Book SummaryUncovering Egyptian Mythology, by Lucas Russo

1-Page Summary1-Page Book Summary of Uncovering Egyptian Mythology

The History and Civilization of Ancient Egypt

Ancient Egypt Spanned Millennia and Multiple Dynasties

Russo establishes the immense timespan of Egypt's civilization in antiquity, urging us to grasp its complexities over many centuries. The author aims to provide you with an understanding of how Egypt's society developed alongside its myths. Russo explains that ancient Egyptian mythology directly mirrors what people believed in their daily lives. To appreciate those myths, you must first come to terms with the society where they emerged.

Unification of Egypt Under Pharaoh Mena at the Start of the Dynastic Period

Russo explains that the unification of Egypt's southern and northern regions, around 3150 B.C.E, under Pharaoh Menes, marks the beginning of ancient Egyptian civilization's documented history. Ancient Egypt was divided by the Nile River, with Lower Egypt encompassing a region around the Nile Delta to the north, and Upper Egypt extending south, including the contemporary city of Aswan. Russo mentions the symbolism and diplomacy involved in those early times. Each kingdom had its own patron goddess, plant, and animal representation: Lower Egypt's was the bee, the goddess Wadjet (cobra), while Upper Egypt's was a plant and the goddess Nekhbet, a vulture.

Menes' successful unification of the two regions led to the widespread use of symbolic imagery representing the event—for instance, the pharaohs began wearing the Dual Crown, combining the white crown of Upper Egypt with the red crown of Lower Egypt. Once the regions unified, a new capital was founded in Memphis, marking the end of the predynastic period and the start of the Early Dynastic Period in which the First and Second Dynasties flourished. This period saw the development of many elements characteristic of later Egyptian culture. According to Russo, that's when the gods Set and Horus came into being, as well as the initial mastabas—step tombs that preceded the pyramids.

Context

• Artifacts such as the Narmer Palette and other inscriptions provide evidence of the unification, depicting the king wearing the crowns of both regions.
• The unification provides a chronological anchor for historians, allowing them to organize and interpret subsequent events and developments in Egyptian history.
• Aswan, located in Upper Egypt, was a strategic location due to its proximity to Nubia and its role as a gateway for trade and military expeditions.
• The plant symbol of Upper Egypt was the sedge, a type of papyrus plant. It represented the fertility and abundance of the region, crucial for agriculture and sustenance.
• Wadjet was an ancient Egyptian goddess often depicted as a cobra. She was considered a protector of the pharaohs and was associated with the Eye of Horus, symbolizing protection, royal power, and good health.
• Nekhbet was worshipped in temples and was often shown in art as spreading her wings over the pharaoh, symbolizing her protective nature.
• The adoption of the Dual Crown symbolized the establishment of a centralized government, which was essential for managing resources, trade, and defense across the vast territory of ancient Egypt.
• Memphis served as the administrative heart of ancient Egypt, where the pharaoh and his officials managed the affairs of the state. It was the seat of government and the location of the royal court.
• During the Predynastic Period, significant cultural advancements occurred, including the creation of pottery, the development of trade networks, and the emergence of social hierarchies. These laid the groundwork for the complex society that would emerge in the Dynastic Period.
• The unification under Menes and subsequent dynastic rule facilitated trade and economic expansion, with increased agricultural production and the establishment of trade routes with neighboring regions.
• Innovations in agriculture, such as irrigation techniques, allowed for more efficient farming along the Nile, supporting population growth and urbanization.
• Horus is typically represented as a falcon or a man with a falcon's head, symbolizing the sky and divine kingship. Set is often depicted as a mysterious animal, sometimes called the Set animal, with a curved snout and square ears.
• Mastabas are flat-roofed, rectangular structures with sloping sides, made from mudbricks or stone, serving as tombs for the elite in ancient Egypt.

Old Kingdom: The First Pyramids Built by Djoser and Khufu at Giza

Russo refers to the era from about 2700 to 2200 B.C.E. as "the Pyramid Age." It encompassed the Third through Sixth dynasties and saw the rise of some of ancient Egypt's most famous monuments. The ruler Djoser, from the Third Dynasty, commanded the construction of the initial pyramid in Saqqara near Giza. It differed from the later pyramids in structure, being a terraced pyramid, constructed from successive layers, decreasing in size, and forming steps.

Following Djoser's pyramid, Khufu (Cheops), a monarch from the Fourth Dynasty, commissioned the construction of the Great Pyramid in Giza. Russo remarks that the construction of the iconic Sphinx near the Giza pyramids occurred during Khufu's reign or possibly under his sons Djedefre or Khafre. Pepi II, the final ruler of that era, saw the decline of the sixth pharaonic line. Internal struggles and famines led to the First Intermediate Period (ca 2200-2040 B.C.E), during which Egypt was fractured, and numerous centers of regional power competed with each other, resulting in the destruction of many temples and palaces. In the end, Mentuhotep II, from the Eleventh Dynasty, reunited the Upper and Lower Egypt at the start of the Middle Kingdom.

Context

• This era coincided with the early development of writing and record-keeping in Egypt, which helped document the achievements and reigns of the pharaohs.
• Ongoing archaeological work continues to uncover new information about the construction and purpose of...

