He won and divided the moonlight hours into days which, because they were not part of the days of the year decreed by Atum, Nut could give birth in. Pakhet - A hunting goddess in lioness form, her name means "She Who Scratches" or "Tearer". Supreme king of the gods in some periods, though originally a minor fertility god. Nekhbet - A protector goddess in the form of a vulture who guarded Upper Egypt. [5], As time progressed, the deity became more associated with the habitable land of Egypt and also as one of its early rulers. Every attempt has been made to create a comprehensive listing but minor regional deities have been omitted if their role seems uncertain or they were transformed into major gods. He was said to have created the important Opening of the Mouth ritual, which was a part of Egyptian mummification procedures. Sia represented the heart, Hu the tongue, and Heka their underlying force which gave them their power. Because of his association with tomb craftsmanship Ptah was also part of Egyptian funeral ceremonies. Tasenetnofret - A protective goddess of Kom Ombo whose name means "The Good Sister" or "The Beautiful Sister". For other uses, see, C. Wolterman, "On the Names of Birds and Hieroglyphic Sign-List G 22, G 35 and H 3" in: "Jaarbericht van het Vooraziatisch-Egyptisch genootschap Ex Oriente Lux" no. He is depicted as a serpent and, like Heka, has always existed. The Egyptians regulated their calendar with these five magical days. He formed one of the most important and influential triads at Thebes along with his father Amun and mother Mut. She represented the constellation Draco and was a protectress of the sun barge as it made its way through the underworld. The stars then were called "Followers of Osiris" who sailed across the night sky in accordance with divine pattern. Only one Mnevis bull could exist at any one time and another was chosen only after the first died. The two are referred to as "The Two Ladies". Wilkinson writes, "The deceased king, in his role as Osiris-Orion, is said to impregnate Isis as the star Sothis and to produce Horus-Sopdu" (211). He was lord of the wild animals and weapons and so could control both to protect a person who invoked his name. How Egyptian god Bes gave the Christian Devil his looks The dig also uncovered 150 bronze statues of Egyptian deities and instruments used for rituals dating back to the Late Period of ancient Egypt, about 500 B.C., said Waziri, who led the . She and Tefnut then mated and gave birth to Geb (earth) and Nut (sky) who Atum pushed high apart from each other, providing a place for humans to live. He is an early example of the Dying and Reviving God figure in mythology who leant himself to the later version of this figure, Jesus Christ. Bearded Egyptian deity - Crossword Clue Answer | Crossword Heaven Shesmetet - A protective leonine goddess known as "Lady of Punt" and most likely an important goddess brought to Egypt through trade with Punt. She was also referred to as Uajyt in her aggressive form and was the counter-balance to the more motherly Nekhbet, her sister. (2016, April 14). Retrieved from https://www.worldhistory.org/article/885/egyptian-gods---the-complete-list/. Horns of Ammon - Wikipedia Her name means "Powerful" and is usually interpreted as "The Female Powerful One". In time, he became associated with Ptah and then Osiris to eventually combine by the Middle Kingdom (2040-1782 BCE) into Ptah-Sokar-Osiris who was a hybrid funerary deity presiding over the afterlife. She was the daughter of Ra and, in some stories, wife of Horus the Elder. Min was god of the eastern deserts who watched over travelers but was also associated with the black fertile mud of the Egyptian Delta. In the story of the creation of the world, Atum is angered by the intimate relationship between Geb (earth) and Nut (sky) and so separates them, declaring that Nut may not give birth to her children on any day of the year. Hraf-haf is depicted as a man in a boat with his head facing behind him. She is sometimes seen as the consort of Khnum, god of the Nile at Elephantine where the Egyptians believed the river originated and is associated with the Eye of Ra and Distant Goddess motif in some tales where she returns from a great distance to bring transformation. She was known to the Greeks as Saosis. These creatures had nowhere to live and so Shu and Tefnut mated