Topic Archive

Myths about Egyptian Mythology

Explore myths connected by the recurring theme of Egyptian Mythology across cultures, characters, and sacred places.

82 myths currently featured for Egyptian Mythology.

Isis Fashioning a Venomous Snake from Ra's Own Spittle and the Earth

🏺 Egyptian MythologyHeliopolis (Cairo), EgyptIsis • Ra • The Ennead

The goddess Isis, seeking the ultimate power of the sun-god Ra, fashions a magical serpent from his own saliva and the dust of the earth. After the serpent bites Ra and causes him unbearable agony, Isis refuses to heal him until he reveals his secret, true name. Ra eventually yields, granting Isis the divine authority and magical supremacy she desired.

Isis Discovering Ra's True, Secret Name to Steal His Power

🏺 Egyptian MythologyHeliopolis, CairoRa • Isis • Horus

In the ancient city of Heliopolis, the goddess Isis sought to elevate her son Horus to the throne by obtaining the secret name of the sun god Ra. Knowing that Ra’s true name held the essence of his power, she used his own divine saliva to create a magical serpent that poisoned him. As Ra withered in pain, Isis offered a cure only in exchange for his hidden name, eventually forcing the king of...

Bastet Slicing Off Apep's Head with a Sun-Blade to Protect Ra

🏺 Egyptian MythologyBubastis (Tell Basta), EgyptBastet • Ra • Apep

The goddess Bastet, acting as the Eye of Ra and the fierce defender of the solar barque, confronts the chaos-serpent Apep during the sun's perilous journey through the underworld. Using a sacred blade forged of solar light, she decapitates the serpent to prevent it from swallowing the sun and plunging the world into eternal darkness. This myth represents the eternal triumph of Ma'at over Isfet.

Apep the Giant Chaos Serpent Attacking the Sun Boat Every Night

🏺 Egyptian MythologyValley of the Kings (Luxor), EgyptRa • Apep • Set

Each night, the sun god Ra journeys through the underworld in his celestial barque, where he must battle the serpent Apep, the embodiment of chaos. Apep attempts to swallow the sun and stall the solar boat to plunge existence back into the primeval void. Protected by powerful gods like Set and Mehen, Ra overcomes the serpent's hypnotic gaze and physical power, ensuring the triumph of Ma'at...

Shu and the Eight Heh Gods Supporting the Belly of the Great Celestial Cow

🏺 Egyptian MythologyHeliopolis (Cairo), EgyptShu • Nut • Geb

In the ancient Egyptian cosmogony of Heliopolis, the god of air, Shu, was commanded to separate his children, the earth god Geb and the sky goddess Nut, who remained in a constant embrace. By lifting Nut high above the world in the form of a Great Celestial Cow, Shu created the space necessary for life to exist, supported by eight Heh gods representing the infinite nature of the cosmos. This...

Ra Retiring to the Heavens on the Back of the Sky Cow Nut

🏺 Egyptian MythologyHeliopolis (Cairo), EgyptRa • Nut • Shu

As the sun god Ra aged, he faced a rebellion from humans who mocked his frailty, leading him to nearly destroy mankind using his 'Eye' in the form of Sekhmet. After sparing humanity with a clever trick involving red-dyed beer, a weary Ra decided to leave the earthly realm, ascending to the heavens on the back of the sky-goddess Nut in her form as a celestial cow. This myth explains the...

Sekhmet Drinking the Red Beer, Getting Drunk, and Turning Back into Docile Hathor

🏺 Egyptian MythologyMemphis (Mit Rahina), EgyptRa • Sekhmet • Hathor

In this foundational Egyptian myth, the aging sun god Ra sends his daughter, the Eye of Ra, to punish humanity for their rebellion. Transforming into the lioness Sekhmet, her bloodlust becomes so uncontrollable that she threatens to wipe out all life. To save humanity, Ra tricks her by flooding the land with seven thousand jars of red-dyed beer, which she mistakes for blood and drinks until...

Ra Taking Pity on Humanity and Ordering a Lake of Beer Dyed Red with Ochre

🏺 Egyptian MythologyElephantine (Aswan), EgyptRa • Sekhmet • Hathor

When the sun god Ra grew old and faced a human rebellion, he sent the goddess Sekhmet to punish the conspirators. However, her bloodlust became uncontrollable, threatening to wipe out all of mankind until Ra intervened with a clever ruse involving thousands of jars of beer dyed red. By tricking the goddess into drinking the beer, which she mistook for blood, Ra saved humanity and transformed...

Hathor Transforming into the Bloodthirsty Lioness Sekhmet

🏺 Egyptian MythologyMemphis (Mit Rahina), EgyptRa • Hathor • Sekhmet

When the sun god Ra becomes aged and human subjects plot against his rule, he sends his daughter Hathor to punish them. Transforming into the terrifying lioness Sekhmet, she begins a slaughter so vast it threatens to extinguish all life, forcing Ra to use a clever trick involving dyed beer to pacify her.

Ra Growing Old and Humans Rebelling Against His Rule

🏺 Egyptian MythologyHeliopolis (Cairo), EgyptRa • Atum • Sekhmet

As the sun god Ra grew physically frail with age, his human subjects plotted a rebellion against his divine authority in the deserts. Ra responded by unleashing the terrifying lioness Sekhmet to punish them, but he eventually used a clever ruse involving red-dyed beer to save humanity from total extinction.