Египетские мифы. От пирамид и фараонов до Анубиса и «Книги мертвых»

by Garry J. Shaw, Гэрри Дж. Шоу, Мария Сухотина (Translator)

Эта книга о египетской мифологии и о том, как древние жители долины Нила объясняли окружающий их мир.

Автор рассказывает о сотворении и эволюции мироздания и царствовании богов на земле, знакомит нас с проявлениями египетских божеств в природе, изобретательными способами, с помощью которых египтяне общались с витающими повсюду невидимыми силами, с их представлениями о жизни после смерти.

От звезд и небесных тел, плывущих на лодках, до ветра, направляемого богом Шу — египтяне видели проявления божественного повсюду. Боги и богини, духи и демоны могли быть злобными или полезными, мудрыми или опасными. В книге рассказывается как о похождениях самых знаменитых божеств вроде Ра, Осириса, Исиды, Гора и Сета, так и о малоизвестных, но не менее захватывающих мифах.

Содержит более 100 иллюстраций.

Для кого эта книга

Ценителям истории, мифологии и их места в современности. Для всех, кто хочет погрузиться в жизнь народов прошлого.

От автора

Что было до меня? Что происходит вокруг меня? Что будет со мной после смерти? Как и мы, древние египтяне пытались разгадать загадки бытия; как и мы, они выдвигали гипотезы, наблюдая за окружающим миром. То, что мы сейчас называем мифологией Древнего Египта, родилось в результате таких наблюдений и размышлений; со временем из них сложилась уникальная картина мироздания.

Мифология — не просто свод историй о богах и героях, а способ осмыслить мироустройство. Каждое утро из-за горизонта появляется огромный светящийся шар; весь день он катится по небу, а затем тонет на западе. Что это за шар? Куда он пропадает? Каким образом он движется? Считаете ли вы что солнце — это бог Ра, плывущий по небу в своей дневной барке, или комок ядерных реакций, вовлекший нас в движение по орбите, — вы имеете в виду одно и то же природное явление. Древние египтяне изучали вселенную, не зная о физике элементарных частиц, так что из наблюдений делали свои выводы. Из их гипотез и теорий родилась оригинальная картина мира, из них сформировалось особое восприятие действительности; миф стал стержнем общества, сеткой культурных представлений, наложенной на безучастную природу. Проникнутая внутренней логикой, жизнь обретала смысл; на место хаоса приходил порядок; беспомощность сменялась уверенностью; знание изгоняло невежество. Мир, с его жестокими песчаными бурями и смертельно опасными скорпионами, становился несколько менее страшным.

Для древних египтян мифы были частью обычной жизни. Они разыгрывались ежедневно на протяжении суток, укладываясь в этот вечный цикл созидания, разрушения и возрождения, управляемый божественными силами. Сводить события в единое устойчивое повествование никто не считал нужным. Каждый человек был героем своего собственного мифа. Боги — олицетворенные силы природы — присутствовали в каждой частице мироздания; в мифе находилось объяснение и чрезвычайным, и заурядным происшествиям, и так возникал мост из мира людей в мир богов. Более того: ссылаясь на мифические события, египтяне отождествляли себя с богами. Страдающий головной болью становился Младенцем Гором, за которым ухаживает мать — воплощение Исиды; усопший, странствуя по загробному царству, на время обретал силу и полномочия каждого божества. Древнеегипетские мифы укладывались в любые обстоятельства любой человеческой жизни и помогали каждому понять, как устроен мир и почему в тот или иной момент происходит плохое или хорошее. В мифах и деяниях богов, изложенных в них, крылся ответ на вопрос: «Почему это со мной случилось?». Отсылка к ним бывает утешительной.

Genres: Mythology, Nonfiction, History, Egypt, Religion, Egyptology, Folklore

240 pages, Hardcover

First published March 17, 2014

About the author

Garry J Shaw is an author and journalist, writing about archaeology, history, and travel. He studied archaeology and Egyptology at the University of Liverpool, and afterwards moved to Egypt to teach for the American University in Cairo. He has lectured in the UK, Egypt, and Canada, appeared in documentaries, and taught an online introduction to ancient Egypt for Oxford University's Department for Continuing Education.

Reviews

[Mateicee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ich habe mich schon immer mit äqyptischer Mythologie beschäftigt. Für mich war dieses Buch also mehr eine kurze Wiederholung von bekannten. Für Anfänger ist das Buch auf jeden Fall geeignet, da es nicht kompliziert ist und nicht zu ausschweifend geschrieben ist.

[Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ancient Egyptian mythology is complicated and convoluted. As with the Greeks (some of whom thought their knowledge of the gods actually came from Egypt) there is an early primeval system, the gods of the Ennead, who are by and large abstractions. Then there are the primary gods, akin to the Olympians in Greek mythology, followed by a miscellany of less important gods. The difference is that the Egyptians were remarkably conservative people, and they survived that way for over 3000 years. Over that time new myths were related or acquired from other peoples, but they refused to throw out any of the old beliefs or gods. They were hoarders of mythology like they were hoarders of everything else, piling up the old gods and spells in the sacred garage -- who knows when they might come in handy, especially in the afterlife. So there isn't a lot of cohesion or coherence in the stories. They're more like relics, or the ushabtis that the pharoahs had placed in their tombs to serve them in the afterlife. They're more like individual things, holy knick-knacks, than parts of a theological system.

So presenting this material in an orderly fashion is a bit of challenge. Garry Shaw does it pretty well by dividing it into three parts -- creation stories, the gods in everyday life, and the mythology of death and the afterlife (incredibly important for the Egyptians.) Sprinkled between the stories are photos and drawings of the images and hieroglyphs that tell the stories, as well as an occasional spell or two. Shaw has a sense of humor, obviously. Here he shares how to summon Imhotep (the architect of the first pyramids, and later a god himself) :

If you feel the need to summon Imhotep in a dream, follow these instructions, as recorded on a 3rd century AD Greek magical papyrus, now in the British Museum:

1. Find a 'gecko from the fields'.
2. Drown it in a bowl of lily oil.
3. Engrave the words 'Asclepius of Memphis' (i.e. Imhotep) in Greek onto an iron ring that was once a shackle.
4. Dunk the ring in your expired-gecko lily oil.
5. Hold the ring up to the Pole Star.
6. Say seven times, 'Menophri, sitting on the cherubim, send me the real Asclepius, not a deceitful demon instead of the god.'
7. In the room where you sleep, burn three grains of frankincense in a bowl and pass the ring through the smoke.
8. Say 'Lord Asclepius, appear!' seven times.
9. Wear the ring on the index finger of your right hand while you sleep.
10. Wait for Imhotep to appear in your dream.

Good luck!

[Iset · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very clearly and simply this book lays out a mythological chronology of how the ancient Egyptians believed their world was created, and various events that occurred up to the time of recorded history. Then, Shaw goes on to explain how religion intersected with the everyday lives of Egyptians; how they explained the sun and the moon, ethics and the concept of afterlife, kingship, and everyday appeals for help and curses upon one’s enemies. As part of this, Shaw presents several alternative myths, noting that over time different versions, sometimes competing, arose to explain certain events. The one thing that’s missing – and Shaw acknowledges its absence – is a discussion of when these alternative myths arose, and how worship shifted and evolved over time. I would’ve liked a section on the practical activities of the priesthood and worshipper, and how cults evolved, but other than that, I can’t fault the book at all. A great resource for understanding the basic ancient Egyptian worldview.

8 out of 10

[Merl Fluin · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you want a detailed, scholarly consideration of ancient Egyptian cosmology, this may not be what you're after. But if you're looking for a good general introduction, some romping adventures with Osiris & co., and a whistle-stop tour of the underworld, it's a great read. And although the tone is deliberately non-academic, there are references and recommendations for further reading at the back of the book, in case you decide to move on to more serious material. My only gripe is that the quality of the photographic illustrations tends to be a bit muddy.

[Hilary "Fox" · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a solid introduction to Ancient Egyptian religious thought and culture.

The book was divided into helpful sections focused upon the following: Creation myths, how the mythic infiltrates day to day life, and the afterlife. The divisions were helpful for streamlining what otherwise would be an impossibly complicated worldview. The culture that we view as Ancient Egypt spanned for over 3,000 years without interruption - so naturally religion changed based upon locale in addition to simple evolution over time. Condensing all of that into a small book? Difficult, to say the least.

The book allows for the fact that it is oversimplifying things now and again. The bibliography at the end offers a more in-depth look at particular subjects, and also has a section for where the various translations were drawn from, which is particularly helpful.

So, while perhaps not the best or most in-depth book - this was definitely a good introduction to an insanely complex topic and I am quite happy I read it.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I debated for awhile whether I would get The Egyptian Myths for myself. I had loved Garry J. Shaw's The Pharaoh: Life at Court and On Campaign and was keen to read more of his work – but a guide to Ancient Egyptian myths and legends wasn't a book I simply had to add to my to-read list. When I stumbled over a copy in a bookstore, it was really too pretty to resist.

