Egyptian influence in popular culture

Egyptian mythology and culture have influenced popular culture in multiple ways.

Influence in architecture and the arts

Egyptian architecture and the low-perspective, hieratic styles of Egyptian art have Undergone several revivals in the Western world. Various obelisks have been carried off as trophies by colonial powers, or bestowed as gifts by Egyptian leaders, and these stand in a number of locations far from Egypt. The "Cleopatra's Needles" that stand in London, Paris, and New York City are examples of these transported obelisks. Egyptian architectural motifs appear in the Hypnerotomachia Poliphili, and Athanasius Kircher's Oedipus Aegyptiacus contains a fanciful attempt to translate Egyptian hieroglyphics.

Egyptian themes became much more widespread, however, after Jean-François Champollion deciphered Egyptian hieroglyphics, enabling Egyptian works to be read. The nineteenth century proved to be a heyday for Egyptianizing themes in art, architecture, and culture; these persisted into the early 20th century, and were revived briefly after the discovery of the tomb of Pharaoh Tutankhamen. Various mystical and fraternal groups incorporated Egyptian themes. The Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn had an "Isis-Urania" lodge in London, and an Ahathoor lodge in Paris. The Shriners incorporated both Islamic and Egyptian themes into their visual imagery, including their characteristic fezzes. The Murat Shrine Temple in Indianapolis, Indiana contains a celebrated Egyptian Room, decorated with hieroglyphic motifs and Egyptian themed murals. The Ancient Mystical Order Rosae Crucis (AMORC) opened a Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum in 1928.

Depictions of Egyptian mythology

The Mummy

The title character in the 1932 Universal horror film The Mummy is the reanimated Prince Imhotep, who uses the alias Ardeth Bey (an anagram of 'Death by Ra') who was renamed Mehemet Bey in later adaptations of The Mummy, but as a separate character from the monster himself.

The 1999 version of The Mummy, its sequel The Mummy Returns, and the spinoff film The Scorpion King delve deeper into the mystical aspects of Egyptian mythology than the original version did.

Anubis

  • In the film Night at the Museum, two Anubises chase after Larry Daley, until they come to an opening they can't get through.
  • In an episode of The Backyardigans, two statues of Anubis are seen.
  • At Universal Studios Orlando, in the queue for the Revenge of the Mummy ride, a huge Anubis is seen.
  • Anubis was a Goa'uld and major enemy in the TV series Stargate SG-1.
  • In the Egyptian-themed first person shooter game PowerSlave, one frequent enemy is an Anubis zombie.
  • The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time features an enemy in one dungeon called Anubis, who resembles a fire-breathing, floating, mummified jackal. His only weakness is fire.
  • Ann Eriksson published a novel in 2009, titled In the Hands of Anubis, which is set in Cairo, among other places, and features many references to Egyptian mythology.
  • UFO Interactive released Anubis II for the Nintendo Wii on September 18, 2007.
  • Kingdom Hospital, a TV mini series by Stephen King, featured Antubis [sic] as the keeper of the underworld, appearing as both a man and a giant anteater.
  • In Yu-Gi-Oh! The Movie: Pyramid of Light, the primary antagonist was named Anubis, though he had little in common with traditional depictions.
  • In Disney's Gargoyles animated series, Anubis is featured in an episode. Here he is described as one of Oberon's children.
  • Anubis features in Gex 3 as one of the enemies in the Ancient Egyptian level(s).
  • The Pokémon Lucario might be based upon Anubis.
  • In True Blood Season 2 Episode 4, "Shake and Fingerpop", Sookie and Bill travel to Dallas on Anubis airlines (a charter airline company catering to vampires).
  • The Digimon Anubismon is based on Anubis. He plays the role of judging the dead one as either to be reborn as a digiegg or sent to the dark area.
  • In the Megaman Zero series of games there is a recurring enemy and boss called Anubis, who like the Egyptian god has a jackel-shaped head and has a spear as a weapon
  • In the ABC drama "LOST" Anubis can be seen in hieroglyphics on the Island's temple.
  • In the manga JoJo's Bizzare Adventure a Stand (JoJo's Bizarre Adventure) named Anubis is a sword based on the egyptian god
  • In the Zone of the Enders series of games, one of the two main Orbital Frames is made as a recurring boss after Anubis and uses a staff as a weapon.

Apep

  • Apophis is the first major Goa'uld antagonist in the military science fiction series Stargate SG-1. However, a separate Apep also exists in the series mythology.
  • The asteroid 99942 Apophis, an Aten-class asteroid, is named in its honour, because it was at Level 4 on the Torino impact hazard scale between 2004 and 2006.
  • The name Apep Heidemann was given to the major antagonist in the Japanese manga Seraphic Feather.
  • Apep is one of the villains in the comic series Mummies Alive where he's a spirit rather than a god. He has romantic feelings for one of the pharaoh's guardians, Nefertina.
  • The Books of Overthrowing Apep inspired the song Papyrus Containing The Spell To Preserve Its Possessor From Attacks From He Who Is In The Water on the 2007 album Ithyphallic by the death metal band Nile (who are known for their overall Egyptian themes). Another song by Nile from the same album is called Laying Fire Upon Apep. References to Apep appear in several other Nile songs.
  • The conflict between Apep and Ra features prominently in the back story of DC Comics superhero Metamorpho, the Element Man.
  • Apophis was used as the host to seal away the titan Hyperion in Saint Seiya Episode.G.
  • In Robert E. Howard's Conan stories, there is an evil snake god named Set. Though the name is of that of a different Egyptian deity, he may be based on Apep as well. The naming could also be due in part to the fact that in later Egyptian myths, Set basically replaced Apep in most every sense and aspect.

Kheb

  • In Stargate SG-1, a television series based upon the 1994 science fiction movie Stargate, Kheb is a fictional planet where Oma Desala and an unknown number of monks lived, in the episode Maternal Instinct. It is ater mentioned in the episode Warrior as the resting place for the brave and mighty Jaffa.

Petsuchos

In the computer game Age of Mythology, Petsuchoi are portrayed as crocodiles shooting sun beams from disks on their heads. They are myth units sacred to Hathor (Sobek does not appear in the game.) In the Nintendo DS version: Age of Empires: Mythologies, Sobek makes an appearance as a minor god, whom commands Petsuchoi.

Set

  • The guitarist of the Polish blackened death metal band Behemoth goes by the stage name Seth, possibly as a reference to the Egyptian god Set (also spelled Seth), brother of Osiris.
  • Seth was a single-episode villain on Stargate SG-1.
  • Yu-Gi-Oh! references Set in the name of its Seto Kaiba character.
  • In the animated series Conan the Adventurer, Set is described as an evil giant snake god.

Sobek

  • The American death metal band Nile refer to Sobek/Sebek in several songs, the most obvious being "Sacrifice Unto Sebek" from their 2005 album Annihilation of the Wicked.

Taweret

  • The statue on the island in the American TV show Lost is of Taweret.