Aker
The double lion god, guardian of the sunrise and sunset. Guardian of the peaks that
supported the sky.
Am-heh
Egyptian chthonic underworld god
Amun
"The Hidden One." An Egyptian sky god who evolved into a sun god and the head of
the Egyptian pantheon. Originally a local god of Khmun and then of Thebes. Amun's
cult rose in prominence as Thebes rose in status. In the New Kingdom he became
combined with the Heliopolitan sun god Ra as Amun-Ra, in which form he was the
"king of the gods" and the tutelary deity of the Pharaohs. The Pharaohs, who had
been considered "sons of Ra", thus came to be regarded as incarnations of Amun-Ra.
Amun took on the role of a primeval deity and creator in the cosmology of the New
Kingdom, creating earth and sky out of his thought. By Dynasty XVIII Amun was the
"King of the Gods." Karnak was his most famous temple. The temple is the largest
religious structure ever built by man. Amun sometimes appears as a protector of any
devotee in need.
Amun was a member of the Ogdoad, paired with the goddess Amaunet. They
represented hidden power. He was also a member of the Theban triad, where he was
the husband of Mut and adoptive father of Khons. Amun was depicted in human form,
with blue skin and either the head of a bearded man or a ram's head with curved
horns. He wore a crown composed of a modius surmounted by two tall feather
plumes. He was sometimes depicted in ithyphallic form with an oversized erect penis.
His true appearance was considered beyond human understanding. Amun was said to
be "hidden of aspect, mysterious of form", invisible yet omnipresent throughout the
cosmos. His sacred animals were the ram and the goose. His primary sanctuaries
were at Karnak and Luxor near Thebes. Amun and his influential Theban priests
suffered a temporary eclipse during the reign of Akhenaten, who tried to impose a
monotheistic worship of Aten. The cult of Amun revived soon after Akhenaten's
death. It was not until the sack of Thebes by the Assyrians in 663 BC that Amun was
reduced to mere local importance. As Ammon, however, he had an oracle at the Siwa
Oasis in the western desert that remained prominent at least until the time of
Alexander the Great, who visited the oracle.
Amun-Re ( Amon-Ra )
A combination of Amun and Ra worshipped in later Egyptian history. Under this
name, the Theban god Amun became the national god of Egypt. Pharaohs considered
themselves to be sons of Amun-Ra. Displaced during Akhenaten's rule, he was
restored to full power afterwards.
Andjety ( Anezti, Anedjti )
Egyptian underworld god. Andjety was responsible for the rebirth of the individual in
the afterlife. He wore a high conical crown surmounted by two feather plumes, and
bore the crook and flail. Andjety was associated with Osiris, whose symbols were also
the crook and flail, as well as the atef crown, which resembled that worn by Andjety.
His worship originated in the ninth Nome of Lower Egypt. Both Osiris and him had
their main cult center at Busiris.
Anezti ( Anedjti )
A god of the ninth Nome of Lower Egypt.
Anhur ( Anhert, Anhuret, Greek Onuris )
Egyptian warrior and hunter god. His consort was the lion goddess Mekhit. He was
depicted as a bearded warrior wearing a long robe and a headdress with four tall
plumes, often bearing a spear. Mekhit is often shown accompanying him. Anhur was
the champion of Egypt who hunted and slew the enemies of Ra. Occasionally equated
with the god Shu and with Ares by the Ptolemaic Greeks. Anhur was the Divine
Huntsman. His cult originated in the Upper Egyptian city of Thinis (This), near
Abydos, but his main cult center was at Sebennytos in the Nile Delta.
Anti
An Egyptian guardian deity. Depicted as a falcon or with a falcon's head, often
standing on a crescent-shaped boat.
Anubis (Greek; Egyptian: Anup)
An Egyptian god of the dead. Also known as Khenty-Imentiu - "Chief of the
Westerners" - a reference to the belief that the realm of the dead lay to the west and
a association with the setting sun and the Egyptian custom of building cemeteries on
the west bank of the Nile. He was represented as a black jackal/dog or as a man with
the head of a jackal/dog. His father was normally given as Ra, while is mother was
sometimes Nephthys or Isis.
After the early period of the Old Kingdom, he was replaced by Osiris as god of the
dead and was demoted to a supporting role as a god of the funeral cult and the care
of the dead. His black color represented the color of human corpses after they had
undergone the embalming process. In the Book of the Dead, he was depicted as
presiding over the weighing of the heart of the deceased, in the Hall of the Two
Truths. As god of the care of the dead, he was referred to as the "conductor of souls."
Because of this title the Greeks later identified him with Hermes. The two were
merged to form the deity Hermanubis. Anubis' principal sanctuary was at the
necropolis in Memphis as well as other cities.
Apedemak
A Nubian Lion god.