to give birth to Geb (earth) and Nut (sky). Khenmu is depicted as a ram-headed god symbolizing virility and fertility. He is always shown in a front-facing position of protection watching over his charges. It was a direct reflection of one's life on earth where one continued to enjoy everything as before but without sickness, disappointment, or the threat of death. He is closely associated with ma'at the concept and Ma'at the goddess who personified harmony in that he served as a just mediator between the gods in their disputes. [161], This list (which may have dates, numbers, etc. A fragmented relief sculpture found in Heliopolis depicts the Egyptian god as a mysterious anthropomorphic bearded entity. She is depicted as a cat or a woman with a cat's head, and her major cult center was at Bubastis. [8], Some Egyptologists (specifically Jan Bergman, Terence Duquesne or Richard H. Wilkinson) have stated that Geb was associated with a mythological divine creator goose who had laid a world egg from which the sun and/or the world had sprung. Shentayet - An obscure protective goddess whose name means "Widow" and who was associated with that aspect of Isis who lost her husband and then brought him back to life. This equation is particularly well attested in Tebtunis in the southern Fayyum: Geb and Cronus were here part of a local version of the cult of Sobek, the crocodile god. In one version of The Contendings of Horus and Set, she is given as a consort to Set at the suggestion of the goddess Neith. She was an early goddess of Egypt depicted as a cow with a tray of food on her horns and milk flowing freely from her udders. Imhotep - The vizier of king Djoser (c. 2670 BCE) who designed and built the Step Pyramid. Although he began as a protector of the pharaoh, he became very popular with every day . He was probably the original God of the Dead before that role was given to Osiris, at which time he was made Osiris' son. She was invoked regularly for protection of children and help during pregnancy and birth. Ptah was married to the lion goddess of war, Sekhmet, and their children were Nefertum, a god of healing and medicine, and Maahes, another war god. He was deified after death and worshipped as a god of wisdom. He may not have been, however; his placement at doorways could have had some meaning touching on transformation, especially when placed at the doorways of temples. Dedun - A protector god of resources, specifically of goods coming from Nubia. The other gods implored Ra to stop her destruction before no humans were left to benefit from the lesson. It was usually spelled with either initial -g- (all periods), or sometimes with -k-point (gj). Her statue appears with those of Isis, Nephthys, and Serket in Tutankhamun's tomb. Thoth is depicted in some texts as a baboon but mostly as a man with the head of an ibis holding a writing implement. [11] The equation was shown on the one hand in the local iconography of the gods, in which Geb was depicted as a man with attributes of Cronus and Cronus with attributes of Geb. He often grasps serpents in his hands as though crushing them. Khentekhtai (Khente-Khtai) - He was a crocodile god worshipped in the Fourth Dynasty (c. 2613-2498 BCE) at the city of Athribis. His consort was Taweret, the hippopotamus goddess of childbirth and fertility. Ra was among the most important and popular gods of Egypt. His feminine aspect was called on to combat these forces. The Real Story of the 'Bearded God' Named Quetzalcoatl She is first mentioned in the Second Dynasty (c. 2890-2670 BCE) as helping king Khasekemwy in this regard. Nu (Nun) and Naunet - Nu was the personification of the primordial chaos from which the world arose. She was known as "Friend of the Dead" for her care of the souls in the afterlife and professional mourners at funerals, who encouraged the open expression of grief, were known as the "Kites of Nephthys". In the afterlife she appeared as the "Lady of Justification" linking her with the goddess Ma'at. Resheph | ancient god | Britannica Her name means "Mistress of the Temple Enclosure" or "Mistress of the House" referring to a heavenly house or temple. He slept until he was needed by Hraf-Hef, the surly Divine Ferryman. [4] Consequently, in mythological depictions, Geb was shown as a man reclining, sometimes with his phallus still pointed towards Nut. In Egyptian