Intro: Documentaries about Egyptian Mythology
One of the most popular myths from ancient Egypt is the story of the birth of Osiris, the brother of Isis, and his son Horus. The myth speaks about how their father, King Geb, separated them as infants so that they would have different roles in society. However, a new theory has surfaced about this myth. It was thought that Osiris was killed by Set, his brother and eventual murderer, but an earlier translation of an Egyptian text reveals that he killed himself to escape Set's wrath. In addition to this revelation and many others found throughout time, modern day archaeologists are only now beginning to uncover more than just what we’ve always known of the mythology.
In this arrticle, we're going to learn more about this ancient world through a curated selection of the best documentaries about Egyptian Mythology.
1. Egyptian Mythology: The Essential - Ra, Horus,Osiris, Seth, Anubis, Bastet
Ancient Egyptian mythology is one of the world's oldest religions, tracing a continuous history from its beginnings during prehistory through to Coptic Christianity. Ancient Egyptian myths were first recorded by historians and scribes in cuneiform on clay tablets now called "Egyptian faience". These texts provide insight into many aspects of ancient Egyptian society such as religion, philosophy, astronomy, medicine and magic (which was very important). In particular they disclose that these are influenced by natural phenomena- astronomical events like solstices or equinoxes; plants like papyrus reeds; animals such as crocodiles or hippopotami.
This short 15 minutes video is an excellent introduction to the topic.
2. The Forgotten Gods of Egypt - Documentaries about Egyptian Mythology
The ancient Egyptians were obsessed with divinity, death and the afterlife and reincarnation. Christy Kenneally visits Saqqara, south of Cairo where they learned the technique of mummification and built their first pyramid which was an early prototype for the grand monuments in Giza. He journeys on to explore sites like Abydos, Karnak and Luxor before stopping at Philae island- site of last hieroglyphics as well as a little-known shrine to Egypt's lost Gods.
3. God and Goddesses - Egyptian Mythology Documentary
The number of deities in ancient Egyptian tradition is difficult to count. The texts list the names of many gods whose nature is unknown and make vague, indirect references to other gods who are not even named. Estimates range from 1,400 to over 10,000!
Some of the gods took part in creation, some brought the flood every year, others offered protection and some looked after people's welfare after they died. In Ancient Egypt, it was necessary to recognise them and worship them so that life continued smoothly.
Worship of the gods in Ancient Egypt began sometime in the Predynastic Period, and things started to become more detectable as society became more advanced. The earliest known temples appeared around this time, along with images that resembled icons or representations of Egyptian religion - these included falcon imagery for Horus and Neith, cross-eyed arrows for Neith (Nesit), as well as a "Set animal" representing Set.
The elite of Egyptian society were the scribes and priests. They produced religious texts that are mostly drawn from their understanding of the gods, which is largely based on what they wrote down. The commoners weren't as educated or sophisticated in regard to religion like these people, but they most likely understood certain aspects of it more than others. Their conceptions about the divine may have differed a bit from those conceptualized by elites - for example, maybe giving them different ideas about how much control humans actually had over rulers or life events; however overall this information seems to be consistent with both groups' perceptions for one another's views on how things functioned and what happened between humans and deities.
4. Deities And Demons of the Egypt
The Egyptian deities and demons are a misunderstood and often misused topic. In this documentary, I'll explore the many ways in which these deities were used throughout Egyptian history.
An introduction to the world of ancient Egyptian gods and goddesses, the different classes, how they were worshiped, how their veneration has changed over time.
5. Egyptian Astrology Documentary
Astrology's essential mission is to help humanity move away from the duality of our day-to-day lives and experience the unity of the cosmos. The ancient Dendera temple of Hathor offers an insightful secret mystery school which instructs us on how to navigate this transformative process, developing a powerful connection with the infinite consciousness.
6. Light of Thoth - Documentaries about Egyptian Mythology
This is the only book of Thoth, the Egyptian god and sage. This book was written by the ancient Egyptians and it is said to have been the most important one in their culture. The text has survived through many centuries and translated into many languages. The content of this book is thought to be an occult teaching for a select few people. Much mystery surrounds what this text actually teaches, but it has been said that these teachings hold great power.
The author's name is unknown, but it is thought that he was from Greece, where he had learned his knowledge from a wise man or from a teacher or from another source.
7. The Story Of Osiris - Ancient Egyptian God Documentary
Osiris, the god of death and afterlife, is an important figure in ancient Egyptian mythology. He was the embodiment of the principles of Ma'at, justice and truth. He is often depicted as a green-skinned man with a white crown atop his head and two plumes emanating from it.
Osiris was born to Geb, god of the earth and sky, and Nut, goddess of the sky. Unlike most gods in Ancient Egypt who were thought to have been born directly from Ra or one of his children—usually Horus—Osiris appears to have been born through an act of creation. He killed Set, who was originally a part-human/part-snake deity. This earned him the title "Slayer of Set" and he became known as Lord of Heavens and Earth after that point. His wife, Isis, bore him Horus (son), who later overthrew Osiris at some point during the First Dynasty.
Conclusions: Documentaries about Egyptian Mythology
These findings shed a new light on the story of Osiris, proving that he was not killed by Set, but rather committed suicide to avoid his brother. This discovery also reveals that there are many more myths with similar meanings and implications, which is why it’s so important to keep researching. The discoveries also help us completely understand that these ancient texts hold knowledge that can be applied to our lives today.
Check out also our collection of documentaries about egyptian pyramids and documentaries about ancient egypt.
Images credits: Unsplash.com