It didn't take much more than the first couple of pages to make me very glad of this. The Egyptian Myths may not be, strictly speaking, filled with brand new information, but it has very quickly become my favourite book on Ancient Egyptian mythology. Shaw's writing is incredibly evocative, authoritative and at times humorous. His writing is such that it allows the reader to consider how it would feel to navigate the Duat upon their death.

The book is divided up into three main sections, each attempting to answer a common question: where did we come from (creation myths), what is happening around me (the mythic/divine in everyday life) and what happens when I die (the vision of the afterlife). Shaw doesn't tackle the myths and legends of Ancient Egypt as the tangled mess that they are, but attempts to sort them into a workable narrative that the layperson can understand without having to worry about the inconsistencies. These two facts means that the book ends up being, in my opinion, the best effort to describe the worldview of the Ancient Egyptians.

Shaw acknowledges the difficulty and danger in presenting such insight as a true reflection of the Ancient Egyptians:

Like chasing distant entities disappearing into the sunset, we map the Egyptians and chart their lives based on their shadows, measuring their footprints in the sand. Their true selves remain elusive, just out of reach, but the force of their personalities is imprinted on discarded personal possessions, glimpsed among their glorious ruins and, indeed, manifest in their myths. (p. 211)

There are reference books I love for presenting new and exciting information, but there are also reference books I adore for tackling a familiar subject and presenting it a fresh way that makes it feel new. The Egyptian Myths may not belong in the first category, but it most definitely belongs in the latter. Highly recommended.

[Lokinda Julia · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ураааа я это дочитала наконец. Автор, конечно, старался преподнести эту мифологию доступным языком, спасибо ему за это. Но мне не зашла эта древнеегипетская муть. Я думала, она такая же лёгкая, как и скандинавская мифология. Нефиговое такое моё заблуждение. В середине книги поняла, что нифига не помню начало и чë там было, но таааак лень было заново эту х перечитывать. У меня не сложилось и не отложилось в голове понимание богов, их имена, хотя их много. Зато спасибо автору за описание Дуата. Поняла, что это как прохождение мытарств в христианстве. Может, почитать надо другого автора просто, не хочу отказываться от любви к Египту.

[LayDownYourSoul · Rating 4 out of 5]

'O Egypt, Egypt, of your reverent deeds only stories will survive, and they will be incredible to your children!'

Super well-written book, finds a great balance between being informative while telling stories engagingly. Really good selection of primary sources (ancient artwork and translations of ancient Egyptian writings). The author does a great job of bringing together a fragmented and partial mythology into a clear whole. Lots to go back to for reference or rereads, as well as a great list of further reading and sources for those who might want to follow up.

[Viktoria]

3.5

[Francine · Rating 4 out of 5]

If people think Greek and Roman myths are wild, they should try Egyptian ones for size.

[Ebony · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you’re new to ancient Egyptian mythology The Egyptian Myths: A Guide to Ancient Gods and Legends is a good primer. Shaw is honest about the fact that “any guide to Egyptian myth can never be a true reflection of what the Egyptians believed…as its chronicler, I am not fixed to a rigid retelling” (location 138). Covering 3000 of ancient Egyptian mythology is a long time and the myths changed with the times and geography and mingling with other cultures.

In fact, a lot of what we know about Egyptian mythology was chronicled by the Greeks who had their own impressions that color the history. A reader should not ignore that Shaw is a white guy who has a wry sense of humor that shows up in his asides when the stories get to their most outlandish. And trust me, they do get outlandish. As a lover of soap operas, I may have a greater tolerance than most. As a reader, you can't help but wonder, was the myth really as ridiculous as it sounds or are we missing an important piece to which we no longer have access? I’d have to read more before I could answer that. I would also have to read African Egyptologists to determine what might be racial bias and/or ignorance of African history.

That said, I would still recommend it. There’s nothing in the book that signaled to me that Shaw’s accounts are glaringly erroneous. It’s comprehensive. It notes contradictions. It explains the origins of the universe, the first god-kings, mythology in everyday life, and mythology in death. It’s easy to read, and the collection of images is quite the boon. If you’re looking for a place to start learning ancient Egyptian mythology and you’re willing to keep an open mind, then start here.

