Scarcity. Myths are stories that have a beginning, middle, and end, and which describe the activities of superhuman beings. Prior to the New Kingdom (circa 1539-1075 B.C.E.), myths are scarce in Egyptian texts, but allusions to them are plentiful. The reasons for this situation are uncertain, but it is probably related to the types of text that have survived. Allusions to the activities of the gods are found in texts whose purpose is to provide for the successful transition of the dead into the afterlife or texts that accompany ritual activities. For these purposes, references to the doings of the gods are sufficient. Prior to the New Kingdom, Egyptian myths may have been transmitted orally.

Continuous Creation. While mythic narratives do not appear in the Egyptian records until the New Kingdom, the frequent allusions to the activities of the gods...