Apis ( Greek form; Egyptian Hapi, Hape)
Egyptian bull god of Memphis. Originally a form the god Hapi, he was later regarded
as the living embodiment of the god Ptah. Apis was supposedly conceived after a
flash of lightning struck Isis. When he, the Apis Bull, died it was said that he
became/entered the god Osiris. Based on distinguishing marks, a black and white
bull was selected to represent Apis. It must be all black save for a white triangular
patch on the forehead. Omens were derived by it's behavior. After a Apis bull died, it
was mummified and buried with much ceremony at Sakkarah in an underground
tomb known to the Greeks as the Serapeum, afterwards, his priests searched for a
calf with the appropriate markings which indicated that it was his successor. The
Pharaohs were closely associated with the Apis bull. They partook of it's strength and
fertility in life and aided in their ascent to the sun god after death. The Apis bull was
depicted with the solar disk between its horns and also bearing the uraeus (cobra
amulet) on its head.
Apophis ( Apepi, Apep )
Egyptian snake god and personified darkness, evil and the forces of chaos. Apophis
was the eternal enemy of Ra and cosmic order. Each night he did battle with Ra on
his journey through the underworld on the barque of the sun, and each night Ra
triumphed to be reborn at dawn in the east. Often the god Set or the serpent Mehen
was the one who defended Ra and the solar barque from Apophis. During an eclipse it
was said that Apophis had gained a temporary victory however, Ra always triumphed
in the end. In one account, it was said that Ra gained a permanent victory over
Apophis when he cut up and burned Apophis' body.
Aten
Name of the god who gained its prominence during the reign of Akhenaten.
Akhenaten abolished the traditional cults of Egypt in favor of the Aten. A sun with
multiple arms holding/offering Ankh, was the Aten's representation. This was the
first monotheistic cult in the world.
Atum
The primeval sun god and creator of the world. He represents the setting sun. Later
he was combined with Re as the god Atum-Re. According to the myths, he was the
first substance (a hill) who emerged from the primeval waters. Atum created the
deities Shu and Tefnut from his spittle or from his semen in the act of masturbation.
His main cult center was at Heliopolis, where he was the head of the Ennead cult. The
black bull Mnewer, who bore the sun disk and uraeus between its horns, was his
representation. As the father of the pharaoh, he played an important part in the
coronation rites. Atum was shown as old man symbolizing the setting sun, a scarab, a
snake, and a mangust (pharaoh hat). His sacred animals were the bull, the snake,
lizard, lion and ichneumon.
In the Memphite creation myth Atum was conceived in the heart of Ptah and was
created by his word. "He who completes, or perfects."
B
Ba
Early ram god of Mendes in Lower Egypt. He was a fertility deity whom women
worshipped in the hope that he would aid them in conceiving children.
Babi
Egyptian demonic god. Depicted as a baboon with an erect penis. Babi was both a
dangerous god, but was also associated with sexual prowess in the afterlife. As a
demonic god he was said to live on human entrails. He is mentioned in the Books of
the Dead where he attends the ceremony of the Weighing of the Heart in the Hall of
the Two Truths. He waits with Ammut to devour the souls of those found unworthy.
His penis was depicted being employed as the mast of the underworld ferry.
Banebdjedet ( Ba Neb Tetet, Banebdedet, Baneb Djedet, Banaded )
Ram god of Lower Egypt. His consort was the fish goddess Hatmehyt. He was the
father of Harpokrates. In one tradition, he interceded in the contest between Horus
and Set for the Egyptian throne. Banebdejedet advised the gods to consult the
goddess Neith. Neith advised the gods to award the throne to Horus. In this account,
he was said to reside on the island of Seheil near the first cataract of the Nile at
Aswan, but generally his cult was centered on Mendes in the Nile Delta. He was
depicted with the head of a ram.
Ba-Pef
"That Soul." Minor Egyptian god of malevolent aspect.
Behedti
Egyptian god in the form of a crouching falcon. Worshipped at Behdet (Edfu), he later
was identified as a local form of the god Horus.
Benu
A bird-like sun god. Linked with Atum, the better known sun god of Heliopolis. He
was said to have been self-created from the primeval ocean.
Bes (Bisu)
Dwarf god who guarded against evil spirits and misfortune. Unlike the other Egyptian
deities, who were usually depicted in profile, Bes was depicted full face. He was ugly
and grotesque in appearance, with a large head, a protruding tongue, bowlegs and a
bushy tail. He bore a plumed crown and wore the skin of a lion or panther. Despite his
appearance, he was a beneficent deity and his appearance was meant to scare off evil
spirits. He bore swords and knives to ward off evil spirits, as well as musical
instruments, to create a din to frighten them off. Bes aided the goddess Taweret in
childbirth. He was originally the protective deity of the royal house of Egypt, but
became a popular household deity throughout Egypt.
Bennu
An aspect of Ra-Atum in the form of a phoenix. Bennu was the patron of the
reckoning of time and carrier of eternal light from the abode of the gods to the world
of men.