mythology, she is given as a consort to Set, along with Anat, by the goddess Neith. He is an ancient god going back to the Early Dynastic Period (c. 3150-2613 BCE). Mark, Joshua J.. "Egyptian Gods - The Complete List." The old Egyptians worshipped a few gods at different times and in different places. Possible Answers: OSIRIS Related Clues: Horus's father God of death who underwent resurrection Figure in an Egyptian tomb God represented in mummy wrappings Father of Horus God depicted holding a crook God of fertility Prince of the dead, in ancient Egypt Underworld leader Set slew him Last Seen In: Washington Post - November 04, 2013 Unut (Wenet or Wenut) - A protective goddess worshipped at Hermopolis and known as "The Swift One". In this context, Geb was believed to have originally been engaged with Nut and had to be separated from her by Shu, god of the air. In this regard he came to be linked to Thoth and Khonsu, both associated with the moon, because of moonlight. The word means "that which is straight" and the concept of harmony infused every aspect of an Egyptian's life. Renpet - A goddess who personified the year. Nefertum (Nefertem) - God of perfume and sweet aromas. Naunet is his female aspect and consort. Once the soul had made the Negative Confessions (Declaration of Innocence) the Forty-Two Judges advised Osiris on whether the confession should be accepted. Like Bes, Taweret was featured on household items such as furniture, cosmetic cases, pots, spoons and in fertility images in the home. Nekheny - A protector god in the form of a falcon who was patron of the town of Nekhen in the Predynastic Period (c. 6000-3150 BCE). Depicted as a bull running. He was considered so wise that, after death, he became deified. He is referred to as "Father of the gods" in the Pyramid Texts and was an important aspect of funerary rites where he welcomed the king to the afterlife. Ogdoad - The eight gods representing primordial elements of creation: Nu and Naunet (water); Heh and Hauhet (infinity); Kek and Kauket (darkness); Amun and Amaunet (hiddenness, obscurity). Sobek is one of the best known gods of ancient Egypt and was extremely popular in his time. He protected the sun barge of Ra as it entered and left the underworld at dusk and dawn. While the king lived he was identified with Horus, who the souls encouraged, and when the king died he became associated with Osiris, whom the souls mourned and honored. Banebdjedet - A fertility/virility god who appears as a ram or a man with a ram's head, associated with the city of Mendes, eventually another name for Osiris. Kagemni - A vizier to the king Sneferu (c. 2613-2589 BCE) who wrote the wisdom text known as Instructions of Kagemni. . Sebiumeker is associated with Atum as a creator god and may have been the supreme god of the pantheon in the region which is modern-day Sudan. He was born at the beginning of creation of Atum (Ra) and sent to create the world with his sister Tefnut (goddess of moisture). The following list of the gods and goddesses of ancient Egypt is derived from numerous works on the subject which follow below in the bibliography. Serapis | Greco-Egyptian deity | Britannica Son of Nephthys and Osiris, father of Qebhet. Zenenet - Another name for Isis in the city of Hermonthis (modern-day Armant) near Thebes. The Greeks associated her with Hestia. Son of Hathor and Horus the Elder. This page was last edited on 5 June 2023, at 16:31. He was the royal architect of Amunhotep III (1386-1353 BCE). The name means "Great of Magic"and is associated with the uraeus and the crown of Lower Egypt. He lived c. 2667-2600 BCE and was a polymath expert in many fields of study. In his association with Ra he appeared as a child, symbolizing the morning sun, and as an adult representing later day. Hetepes-Sekhus - A personification of the Eye or Ra who appears as a cobra goddess in the afterlife and destroys the enemies of Osiris. Her association with measurements eventually made her the patroness of builders, architects, and those who dealt in accounting for cattle, other animals, and captives seized in war. Some became influential builders and advisors to the royal family, or even married into the royal family themselves. Major deities [ change | change source] Male [ change | change source] The more famous gods became state deities while others were associated with a specific region