An accessible introduction to the world of ancient Egyptian myth and legend

Which gods created the world according to the ancient Egyptians? How did they explain the sun’s movements and its disappearance at night? In what ways did mythology permeate their lives? And what did they believe happened in the afterlife? This handy guide to Egyptian mythology explores how the ancient Nile-dwellers explained the world around them.

The text delves into the origins of life, the creation and evolution of the world, and the reigns of the gods on earth, before introducing us to the manifestations of Egypt’s deities in the natural environment; the inventive ways in which the Egyptians dealt with the invisible forces all around them; and the trials and tribulations of the life hereafter.

Contents List

Preface • Intro • Part I: 1 Disorder and Creation; 2 The Reigns of Kings Re, Shu, and Geb; 3 The Reign of King Osiris; 4 The Reign of King Seth and the Triumph of Horus) • Part II: 5 The Mythic Environment; 6 Dealing with the Invisible in Daily Life; 7 The Trials of the Duat (A Guide); 8 Your Judgement and Life as an Akh) • Epilogue

About the Author

Garry J. Shaw is an Egyptologist and travel writer who regularly writes for the Art Newspaper and has contributed to Apollo magazine, History Today, Current World Archaeology and Timeless Travels. He is the author of many acclaimed books on Egyptology, and also teaches online Egyptology as a part-time tutor for Oxford University's Department for Continuing Education. Shaw has taught at the American University in Cairo and the Egypt Exploration Society, London, and has also worked for archaeological projects in Egypt, Turkey and the UK.