[Annika Unterberger]

Last year I took a course on the language and literature of the ancients egyptians which was extremely exciting as we also learned how to write and read hieroglyphs. In preperations for the final exam I wanted to know a little bit more about the belief system of ancient Egypt and therefore, decided to pick up Götter am Nil. This starts at the beginning of the creation of the world and works its way through the history of the gods and goddesses up to what the egyptians believed about the life after death in the Duat.

Shaw's explanation was easily understandable, thorough and sparked my fancy to learn more about ancient Egypt.

[sam · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun little book to satisfy my sudden fanaticism with everything mythology. Especially as it provided not only information and tales of the gods and goddesses, but also insight into Egyptian civilisation and belief. The historical aspect, plus the fitting illustrations, really appealed to my eagerness for history as well as story-telling. The narration is simple and effective; surprisingly funny at times. An impressive and enjoyable read, overall, particularly as a first delving into the world that is ancient Egypt.

[Tempo de Ler · Rating 2 out of 5]

"In addiction to providing explanations for the physical features of the world around them, the mythological was imbued in every aspect of the Egyptians' daily lives. Myths accounted for falling ill, for good and bad days, and for dreaming. In this supernatural world, magic was a powerful everyday tool, employed to manipulate the environment and to ward off trouble, but its efficacy often relied on a grounding in mythical precedent. The mythic, the supernatural and the mundane, all were interwined in the Egyptians' daily lives." - p. 141

[Craig Werner · Rating 3 out of 5]

Disappointing inasmuch as it presents a huge amount of information in sort of a laundry list manner, moving from detail to detail, story to story, god to god without doing much to make it hang together in ways that reveal the underlying coherence of the Egypian world view (or, seeing as how there's change over time, views). Useful mostly as a reference source.

[Tanya · Rating 5 out of 5]

Вспомнилось, моим крашем в 10 лет был бог Тот ❤

[Tebeta · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was an enjoyable read and a great introduction to Egyptian myths. I am always fascinated by Ancient Egypt but I only know some basic stuff. At first, I found the book a bit confusing because there are several different versions of stories depending on the source, location or fragmentary accounts. Another reason why I find it so complex is that the gods and goddesses assume each other’s identities or merge into one another so that they can use the other’s power to achieve an end. I think this aspect -syncretization-of Egyptian gods and goddesses impressed me most.
But as I progressed, I’ve learnt more about their specific representations and appearances, functions and powers, what they symbolise, the towns they were most revered and stories connected to them, it got easier. The gods live, fight, love, suffer and die. Though there are some similarities between the Egyptian myths and myths from different cultures, I found that the Egyptian way of thinking and understanding the universe is quite complex and different from the rest. The stories are at times whimsical and at times shocking. I have my favourites among them, like Osiris myth by Diodorus and Plutarch. It is like a wicked Cinderella story of finding the best person fitting in the chest. I also love the importance of keeping one’s name a secret to ward off magic...reminding me the story of Odysseus and Polyphemus.
“You sleep that you may wake; you die that you may live.” Pyramid Text 1975B
The most intriguing part for me is Duat where one has to overcome continuous challenges to reach Osiris and have his fate decided in afterlife for final death. Duat is the place another adventure begins and you need to have all necessary tools and magic words to accomplish this journey. In Duat, humans can also assume the identities of gods to overcome the obstacles they encountered.
Another one of the most interesting parts of the book is how ancient Egyptians dealt with the invisible in their daily lives. The dream books, the good and bad days of calendar, the most dangerous epagomenal days, household gods, how the length of one’s life decided at birth, demons and ghosts and how to ward them off etc… all of those gave us a clue how the ancient Egyptians lived and understood the world around them, how the mythical aspects integrated into their lives and how their lives shaped around it. It seems that the Ancient Egypt itself is mythical, legendary and limitless.

[Linniegayl · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an easy, fast, informative read, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The author starts with three questions: (1) What came before me; (2) What is happening around me? and (3) What happens after I die. After a brief introduction, the book is then divided into sections that show how the ancient Egyptians used their gods and legends, or mythology, to answer the three questions.

If you're looking for a dictionary or encyclopedia to all of the gods and goddesses of ancient Egypt, this isn't the book for you. Many are mentioned in the book, and some are even more completely described in text boxes. However, the various gods and goddesses are primarily used to fit into answering the three questions.

I would give this an A, so five stars here.

[Kristine · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars I’d say. If you know absolutely nothing about Egyptian mythology, I would not start with this book. While the descriptions, explanations and retelling were quite good, it is a very complicated mythology with a lot of gods (some that have many names and forms) meaning that the book could get a little confusing at times. But still very interesting!

