Intriguing Yet Little-Known Egyptian Myths And Legends

Egypt is a fascinating country, especially because of its history of myths and folklore. There are many tales of things that supposedly happened in the past and superstitious stories of fates that could befall people today if they’re not careful. It makes for an intriguing listen but also quite a frightening one at times.

Of course, you may already be aware of some of these myths and legends, as they’re still much discussed today. Some, though, may have escaped your attention, and it’s these we’re here to tell you about. Apologies if you have trouble sleeping after hearing about them.

Some pyramid inscriptions talk about the consumption of body parts 

Everyone knows about the pyramids in Egypt, right? However, were you aware of what some of the inscriptions inside these ancient landmarks say? Apparently, several contain a hymn that alludes to the consumption of others. One in the tomb of the pharaoh Unas talks of the king ascending to the land of the gods, where he exerts his power in a horrific way. According to the text, Unas gorges himself on the likes of hearts and lungs as he proves his worth. The revelation of such inscriptions led some to wonder if this meant that people in Ancient Egypt had a taste for human body parts. However, plenty of modern Egyptologists have rebuked this.

El Naddaha apparently lures men underwater with her siren voice

There’s no shortage of stories about underwater creatures that want to drag you to your doom. So, it’s probably no surprise that one of the little-known Egyptian myths and legends also revolves around this. Apparently, men should be wary of En-Naddaha, a supposedly gorgeous woman who claims victims along the Nile. Like a siren, she apparently lures in her victims with her voice, who allegedly wander into the water without thinking, never to return. According to the tales, this tends to happen around rural areas along the river at night, so be sure to steer clear of such places when on vacation.

Abu Rigl Maslukha was a disobedient child who now eats bad kids

We’re probably all familiar with tales of the bogeyman, a creature that parents love to talk about to keep their children in line. It seems that Egypt has its own version of this being known as Abu Rigl Maslukha. While plenty of moms and dads embellish the story with their own imagination, the standard tale goes that Abu Rigl Maslukha was once a child themselves. However, he was horrifically injured after not listening to his parents and ended up transforming into a monster. Legend has it that if any other kids behave badly, he’ll snatch them from their homes and cook them up. We expect that story has probably kept a lot of children awake at night.

Apophis was a serpent that supposedly tried to steal the sun

We know that the sun rises and falls every day as the Earth rotates on its axis. However, the Ancient Egyptians believed that the star was actually pulled across the sky each day by the sun god, Ra. Whenever night fell, that apparently signified that Ra was taking the sun through the underworld, where he allegedly encountered Apophis. This serpent was supposedly eager to keep the sun away from the human realm, forcing Ra and other gods to fight against the demon. Although the sun proceeded to rise again every day, signifying Apophis’ failure, plenty of people feared the day that this wouldn’t happen.

The Roushdy Building is supposedly one of Egypt’s most haunted properties

The US is full of haunted buildings, and this country is far from alone. There are allegedly such places across the world, including in the city of Alexandria in Egypt. Here, the Roushdy Building is supposedly full of ghouls, with one story claiming that a resident once had blood running from their sink. Other tales talk of unholy screams, the explanation behind which has varied significantly. While some say a construction worker lost their life in gruesome fashion here, others say that the building was established in the place of a mosque. However, the haunting stories may be nothing more than the original owner of the property spreading rumors following a dispute.

Osiris journey to becoming Ruler of the Underworld was an unpleasant one

You may have heard about Osiris, but do you know how he allegedly became the Ruler of the Underworld? Apparently, it was all to do with his brother, Set, who was jealous of the life that Osiris and his wife led. Eager to be rid of the god, Set apparently tricked him into a sarcophagus and tossed this into the Nile. When it was recovered, the jealous brother supposedly chopped the body into many parts and scattered them across Egypt. Osiris’ wife managed to recover them and resurrect the god long enough to conceive Horus together before her husband passed away for good.

Egypt is full of curious myths and legends that are as intriguing as they are terrifying. After learning about these ones, we think we need a break before diving into any more.