Buchis
Egyptian holy bull of Hermonthis and the living image of the god Montu. He had a
white body and a black head.
C
Chenti-cheti ( Greek Chentechtai )
Originally an Egyptian crocodile god, he later took on the form of a falcon.
Chenti-irti ( Machenti-irti )
Falcon-god of law and order identified with Horus.
Cherti
Ram god and ferryman of the dead. His cult was centered on Letopolis.
Chnum ( Chnumu )
Ram god and protector of the source of the Nile. He was said to fashion children out
of clay and then place them in the mother's womb. Depicted as a human with a ram's
head.
Chons
Egyptian moon god; the son of Amun and Mut. Normally depicted as a young man in
the posture of a mummy.
Chontamenti ( Chonti-amentiu )
A god of the dead and the land of the west. He was represented as a crouching
dog/jackal.
D
Djebauti (Zebauti)
A local god
Dua
The Egyptian god of toiletry.
Duamutef (Tuamutef)
God of the deceased's stomach
E
F
G
Geb (Keb, Seb)
Earth god. It is quite rare to find a ancient religion with the earth personified in the
form of a man. Geb was the son of Shu and Tefnut and Brother-consort of the sky
goddess Nut. Father of Osiris and Isis, Set and Nephthys. Geb was generally depicted
lying on his back, usually wearing the crown of Lower Egypt, with the naked body of
Nut arched above him. As such, he was often shown with an erect penis pointing
upward toward Nut. Occasionally the air god Shu was shown standing on the body of
Geb and supporting Nut, supposedly separating her from Geb. In any other case he is
shown with the head of a goose. He as "the Great Cackler," he was represented as a
goose. Also as "The Great Cackler" he was said to have laid the egg from which the
sun was hatched.
Equated as the third divine king of earth. His skin was often green, indicative his role
as a god of vegetation and fertility. Geb was also said to imprison the souls of the
dead, preventing them from passing on to the afterlife. The laughter of Geb was said
to cause earthquakes. The goose was his sacred animal and his symbol in Egyptian
hieroglyphics. In his honor, the royal throne of Egypt was occasionally known as the
'throne of Geb.'
H
Ha
God of the west and the western desert. Because the entrance to the underworld was
in the western desert, he plays a part in the death cult. He is shown as a human with
a hieroglyph that represents the west on his head.
Hapi (Hapy, Hap, Hep)
God of the Nile. Mostly associated with the annual floods, the inundation (which was
responsible for the fertility of the land adjacent to the river). Although he had no
specific cult centers, Hapi was believed to live in caves near the Nile cataracts. His
court included a retinue of crocodile-gods and a harem of frog-goddesses. Depicted in
human form with a large belly, female breasts (which indicated his powers of
nourishment), a beard, colored blue or green, and a clump of aquatic plants. He often
bore a tray of produce symbolizing the abundance and prosperity brought by the Nile
floods.
Harakhti (Harachte)
God of the morning sun. His name means 'Horus of the Horizon.' He is a manifestation
of Horus. The Pharaoh was supposedly born on the eastern horizon as Harakhti and
to rule over the eastern and western horizon in that form. In Heliopolis he combined
with Re and was worshipped as Re-Harakhti. He was depicted in the form of a falcon.
Harendotes (Egyptian Har-nedj-itef)
A guardian god and a manifestation of Horus. In this form, he guards Osiris in the
underworld and is called 'Horus the savior of his father.' Har-nedj-itef also protects
the dead and is portrayed as a falcon on sarcophagi.
Harmachis (Egyptian Har-em-akhet)
"Horus upon the Horizon" also known as Her-Akhety, "Horus of the Two Horizons." A
manifestation of Horus where he figures as a sun god (identified with Re-HerAkhety). Later the sphinx of Giza represented "Horus of the Morning Sun" because
it/he looked toward the eastern horizon.
Harmerti
Horus' name, as the falcon-god 'with the two eyes,' which represented the sun and
the moon. Harmerti was also worshipped as the hero that restrains monsters.
Haroeris (Egyptian Har-wer)
"The Elder Horus." Horus, when he reaches maturity, and avenges his father, Osiris,
against his enemy, Seth. In this form, Horus defeats Seth and seizes the throne of
Egypt.
In Noebt, (Kom Ombo) in Upper Egypt, Har-wer was regarded as the son of the god
Re and was identical with the sky god Shu. He is depicted in the form of a falcon.
Harpokrates (Harpocrates, Egyptian Har-pa-khered)
"Horus the Child." This was Horus as a young boy, not Horus as an adult. He is
portrayed as a naked child with a finger in his mouth, sitting on a lotus flower or on
the knee of his mother Isis. He was invoked to ward off dangerous creatures. He was
also a vegetation god and was portrayed with a jar or a horn of plenty.