or, in some cases, a ritual or role. His name means "Opener of the Ways" and this has been interpreted as opening the way for king in battle, opening the way to the afterlife, and opening the way at one's birth. The concept of balance, so important to Egyptian culture, was epitomized in the various ogdoads of Egyptian gods/sprits of place. Sopdu was associated with Horus and the deified king in his astral form. Mnevis (Mer-Wer or Nem-Wer) - Mnevis was the sacred bull of Heliopolis considered an aspect of the sun god Ra. In the same way that she could bring the desert winds, she could deflect them, and the same with pestilence; just as she had brought the plague, she could cure it and was known as "Mistress of Life" in this capacity (and so was frequently invoked in healing spells and incantations by ancient doctors). Osiris - Lord and judge of the dead, one of the First Five gods born of Nut at the dawn of creation, and one of the most popular and enduring gods of Egypt. The Opening of the Mouth was meant to represent Ptahs own origin, when he used his mouth to speak the universe into existence. He also decreed that she could not give birth on any day of the year. He carries a staff that incorporates three symbols that were important to Egyptians: thedjedpillar, which symbolizes stability, thewasscepter, which represents power and authority, and the ankh, or looped cross, which represents life. Bearded Egyptian deity Crossword Clue | Wordplays.com In the Valley of the Kings he is seen in paintings as a member of the crew aboard Ra's sun barge. Further, the star Sirius was associated with Sothis and then Isis while Orion represented the god Sah, "Father of the Gods". The latter Theban creator god could be embodied in a Nile goose, but never in a Whitefronted Goose. Tatenen was a bisexual god, referred to as "Mother of All the Gods" in one text. Tefnut is the mother of Geb (earth) and Nut (sky) who were born so human beings could have somewhere to live. He is one of the most popular gods in Egyptian history who protected women and children, fended off evil, and fought for divine order and justice. Apis - The Divine Bull worshipped at Memphis as an incarnation of the god Ptah. His festival was one of the earliest observed and, merged with the Khoiak Festival of Osiris, continued to be celebrated throughout Egypt's history. He presided over the west, had the form of a hawk, and was watched over by Serket. Mekhit - Goddess of war, probably originally from Nubia, depicted as a roaring lioness and associated with the moon. Later depictions ascribe Geb to the likeness of a ram, bull, or crocodile. She was also a grain goddess known as "Lady of the Fertile Fields" and "Lady of the Granaries" who protected the harvest and was the mother of Nepri, god of grain. Afterwards, Serket followed Isis' example of forgiveness and protected other children from scorpions. After the primordial mound rose from the waters of chaos at creation, Atum (Ra) sent his children Shu and Tefnut out to create the world. 05 Jun 2023. Conversely, he is also depicted as protecting the king. [1] These gods and goddesses appear in virtually every aspect of ancient Egyptian civilization, and more than 1,500 of them are known by name. Consort of Anhur. from the French by David (2001). Aken - Custodian of the boat which ferried souls across Lily Lake to the Field of Reeds in the afterlife. Gods and the justified dead would help Ra fend the serprent off. They were depicted as dwarf-gods and worn for protection. She is the guardian goddess over Duamutef, one of the Four Sons of Horus who watch over the canopic jars in the tombs and is also depicted as a just judge of the dead in the Hall of Truth. Khonsu (Kons, Chonsu, Khensu, or Chons) - His name means "The Traveler" and he was god of the moon. Sekhmet was a leonine deity usually depicted as a woman with the head of a lion. Over the course of Egyptian history hundreds of gods and goddesses were worshipped. Kek and Kauket - Gods of obscurity and night, members of the original Ogdoad of Hermopolis. He is depicted as a young man with shaved head except for the sidelock denoting youth and carries a quiver of arrows. Her characteristics were later largely absorbed by Isis. He has taught history, writing, literature, and philosophy at the college level. Shezmu is depicted in the Pyramid Text 403 killing and cooking