Uncovering Egyptian Mythology Summary The Creation Myths and Cosmological Beliefs

Egypt Had Multiple Creation Myths Centered Around Cities and Deities

Russo stresses the lack of one coherent creation myth in ancient Egypt and introduces you to four prominent ones: the myths of the cities of Heliopolis, Hermopolis, Memphis, and Thebes. They are all connected to a specific geographical location and a specific god who acts as a creator.

Heliopolitan Myth: Atum and His Family of Gods

The myth of Heliopolis describes the start of the universe as a place encompassed by primordial waters called Nun, represented by a group of minor deities who symbolize chaos. The author explains that a primeval mound named Benben arose from the waters, serving as a model for every pyramid and representing the ability of order to emerge from chaos.

On top of this mound, Ra, the solar deity, emerged from a lotus flower. Some versions of this myth conflate Ra and Atum, and it is said that Atum brought himself into being by speaking his own name. Atum then produced Shu (wind and air) and Tefnut (humidity and precipitation) by spitting or masturbating. Shu and Tefnut gave birth to Geb (earth) and Nut (sky), who, in turn, had four children: Osiris, Seth, Isis, and Nephthys....

Uncovering Egyptian Mythology Summary The Male Gods From Egypt's Past

Ra and Amun as Representations of the Sun's Aspects

Ra: Creator and Sun God, Battling Apophis Nightly

Russo introduces the god Ra as one of the most significant figures in Egyptian mythology, emphasizing the numerous forms the god took at various times and places in Egypt. Depending on his function, Ra could appear as Atum, Khepri, or even be partly conflated with Horus. He created human beings by shedding joyful tears for his lost children. Other times, he could be unforgiving and send Sekhmet, his daughter, to punish the humans for their transgressions against him.

The author explains Ra's cyclical journey across the heavens as a manifestation of the eternal cycle of birth and death. During the day, Ra would travel across the heavens in his solar vessel called Mandjet. Then, as the night came, he would board a different barque called Meseket and start his journey through the underworld, passing 12 gates, each watched over by a minor deity. Each gate represented an hour of nighttime. Russo likens Ra's journey through Duat to a descent into death.

During this voyage, Ra received assistance from other gods, including Set and Mehen, the serpent deity, and from his own...

Uncovering Egyptian Mythology Summary The Goddesses of Egypt's Past

Isis: Mother Goddess, Spouse of Osiris, Protector of Pharaohs

Russo describes Isis as possibly the most significant deity in the Egyptian religion. Her worship evolved over centuries, expanding even into the territories of the Greek and Roman civilizations. On one level, Isis was important for the Egyptians as a bereaved wife of Osiris. Her quest for her husband's remains and her commitment to resurrecting him struck a chord with anyone who experienced a personal tragedy or grieved a lost one, even if only an animal.

Russo points to Isis's protectiveness over her son Horus as also fueling her widespread popularity. Many of the tales involving Isis stress her role as a loving mother defending her child not only from the perils of the natural (and supernatural) world, but also from the aggression of Set. The deity even appealed to ordinary mortals for aid and used magic spells to cure Horus from ailments. Those very same spells were later documented in Egyptian records of medicine, also making Isis the goddess of medicine and childbirth.

All of this resulted in the elevation of Isis from a rather simple mother goddess to a universal goddess of life and death, order, the...

Uncovering Egyptian Mythology Summary Monstrous Beings and Mythical Figures in Egyptian Folklore

Ammit: Devourer and Judge of Souls

Ammit was the Devourer of the Dead, a hybrid being with a lioness's body, a crocodile's head, and a hippopotamus's hindquarters, signifying the greatest dangers associated with the natural world of Egypt. Ammit's role was to consume the hearts of the dead deemed unjust during the weighing ceremony in the underworld. Russo says that Ammit’s role differed from the devil or evil spirits in other traditions since she did not tempt people to sin. Instead, she embodied the fear of ultimate punishment for unethical behavior. Being eaten by her meant to perish forever and lose any chance of rebirth in the afterlife.

Practical Tips

• Use the concept of Ammit to reflect on personal habits by identifying and 'devouring' your own metaphorical 'dead'—unproductive or harmful habits. Create a journal where you list habits you want to eliminate and track your progress as you work to 'devour' them, much like Ammit did with the unworthy. This can be a powerful tool for self-improvement and personal growth.
• Develop a "heart balance" mobile app that allows users to track their daily decisions, categorizing them as just or unjust, and provides a...

Uncovering Egyptian Mythology Summary Mortal Figures and Historical Narratives in Myths of Egypt

Djoser and Imhotep, Deified Mortals; Imhotep Became a Healing God

Djoser, who led the Third Dynasty, was the first king of the Old Kingdom and initiated the construction of the earliest step pyramid during his reign, which, according to Russo, lasted for almost 30 years. His advisor, Imhotep, was likely the person who designed it. Few other details exist about Djoser's experiences.

However, Imhotep was deified after his death, which is a striking contrast to how little is understood about him as a mortal. His immense contribution to the construction of Djoser’s pyramid led later Egyptians to venerate him as a healing deity, even equating him to Thoth. The Greek people, when they came in contact with the Imhotep cult, equated him to their own healing god, Asclepius.

Russo lists all the myths that sprung up around Imhotep, stating that the deified vizier was purportedly Ptah's offspring, explained dreams, and brought an end to a famine. Some stories claim Imhotep manifested to heal people suffering from different conditions. Russo is doubtful that all of these accounts are accurate, but he states that Imhotep as he was must have achieved remarkable things to earn such...