He became very popular during the Roman Empire and his cult was expanded
substantially. Statuettes of Har-pa-khered from the Greco-Roman period show him
riding on a goose or a ram.
Harsiesis (Harsiese, Egyptian Har-sa-iset)
This was Horus as the son of Isis and a guardian deity. In the Osiris-myth he was
born when Isis impregnated herself by her deceased husband, Osiris. Isis protects
Horus as a child. The Pyramid texts state that Har-sa-iset performed the rite of the
'opening of the mouth' on the dead pharaoh, ensuring that the pharaoh would have
the use of his faculties in the afterlife.
Harsomtus (Egyptian Har-mau)
"Horus the Uniter." Horus when he achieves the uniting of the kingdoms of Upper and
Lower Egypt.
Heh
God of infinity and a member of the Ogdoad. His consort was Hauhet.
Hemen
An Egyptian falcon god.
Herishef (Arsaphes)
A ram-headed god who originated in Heracleopolis.
Horus (Egyptian Har or Hor)
Egyptian sky god; son of Isis and the dead Osiris. Usually depicted as a falcon or in
human form with the head of a falcon. The sun and the moon are said to be his eyes.
He was born at Khemmis in the Nile Delta, and Isis hid him in the papyrus marshes to
protect him against Set, his father's murderer.
Horus later avenged the death of his father against Set. Horus lost his left eye (the
moon) in the contest between the two. Horus was identified with Lower Egypt and
Set with Upper Egypt in this battle, which lasted eighty years. The gods judged Horus
to be the winner, and Set was either killed or castrated. The consequence of Horus's
victory was the union of Upper and Lower Egypt. The Egyptian Pharaoh was believed
to be an incarnation of Horus, and the name of Horus formed part of his name. The
Pharaoh was said to become Horus after death. Set restored the eye he had torn from
Horus, but Horus gave it instead to Osiris. The image of the "eye of Horus", a human
eye combined with the cheek markings of a falcon, became a powerful amulet among
the Egyptians.
Among the various manifestations of Horus were:
Harpokrates (Heru-Pa-Khret, Harpakhrad):
"Horus the child." This refers to his birth and secret rearing by Isis. In this form he is
often depicted as a naked child seated on Isis's lap.
Haroeris (Har Wer):
"Horus the elder." In this form Horus battled against Set.
Harakhte (Harakhti, Heraktes):
"Horus of the horizon." Horus at Heliopolis, linked with Ra in the sun cult. In this
form he is associated with the rising and setting sun. He was pictured as a falcon, or
as a sphinx with the body of a lion. The Great Sphinx of Giza is an example of "Horus
in/of the Horizon."
Harendotes (Har-nedj-itef, Har-End-Yotef):
"Horus the savior of his father." A reference to the avenging of his father's murder.
Harmachis (Heru-Em-Akhet, Harmakis):
"Horus in the horizon." Horus as symbol of resurrection, linked with the setting sun.
Harsiesis (Harsiese, Har-si-Ese, Hor-Sa-Iset):
"Horus, son of Isis." Horus as a baby/child
Harsomtus (Har-mau):
"Horus the Uniter." This is a reference to his role in uniting Upper and Lower Egypt.
Hor Behdetite (Behedti):
"Horus of Behdet." Originally a local form of Horus, at Behdet. In this form he
symbolized by the winged solar disk.
Hu
The creating word of the sun-god of Heliopolis and a god of authority. With Sia Hu
forms a primeval pair, both born from a drop of blood from the penis of Ra
(sometimes by the tears of Ra), and together the personify the wisdom and insight of
the sun-god. They also accompany him on his solar barque and help the bring order in
chaos.
I
Imiut
A protective deity of the underworld.
Imhotep (Amenhotep, Amenhotep-Son-of-Hapu)
Imhotep was the chief minister of the Pharaoh Djoser. He was the architect of the
Step Pyramid, which was the first of the Egyptian Pyramids. Imhotep was latter
raised to the level of a god (deified). As a god he was responsible with medicine and
learning. Normally depicted as a seated man holding an open papyrus.
Imsety (Amset, Mestha)
God of the deceased's liver, he was protected by Isis; One of the Four Sons of Horus.
J
Joh (Jah)
An Egyptian god of the moon.
K
Kebechsenef (Kebehsenuf, Qebshenuf, Qebehsenuf)
A Son of Horus. He protected the Canopic jar where the viscera of the lower body
where kept after mummification.
Kek
God of darkness and a member of the Ogdoad. His consort was Kauket.
Kepra (Kheper, Khepera, Khepris, Chepre, Chepri)
An Egyptian sun god who appeared often in the form of a scarab or a dung beetle and
often as a beetle within the sun disk. He was a manifestation of the god Ra rising in
the east at dawn. This association supposedly resulted for the similarity between the
scarab rolling a ball of dung along the ground and Ra rolling the sun across the sky.