the gods for the king's pleasure and, by the Middle Kingdom (2040-1782 BCE) was seen tormenting the souls of the dead as he "lassoes the damned and corrals them for slaughter, squeezing their heads like grapes in a bloody image of destruction" (Wilkinson, 129). In every story told of him, Thoth is the divine friend and benefactor of humanity who gave people understanding through the gift of the written word. Apedemak - A war god depicted as a lion, originally thought to be from Nubia. In iconography she appears like either of these two but with a crocodile head. Quite likely invoked as a protectress of widows but references to her are rare and Isis fulfilled that role as she did so many others. It was associated with Osiris through the imagery of rebirth as the bird was closely connected to the sun which died each night and rose again the next morning. The people of Egypt would leave bowls of offerings by caves for them. His name means "He who is from Andjet" associated with the djed symbol. Geb was frequently feared as father of snakes (one of the names for snake was s3-t3 "son of the earth"). Sah and Sothis in the heavens reflected the divine couple Osiris and Isis and the god Sopdu, (son of Sothis), the astral form of Horus. Lady of the Sycamore - One of the names of Hathor who was believed to live in the sycamore tree which was sacred to her cult. She was associated with Nephthys as a friend of the dead. Books Identities State of the Art | Ancient art How Egyptian god Bes gave the Christian Devil his looks By Alastair Sooke 21st October 2014 The lewd, leering face of the Egyptian god. The latter initial root consonant occurs once in the Middle Kingdom Coffin Texts, more often in 21st Dynasty mythological papyri as well as in a text from the Ptolemaic tomb of Petosiris at Tuna El-Gebel or the name was written with initial hard -k-, as e.g. Rank. The oldest physical representation of Geb can be dated back to the Third Dynasty of Ancient Egypt (2670 BCE), during King Djoser's rule. The god Amun also known as Amon, Ammon and Amen is a powerful ancient Egyptian deity from the Old Kingdom together with his consort Amaunet. He was later considered his own deity and became associated with sweet-smelling flowers. Hathor became associated with the sistrum specifically and music generally but, earlier, Merit was the goddess who "conducted" the symphony of order which accompanied creation. Ptah (pronouncedpitah) was the Egyptian god of creators and crafters. Sepa - A protector god in the form of a centipede with the head of a donkey or horns, known as "The Centipede of Horus". He was said to have killed two serpents and entwined them on a staff as a symbol of his power; this image (borrowed from the Sumerians, actually) was passed on to the Greeks who associated it with their god Hermes and called it the caduceus. Following the rise in popularity of the Osiris Myth, Horus the Younger became one of the most important gods in Egypt. He was worshipped as the deity who protected one from snake bites and some form of Sepa was venerated in the Predynastic Period (c. 6000-3150 BCE). Imagery of the Virgin Mary holding her son Jesus comes directly from Isis cradling her son Horus and the Dying and Reviving God figure of Jesus himself is a version of Osiris. Isis gives birth to Osiris' son, Horus, who grows up to challenge set for the throne. In the afterlife she helped guide the souls of the dead toward paradise and was one of the deities aboard the sun barge of Ra who defended it from Apep. See Wadj-Wer. Seshat (Sefkhet-Abwy or Safekh-Aubi) - She was the goddess of writing, books, notations, and measurements. Ptah (pronounced pitah) was the Egyptian god of creators and crafters. A very ancient goddess, she was sent by Ra to destroy humanity for their sins. She sat beneath the scales of justice in the Hall of Truth in the afterlife and devoured the hearts of those souls which were not justified by Osiris. Egyptian kings identified themselves with Osiris in death and he is usually depicted as a mummy (symbolizing death) and with green or black skin (symbolizing the fertility of the Nile region and life). Worship of the gods of Egypt evolved over time as large cults developed on a local and then on a national scale. Mehen - The serpent god who wrapped himself around Ra in the sun barge to protect him from Apep's attacks. Ptah was