, became somewhat less terrifying.