Kepra was the one who pushed the sun up from the underworld to be reborn at dawn.
In the Heliopolitan cosmology he appeared as a primordial sun god who created
himself out of the earth. His principal cult center was at Heliopolis.
Khepri
A scarab headed god. The Egyptians believed that Khepri pushed the sun across the
sky in much the same fashion that a dung beetle (scarab) pushed a ball of dung
across the ground.
Kherty (Cherti)
"Lower One." Ram god of the underworld and ferryman of the dead. In the Pyramid
Texts Kherty was said to be a threat to the Pharaoh, who had to be defended by Ra
himself. However, as an earth-god, he also acts as a guardian of the Pharaoh's tomb.
Letopolis, northwest of Memphis, was Kherty's main cult center. He was shown as a
man with the head of a ram or as a ram.
Khnum (Khnemu)
"To Create." Egyptian ram god. Khnum was credited with creating life on a potter's
wheel at the behest of the other gods. He was also said to control the annual
inundation of the Nile, although the god Hapi physically generates the inundation.
The goddesses Satis and Anuket assisted him in their supervisory role. His major cult
center was on the Elephantine Island near the first cataract of the Nile (Near modern
Aswan) where mummified rams sacred to Khnum have been found. He also had an
important cult center at Esna, to the north of the first cataract. He was usually
depicted inhuman form with a ram's head - the horns extending horizontally on either
side of the head - often before a potter's wheel on which a naked human was being
fashioned.
Khonsu (Khons, Khensu, Chons)
"Wanderer." Egyptian moon god. Son of Amun and Mut (occasionally the son of
Sekhmet) with whom he forms the triad of gods revered in Thebes. Depicted in
human form, sometimes with the head of a hawk, clothed in a tight-fitting robe and
wearing a skullcap topped by the crescent of the new moon subtending the disk of
the full moon. His head was shaven except for the side-lock worn by Egyptian
children, signifying his role as Khnosu-pa-khered - "Khonsu the child." His principal
sanctuary was in Thebes, where he figured prominently as a member of the Theban
triad. He also had a temple in Karnak. His sacred animal was the baboon, considered
a lunar animal by the Egyptians.
Kis
The Egyptian god of Kusae.
L
M
Maahes (Mihos, Miysis)
A obscure lion god who may be of foreign origin. Maahes ("True Before Her") was
worshipped in Bubastis, Leontopolis, and especially Upper Egypt. He is regarded in
later times to be the son of Bastet and Ptah in Memphis. He is sometimes regarded as
a son of the triad in Memphis with Nefertem and occasionally Imhotep. Maahes
punished the transgressors of Ma'at. His protection was invoked over the innocent.
He was represented as either a lion or a man with a lion's head and a knife.
Mahes (Miysis)
The Egyptian personification of the summer heat. Known as "Lord of the massacre."
He was principally worshipped in the area of the Nile Delta. He is represented as a
lion or a man with a lion's head.
Mehen
An Egyptian serpent god. He defends the solar barque during Ra's nightly passage
through the underworld. Usually shown as a snake coiled about the barque.
Mihos
Lion-god, son of Bastet.
Min
Chief of Heaven. A primeval god of Coptos. In early times he was a sky-god whose
symbol was a thunderbolt. Also seen as a rain god that promoted fertility of nature,
such as grain. Later he was revered as a fertility god who bestowed sexual powers on
men. Normally represented as a human holding a flagellum.
Montu (Mont, Mentu, Methu; Greek Month)
Falcon-headed war god of Upper Egypt. His cult developed at Thebes and spread
throughout Egypt under the Theban kings, who expanded the country's borders
beginning around 2000 BC. He was the tutelary god of the Theban monarchs, and
brought them victory in war. Depicted in human form with the head of a falcon,
crowned with the solar disk, the uraeus cobra and two tall plumes, His sacred animal
was a white bull with a black face, known as Buchis. After death, the bulls were
buried in a necropolis near Hermothis (Armant) known as the Bucheum. His cult
centers included Medu (Medamud), Karnak and Hermothis.
N
Nefertum (Nefertem; Greek Nepthemis)
Egyptian god of the primordial lotus blossom . A personification of the blue lotus of
which the sun god Ra emerged. In the Pyramid Texts, he was described as the 'lotus
blossom on the nose of Ra.' He was usually depicted in human form wearing a
headdress topped by a lotus blossom. He could also be depicted with a lion's head
when given as the child of the Memphite lion goddess Sekhmet out of her union with
Ptah. His major cult center was in Memphis. In Buto, in the Nile Delta region,
Nefertum was held to be the child of the cobra goddess Wadjet. Elsewhere his mother
was called the cat goddess Bastet.