originally the figure who stood on the primordial mound of the ben-ben at the creation of the world. Khonsu replaced the earlier god Montu as son of Mut and also took on his protective qualities. Tenenit (Tenenet or Tjenenet) - Goddess of beer, brewing and childbirth. In the latter case, one of his otherworldly attributes was an ominous jackal-headed stave (called wsr.t Mighty One') rising from the ground onto which enemies could be bound. Denwen - A serpent deity in the form of a dragon surrounded by flames. He was the protector of kingship and the individual king. A freelance writer and former part-time Professor of Philosophy at Marist College, New York, Joshua J. Plagues were known as "Messengers of Sekhmet" or "Slaughterers of Sekhmet". Amenet (Amentet) - A goddess who welcomed the dead to the afterlife with food and drink. She guarded over people in life and, in Spell 164 of the Book of the Dead, is depicted as a savior of souls trapped by demons in the afterlife. Ptah - Gods and Goddesses Seret - A leonine protective goddess probably from Libya. Eagles were highly associated with the deity Nekhbet; the deity of Upper Egypt, and the protector of the king. He was so popular that people in ancient Egypt paid to have their bodies buried at Abydos near his cult center and those who could not afford that would pay for memorials to be erected to them or their loved ones at Abydos believing that proximity to Osiris on earth guaranteed easier access to paradise after death. Lates-Fish - The Nile perch sacred to the goddess Neith, worshipped as a divine entity as Esna. The characteristics of individual gods could be hard to pin down. Osiris-Apis - The Apis bull, traditionally associated with the god Ptah, became linked to Osiris as the latter god grew more popular. Ptah was usually depicted as a blue-skinned, bearded man sporting a skull cap and a scepter. Lake of Flowers (Lily Lake) - The body of water in the afterlife which the souls of the justified dead crossed to reach paradise in the Field of Reeds. Word. In early myths he is shown protecting Ra while Set fights off the serpent. Buchis - Aspect of the Ka (life force/astral self) of the god Montu in the form of a live bull. She is only known from a single stela at Abydos which shows her standing with the ankh in one hand and a staff in the other as a woman and her daughter approach to pay her homage. He was a complex being who was both a deity and a demonic fighter. The worship of Ptah predates Ancient Egyptian culture, and he was one of the most popular deities in Egypt. Similar to The Fates of the ancient Greeks, no one could resist or alter Shay's decisions. Mesopotamian Deities | Essay | The Metropolitan Museum of Art in a 30th Dynasty papyrus text in the Brooklyn Museum dealing with descriptions of and remedies against snakes. As with the traditional Apis bull, a live bull was considered an incarnation of the god. She was known as "Smiter of the Nubians" in this regard but she also brought natural disaster. Taweret is a goddess of childbirth and fertility who was very popular throughout Egypt's history. Kek was the god of the hours before dawn and was known as "Bringer-in-of-the-Light" as he guided the sun barge of the god Ra toward the sky from the underworld. In this role, she was the mother of Sopdu and so appealed to as a protective influence. They had names like Far-Strider, Fire-Embracer, Demolisher, Disturber, Owner of Faces, and Serpent Who Brings and Gives, among others. Bes (Aha or Bisu) - God of childbirth, fertility, sexuality, humor, and war, popularly known as the Dwarf god. Egypt had one of the largest and most complex pantheons of gods of any civilization in the ancient world. She was originally an aspect of Hathor but emerged with her own distinct character and iconography by the time of the Middle Kingdom (c. 2040-1782 BCE). He existed before anything else did, and conceived of the universe through the power of thought. A coloured vignet irrefutably depicts a Nile Goose with an opened beak (Ngg wr!) His association with the Sphinx of Giza comes from these foreign workers who believed the Sphinx represented Haurun and built a shrine to their god in front of the statue. Ta-Bitjet - A protective goddess specifically against poisonous bites and stings. When republishing on the web a hyperlink back to the original content source URL must be included.
