Here Are the Terrifying Egyptian Myths That Still Creep Us Out

Have you ever wondered what the Ancient Egyptians were really afraid of? When we think about Egypt, we often picture pyramids, mummies, and powerful pharaohs, but we never focus on the darker side. The people of Ancient Egypt used to believe in scary Gods and weird spirits. Some of their stories will leave you impressed, while others will simply scare you.

One of the most interesting things about the Egyptians is that they were obsessed with their Afterlife. They believed that death was just the beginning of a magical journey. So, basically, all their lives were focused on how to make the best out of their Afterlife. They built their entire tombs, wrote special spells, and made everything they could to protect themselves even after death.

But why are all these stories about Egyptians so interesting today? Let’s say that’s maybe because they show us a different side of the past. They show us how humans, at that time, were also afraid of the unknown, just like us, the ones we are living in the present. Read on and find out some of the creepiest myths and legends from Ancient Egypt. And… who knows? Maybe the article will inspire you to book a vacation and visit the pyramids.

6 Creepy Egyptian Myths

1. Isis had intimate relations with her late brother

You surely heard about Isis and Osiris. They were brother and sister, but later in their lives, they also became husband and wife. They were one of the most powerful couples at that time and ruled Egypt together.

Osiris was a wise and powerful king, respected by the Egyptian people. But, unfortunately, his brother, named Seth, was extremely jealous of his power and was making plans on how to take over his throne. He finally slew Osiris and took his place. Isis was overwhelmed by the pain and refused to believe that her husband was gone.

As a loving wife, she began searching for his body in all of Egypt. When she found Osiris, she decided to resurrect him, so they could have a child together. She hid her husband’s body to make sure it couldn’t be found by Seth before she could perform the proper rituals. Can you imagine what it was like to be brought back to life just to have intimate relations with your sister? That’s creepy, we know.

Isis used powerful magic to bring her husband back to life. When Osiris was brought back to life, he thanked his wife and told her not to worry, because their son, Horus, would properly take care of his evil uncle Seth.

2. Khonsu, The God of The Moon, used to eat hearts

Egyptians saw their Gods as both helpful and dangerous. Even though Khonsu had an overall good reputation, he was also known for eating humans. Scary, right? There is a famous text from Ancient Egypt, called ”Cannibal Hymn”, which describes how Khnosu used to eat even other Egyptian Gods.

When we think about Ancient Egypt, we usually think about the Sun-God Ra, but a few people actually know that there were multiple important Gods at that time, all having the responsibility to guide the nation. For example, some of the most famous Moon-Gods were Thoth, Khonsu, and Aah.

Compared to the other two, Khnosu developed a bloodthirsty aspect, which made him even more famous among the Gods.

3. Anubis wanted a piece of everyone he helped

In the ancient world, Anubis was seen as a God of mummification. He was the one to help Egyptian souls find the Hall of Truth in their afterlife. Probably his most important role was in the first mummification, when he embalmed Isis and Osiris.

The strangest thing about the God of mummification was that he liked to collect trophies from the people he embalmed. Scary, right? So, it’s believed that when Seth slayed Osiris, he offered the organs to Anubis as a precious present. Egyptians kept the tradition and offered to Anubis lots of pieces of lifeless bodies.

Anubis is represented with a Jackal’s head, so let’s say that his practices explain a lot of things when it comes to his graphic representations.

2. Atum vomited and spit up his children

The first Egyptian God was named Atum, and according to Egyptian mythology, the first God rose out of the sea. Atum is known as Ra, the God of the Sun. What was interesting about Ra was that, compared to the other Gods, which appeared later, he had limited options to create children.

So, the Ancient myths say that Ra bred with his shadow and created Shu, who later became the God of Air. Then, he created Tefnut, the Goddess of Moisture. Considering that Ra faced some serious limitations in giving birth, he had to spit out Shu and vomit up Tefnut.

3. Egyptians worshipped and mummified cats

Bastet was the Goddess associated with cats. She was known for having a dark side, and she was called the ”lady of slaughter”. She is, by far, one of the most worshipped deities in Ancient Egyptian mythology and is often depicted as a woman with the head of a cat.

Bastet is known as the Goddess of fertility and protection, and is associated with motherhood. Back in time, she used to protect the homes of women and children by healing them from harsh diseases and evil spirits. She became so popular because of her protective nature that she was even invoked by soldiers to ensure their victory.

The cat is the symbol of Bastet because it represents her gentle and caring aspects, while also reflecting her fierce aspects. One of the weirdest and also scariest myths about Bastet is that she cut off Apophis’s head by hiding a knife in her paw.

In Ancient Egypt, cats were placed in the same tomb as their owners, s they could remain together in the Afterlife. The cats were praised for keeping all the dangerous animals and reptiles away from humans, protecting the Pharaoh.

4. A giant snake swallowed the God of the Sun

Yes, you read that right. Ha, ha. In Ancient Egypt, there was a famous snake named Apep. He was enormous, and he became popular because he terrorized Ra.

For Egyptians, the snake represented darkness and chaos. The people used to be afraid of them, thinking that he is a symbol of evil. Multiple legends say that he was the one who swallowed Ra, leaving the world completely dark.

5. Seth got rid of his brother by tricking him into a coffin

While Isis and Osiris were ruling the land, Seth was extremely jealous of their power. He had multiple plans to get rid of his brother, but didn’t really know which was going to be the best one. So, one day, at a party, Seth convinced Osiris to hop into a coffin, saying that if he fit, he would receive the coffin as a gift.

6. Pregnant women prayed to the Taweret Goddess

Tawaret was the Goddess of pregnant women, but Egyptians had a love/hate relationship with her. There were some Egyptians who said she was a demon. Taweret was the wife of Apep, the God of the Serpent, and was often depicted as a crocodile.

Egyptian women used to bring pitchers shaped like Taweret. These featured a hole at the Goddess’s nipple to pour milk. Back in Ancient times, women believed that vessels conferred the fierce Tawaret’s protection to anyone who consumed their contents.

So, what do you think about Ancient Egypt’s history? Isn’t it impressive? Feel free to write your ideas in the comment section found below. Also, before leaving, make sure to check out this great book that can be found on Amazon. It’s called Ancient Egypt: 500 Interesting Facts About Egyptian History (Curious Histories Collection).

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