Nehebkau (Nehebu-Kau, Nehebkhau)
Egyptian snake god of the underworld. Represented either as a serpent with human
arms and legs or with a man's body, holding the eye of Horus. In the Pyramid Texts,
he was said to be the son of the scorpion goddess Serket. Another tradition made him
the son of the earth god Geb and the harvest goddess Renenutet. According to
legend, he was tamed by the sun god Ra and thenceforth acted as the god's servant,
riding with him in the sun barque. His name was invoked in spells providing
protection against snake bites and scorpion stings. Nehebkau protected the dead
Pharaoh in the afterlife.
Nenun (Nenwen)
An Egyptian falcon-god.
Neper
An Egyptian god of grain. Neper was mostly associated with barley and emmer
wheat.
Nun (Nu)
Egyptian god who personified the swirling primeval waters/chaos from which the
cosmic order was produced. In the beginning there was only Nun. Consort of Naunet
and a member of the Ogdoad. He was referred to as the 'father of the gods,' which
referred to his primacy in the time rather than any literal parentage. Nun played no
part in Egyptian religion rituals and had no temples dedicated to him. Nun was
symbolized by the sacred lakes, which were associated with some temples, such as
Karnak and Dendara. Depicted inhuman form holding the solar barque of Ra above
his head.
O
Osiris (Usire)
Egyptian god of the underworld and of vegetation. Son of Nut and Geb and brother of
Nephthys, Set and brother-husband to Isis. His birthplace was said to be Rosetau in
the necropolis west of Memphis. Osiris was depicted in human form wrapped up as a
mummy, holding the crook and flail. He was often depicted with green skin, alluding
to his role as a god of vegetation. He wore a crown known as the 'atef,' composed of
the tall conical whittle crown of Upper Egypt with red plumes on each side. Osiris had
many cult centers, but the most important were at Abydos (Ibdju) in Upper Egypt,
where the god's legend was reenacted in an annual festival and at Busirs (Djedu) in
the Nile delta.
P
Petbe
The Egyptian god of retaliation.
Petesuchos
An Egyptian crocodile-god.
Ptah
Egyptian creator god. Also a god of artisans, designers, builders, metal workers,
architects and masons, whose skills he was said to have created. He was the one who
created the barque for the dead to sail in. His major cult center was at Memphis. In
Memphis and Thebes his consort was the lioness goddess Sekhmet. Together with
Sekhmet's son Nefertum, they formed the 'Memphite triad.' His sacred animal was
the bull. The Apis bull in Memphis, which acted as an intermediary between the god
and humankind, represented Ptah in particular. He was depicted inhuman form,
tightly wrapped like a mummy, with a shaven head or wearing a close fitting skull
cap, holding the scepter of dominion composed of a 'djed' staff topped by the Ankh
(life) symbol.
According to one tradition (Memphite creation myth) Ptah was the primary motive
force in creation, thinking and speaking the cosmos into existence (elsewhere he was
said to have created the cosmos out of mud.) In this tradition, propagated by his
priesthood, it was Ptah who was pre-eminent among the gods. He was said to have
invented the 'opening of the mouth' ceremony, restoring the faculties of life to corpse
by performing it on the mouths of gods when he created them.
Ptah-Seker-Osiris
He incorporated the principal gods of creation, death, and after-life. Represented as a
mummified king.
Q
Qebehsenuef
God of the deceased's intestines
R
Ra (Re)
Egyptian sun and creator god. He was usually depicted in human form with a falcon
head, crowned with the sun disc encircled by the uraeus (the sacred cobra). The sun
itself was taken to be either his body or his eye. He was said to traverse the sky each
day in a solar barque and pass through the underworld each night on another solar
barque to reappear in the east each morning. His principal cult center was Heliopolis
("sun city") near modern Cairo. Ra was also considered to be an underworld god,
closely associated in this respect with Osiris. In this capacity he was depicted as a
ram-headed figure.
By the third millennium B.C. Ra's prominence had already become such that the
Pharaohs took to stylizing themselves as "sons of Ra." After death, the Egyptian
monarch was said to ascend into the sky to join the entourage of the sun god.
According to the Heliopolitan cosmology, Ra was said to have created himself, either
out of a primordial lotus blossom or on the mound that emerged from the primeval
waters. He then created Shu (air) and Tefnut (moisture), who in turn engendered the
earth god Geb and the sky goddess Nut. Ra was said to have created humankind from
his own tears and the gods Hu (authority) and Sia (mind) from blood drawn from his
own penis. Ra was often combined with other deities to enhance the prestige of the
later, as in Ra-Atum or in the formula "Ra in Osiris, Osiris in Ra."
Resheph (Reshpu, Reshef)
A god of war and thunder. He was of Syrian origin.
S
Sarapis (Serapis)
A god supposedly imported during the Ptolemacic period in Egypt. Later, a deity
worshipped throughout the Roman Empire. Sarapis was supposedly the Greek form of
Osiris-Apis, a deity who combined the attributes of the bull god Apis (or Greek Zeus)
and the underworld god Osiris. To this the Hellensitic rulers of Egypt added
characteristics taken from Greek deities such as Zeus, Dionysos, Hades, Helios and
Asklepios to create a universal god. Depicted inhuman form with curly hair and
crowned with a basket-shaped headdress known as a kalathos.