[Mohammad · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great introduction to Ancient Egyptian religion and mythology. The books describes the different Ancient Egyptian deities, the different stories surrounding them, as well as the role this worship played on Ancient Egyptian society. The book is well-written and engaging, making it read more like a story than non-fiction. Overall, I was left very impressed with it.

[Elif · Rating 4 out of 5]

The images had a blue tint :/

[Janina Clark · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fantastic and interesting read. Always loved Egyptian mythology and this book was very easy to follow with in depth explanations.

[Bjorn Bakker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good and concise overview of Egyptian mythology.

[Alexandra Baff · Rating 3 out of 5]

A great introduction to the myths and legends of ancient Egypt. The illustrations and images throughout are very useful.

[ouliana · Rating 5 out of 5]

reread it because i feel homesick without my egyptian gods

[Marionsssn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Je lui donne 3 étoiles, comme je l'ai fait pour ses cousins vikings et romains, bien que je le trouve légèrement mieux.

J'ai particulièrement aimé la dernier chapitre sur le monde du Duat, que l'on découvre après la mort. Tout est présenté comme si l'on était le personnage principal d'un jeu vidéo, ou si l'on faisait un escape game! Super sympa et très ludique

[Nina · Rating 3 out of 5]

“Мне хочется думать, что наше внимание озадачивает их, но в то же время и радует – как результат хорошо сделанной работы. Их имена по-прежнему на устах у живых; так ли уж страшно, если потомки считают, что пирамиды воздвигнуты с помощью инопланетян? Возможно, их обижают наши сомнения в том, что такие грандиозные достижения – дело их собственных рук; но пока их помнят, главная цель достигнута. Современные мифы о Древнем Египте отлично служат этой цели. Они позволяют египтянам прийти к нам из тьмы веков – изменившись за время пути, но все же сохранив частичку первоначальной сути. Подобно своим богам, древние египтяне теперь незримы, лишены формы и доступны для нашего опыта лишь через свои образы.
Они живут в мифах.”

Как для человека, который о мифологии Египта знал лишь некоторые имена и смотрел пару фильмов, мне было очень интересно.

Первая половина – какая-то наркомания, но занимательно, находишь много шокирующих моментов. Всяческие мифологии никогда не славились чёткой структурой и трезвыми событиями, но вот уж египтяне напридумывали сверх меры.

Уже когда начинается часть с царствованием фараонов, то складывается более здравый взгляд.

Написано доступно, но иногда я терялась, и как мне показалось, то автор недостаточно пояснял некоторые моменты, приходилось гуглить.

Включены некоторые рецепты по магии и вызову бога. Ещё тут есть Бабаи, и теперь я понимаю, каким именно Бабаи пугали родители меня в детстве :)

Честно, восхищаюсь знатоками этой мифологии, ибо одна из самых хаотичных, загадочных и сложных для запоминания, поэтому даже особо объективно оценить не могу, ведь это буквально моё первое знакомство с фантазиями египтян.

Отдельно хлопаю эпилогу, ибо он с такой любовью написан, что хочется в этот же миг бросить все да бежать изучать Древний Египет.

[Rubens Caló · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fascinating civilization
In order to grow as human and start to make the difference into your own society, it's mandatory for every human being getting to know about other myths, beliefs, religions and other gods instead of just yours. Having empathy to understand this huge variance of points of view, gives you the opportunity to achieve this aim.

The Egyptian Myths taught me about this and it was awesome to understand their beliefs and for me the most interesting topic is how their strong faith on the "after life" is fascinating. All the way and challenges that their gods must achive everyday to bring back the sun after a long night is something really interesting furhtermore as it was done hundreds and hundreds years ago through paintings and acient descriptions.

This book is very detailed with plenty of sources that emphasyzes and support the author. I do recommend the book for everyone who wants details about this ancient civilization and either for who want to acquire a new point of view of the beggining and the end of our journey in this and the "next" life.

[Roxanne Pannell · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not enjoying this book at all. It is so hard to read and follow I’m struggling to get through it

35 pages in and I’ve already forgotten all the god discussed so far and what they do. South information is thrown in, in such a short period of time and written in the simplest of ways

[Nastia S. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Книга о том, о чем в аннотации. На мой вкус было скучновато и не совсем то, что я искала. Но если кому-то нужно краткое, но подробное руководство, как пройти все испытания в древнеегипетском загробном мире, то книга будет полезна.