Ancient Egyptians believed the Milky Way was the way to heaven

CAIRO – For the community Ancient Egypt, The Milky Way is not just a beautiful collection of stars in the night sky. This galaxy plays an important role in their cosmology, believed to be a stairway to the afterlife and a guide for birds on their annual migration.

Recent research by Dr. Or Graur, an astrophysicist from the University of Portsmouth, researched the role of the Milky Way in Ancient Egyptian mythology.

He discovered that this galaxy was probably connected to the sky goddess Nut, who was often depicted as a star-strewn woman arching over the earth.

According to the Book of Nut, Nut is responsible for giving birth to the Sun every morning and swallowing it at night. He is depicted in a supine position, with his back to the east and his head to the west.

However, the Milky Way’s position in the sky changes throughout the year, raising the question of how Nut might represent this galaxy.

Graur found a solution by examining funerary papyri from Ancient Egypt. He found several depictions of Nut with her arms extended 45 degrees, allowing the goddess to reach various positions of the Milky Way in the sky.

“In winter,” explains Graur, “the Milky Way resembles Nut’s arms, while in summer, it resembles his torso (or spine).”

Furthermore, Graur discovered a connection between Nut and the Milky Way in mythologies around the world. In the Egyptian Coffin Texts, Nut is described as a “ladder” for the souls of the dead to reach the afterlife. This is similar to the role of the Milky Way in Native American mythology.

Graur’s research provides new insight into how Ancient Egyptians viewed the night sky.

The Milky Way is not only a beautiful natural phenomenon, but also an important element in their cosmology, connecting the earthly with the afterlife and the earthly with the migration of birds.

This research is still ongoing, and experts are still looking for further evidence to support a connection between Nut and the Milky Way.

However, Graur’s findings so far provide an interesting picture of how the Ancient Egyptians understood the universe around them.

(wbs)