Sepa (Sep)
An Egyptian chthonic god.
Sesmu
The Egyptian god of oil and wine pressing.
Set (Seth, Setekh, Setesh, Seti, Sutekh, Setech, Sutech)
Egyptian god of Chaos who embodied the principles of hostility, if not outright evil.
Early in Egyptian Mythology he was spoken with reverence as a god of storms and
wind. Later on, after his battle with Horus, he was associated with foreign lands and
was the adversary of the god Osiris. Set was usually depicted in human form with the
head of aardvark. He was sometimes represented in entire animal form with a body
similar to that of a greyhound. He was said to be the son of Nut and Geb or Nut and
Ra, and the brother of Osiris, Isis and brother-husband of Nephthys. He was more
commonly associated with the foreign, Semitic goddess Astarte and Anat. Despite his
reputation he had an important sanctuary at Ombos in Upper Egypt, his reputed
birthplace and had cults mostly in the Nile delta.
For a time, during the third millennium BC, Set replaced Horus as the tutelary deity of
the Pharaohs. However, when the story of Set's murder of Osiris got and the
subsequent war with Horus got around, Horus was restored to his original status. The
war with Horus lasted eighty years, during which Set tore out he left eye of his
advisory and Horus tore out Set's foreleg and testicles. Horus eventually emerged
victorious, or was deemed the victor by a council of the gods, and thus became the
rightful ruler of the kingdoms of Upper and Lower Egypt. Set was forced to return the
eye of Horus and was either castrated or killed. In some versions Set then went to
live with the sun god Ra, where he became the voice of thunder. In the Book of the
Dead, Set was refereed to as the "lord of the northern sky" and held responsible for
storms and cloudy weather. Set protected Ra during his night voyage through the
underworld On the other hand, Set was a peril for ordinary Egyptians, he was said to
seize the souls of the unwary. Among the animals sacred to Set were the desert oryx,
boar, the hippopotamus as a destroyer of boats and planted fields, and the crocodile.
The pig was the ultimate taboo in Set's cult. The Greeks later equated him with their
Typhon.
Shu (Su; Greek Sos)
Primordial Egyptian god of air and supporter of the sky. In the Heliopolitan creation
myth, Shu was, with his sister-wife Tefnut, one of the first deities created by the sun
god Atum, either from his semen or from the mucus of his nostrils. Tefnut then
became Shu's consort, giving birth to the sky goddess Nut and the earth god Geb. Shu
separated Geb and Nut (heaven and earth) by interposing himself between them.
Depicted in human form wearing an ostrich feather, with his arms raised to support
the goddess Nut above the supine form of Geb.
Sobek (Greek Suchos)
Egyptian crocodile god and son of Neith. Sobek symbolized the might of the Egyptian
Pharaohs. At Ra's command, He performed tasks such as catching with a net the four
sons of Horus as they emerged from the waters in a lotus bloom. Sobek was admired
and feared for his ferocity. Depicted as a crocodile or in human form with the head of
a crocodile, crowned either by a pair of plumes or sometimes by a combination of the
solar disk and the uraeus. His cult was widespread. Faiyum was particularly noted as
a center of his worship and at least one town came to be "Crocodilopolis" by the
Greeks. Gebelein, Kom Ombo and Thebes in Upper Egypt were other centers of his
cult.
Sokar (Seker; Greek Socharis, Sokaris)
Egyptian funerary god of the Memphis necropolis. Depicted in human form with a
hawk's head. As early as the Old Kingdom, Sokar came to be regarded as a
manifestation of the dead Osiris at Abydos in Upper Egypt. Also in the Old Kingdom,
he came to be combined with Ptah as Ptah-Sokar, in which form he took the lioness
goddess Sekhmet as his consort. In the Middle Kingdom, the three were sometimes
merged in the form Ptah-Sokar-Osiris. Sokar was associated with the manufacture of
various objects used in embalming and in funerary rituals. He became a god of the
craftsman working in the necropolis at Memphis and ultimately a patron deity of the
necropolis itself. He also played a prominent role at Thebes where he was depicted on
the royal tombs. An important annual festival was held in his honor at Thebes. The
festival celebrated the resurrection of Osiris in the form of Sokar and the continuity of
the Egyptian monarchy. At this festival his image was carried in an elaborate boat
known as the 'henu.'
Sopedu (Sopdu)
Egyptian god of the eastern frontier (eastern desert). Depicted either in the form of a
falcon or as a Asiatic warrior with the Bedouin crowned with tall plumes. He was also
the god of the Sinai Peninsula and of the turquoise mines in the Sinai. In the Pyramid
Texts he took on an astral aspect. Impregnating Isis in her manifestation as the star
Sirius, whose appearance in July heralded the annual inundation of the Nile. Isis
subsequently gave birth to the composite deity Sopedu-Horus. His primary cult center
was at Saft el-Henna in the northeastern Nile delta.
