How Did Geography Influence The Myths Of Ancient Egypt?

As humans we are always looking for the answers to questions about our environment. For example, someone in 305 BC might notice how the seasons repeat and ask , “Why does that happen?” This person might create a myth to explain why the seasons change. This logic that this person had is how many of the myths of Ancient Egypt originated. The ancient Egyptians noticed things in their environment and they created myths about why these things were the way they were. Therefore, it is only logical to conclude that geography heavily influenced the myths of .

It is common knowledge that life in Egypt revolved around the Nile. In fact, according to the Atlas of Ancient Egypt “the Nile valley...Was focal point in Northern Africa for the development

of agriculture, and later urban society.” So, since much of life in Ancient Egypt depended on the Nile, Hapi, the god of the Nile was seen as one of the greatest Egyptian gods. It was said that this Nile god, portrayed with full breasts and a full stomach, was not only said to be maker of the universe but the creator of the void where everything came from. Geography is clearly shown in the myth because since Hapi, the god of the Nile, was said to be so crucial to all living things, it explains why the Nile was so important to Ancient Egyptian life. Also, the fact that Hapi was portrayed with full breasts and a full stomach shows the Nile’s ability to nourish all of Egypt. To sum it up, since the importance of the Nile River was portrayed in Ancient Egyptian myths, it can be said that geography was clearly shown in myths.
The flooding of the Nile was also very important to Ancient Egyptian life. Like all ancient people,much of their economy depended on agriculture. However, since they were located in a desert, “agriculture involved controlling this flow pattern [The Nile’s] as far as possible.” To be able to control the Nile River, they needed to be able to understand when it was going to come. Slowly, people understood that the star Sirius would rise everytime the Nile River floods would start.According to The Complete Gods and Goddesses of Ancient Egypt, the goddess Sodphet was the personification of the star Sirius.Therefore, the Egyptians saw Sodept as a “bringer of life.” This myth also shows geography since it seeks to explain why Sirius rises every time the Nile does.In summary, since the myth of Sodphet shows clear evidence of the inundation of the Nile, the geography was clearly shown in myths.
Egypt is known for the African Golden Wolf. Previously known as the Golden Jackal, the carnivore would prowl Egyptian graveyards, eating at the flesh of people buried in shallow graves. This behavior is one of the geographical features clearly explained in a myth. The myth which explains this behavior is the myth of the god Anubis. The Ancient Egyptians claimed that this god, who was portrayed as a wolf-human hybrid, protected the dead and helped their souls arrive safely to the afterlife.This myth shows clear geography because the wolf that Anubis was portrayed as was the African Golden Wolf. Therefore, we can conclude that Anubis was the personification of this animal and he was created to explain why this animal would linger around the graveyards.So, it is safe to say that geographical features can be portrayed in myths since the myth of the god Anubis was based so closely on the behavior of an animal unique to Egypt.
All in all, since the Nile River, the Nile river flooding, and the behavior of the African Golden Wolf were explained clearly in myths, it can be said that the geography of a culture can be shown in myths. So next time you learn about ancient culture’s geography, think about why they thought their environment was the way it was.