T
Tatenen (Tathen, Tatjenen, Tanen, Tenen, Ten)
"Exalted Earth." Primordial Egyptian god who personified the fertile silt of the Nile.
Originally an independent god at Memphis, he was combined with Ptah in his aspect
as a creator god. In this form he took on an a androgynous form and was given he
epithet 'father of the gods.' He was usually depicted in human form with ram's horns
and wearing a feathered crown. As a vegetation god, he could be portrayed with
green skin.
Thoth (Thot, Thout; Egyptian Djhowtey, Djehuti, Tehuti, Zehuti)
Egyptian moon god. Over time, he developed as a god of wisdom, and came to be
associated with magic, music, medicine, geometry, drawing, writing, surveying and
astronomy. He was the inventor of the spoken and written word; credited with the
invention of geometry, medicine and astronomy. He was also the scribe of the gods
and patron of all scribes. Thoth was the measurer of the earth and counter of the
stars as well as keeper and recorder of all knowledge including the Book of the Dead.
Thoth was generally depicted in human form with the head of an ibis, wearing a
crown consisting of a crescent moon topped by a moon disk. He could also be
depicted as an ibis or a baboon which were both sacred to him. His principal
sanctuary was at Hermopolis (Khmunu) in the Nile delta region.
Thoth served as an arbiter among the gods. In the Osirian legend, he protected Isis
during her pregnancy and healed her son Horus when Set tore out his left eye. Thoth
was later identified with the Greek god Hermes in the form of Hermes Trismegistos "Hermes the thrice great" - in which form he remained popular in medieval magic and
alchemy. Thoth was also a god of the underworld, where he served as a clerk who
recorded the judgments on the souls of the dead. Alternatively, it was Thoth himself
who weighed the hearts of the dead against the Feather of Truth in the Hall of the
Two Truths.
U
Uneg
An Egyptian plant-god.
V
W
Wepwawet (Upuaut; Greek Ophois)
"Opener of Ways." Egyptian jackal god. Wepwawet had a dual roe as a god of war
and of the funerary cult ad could be said to "open the way" both for the armies for
the Pharaoh and for the spirits of the dead. He originated as a god of Upper Egypt,
but his cult had spread throughout Egypt by the time of the Old Kingdom. Depicted as
a jackal or in human form with the head of a jackal, often holding the 'shedshed,' a
standard which led the Pharaoh to victory in war and on which the Pharaoh was said
to ascend into the sky after death. Despite his origin in Upper Egypt, in inscription
said that he was born in the sanctuary of the goddess Wadjet at Buto in the Nile
delta. Another inscription identified him with Horus and thus extension with Pharaoh.
Wepwawet also symbolized the unification of Upper and Lower Egypt. In his capacity
as a funerary deity, he used his adze to break open the mouth of the deceased in the
"Opening of the Mouth" ceremony, which ensured that the person would have the
enjoyment of all his faculties in the afterlife. At Abydos, the 'procession of
Wepwawet' opened the mysteries of Osiris as a god of the dead.
Amaunet
Means "Hidden One." She was an Egyptian mother and/or fertility goddess. At the
beginning of time aspects of Amaunet merged with those of the goddess Neith.
Among the Ogdoad, Amun was her consort. She was regarded as a tutelary deity of
the Egyptian Pharaohs, and had a prominent part in the Pharaoh's accession
ceremonies.
Ammut (Ammit)
"Devouress of the Dead." Demonic goddess who attends the Judging of the Dead. She
was depicted as having the head of a crocodile, the torso of a lioness and the
hindquarters of a hippopotamus. She waited in the Judgement Hall of the Two Truths
during the Weighing of the Heart ceremony, and devoured those who were sinners in
life.
Anat
A goddess of Syrian origin. Anat had a warlike character. She usually was represented
as a woman holding a shield and an axe.
Anentet ( Amenthes )
Egyptian goddess of the West. The west was considered to be the Underworld.
Anuket ( Anqet, Anquet, Greek Anukis )
Egyptian goddess who personified the Nile as Nourisher of the Fields. She was mainly
associated with the lower cataracts near Aswan. Also was a protective deity of
childbirth. She was considered to be the daughter of Ra, Satis or Khnum. Depicted in
human form, bearing a crown topped with ostrich feathers. Her principal sanctuary
was at Elephantine. Her sacred animal was the gazelle.
Astarte (As-start-a)
A goddess of Syrian origin. Introduced in Egypt during the 18th Dynasty. Was also
known as The Queen of Heaven and as such, her cult often overlapped with Isis'
worshipers.
Ausaas
Egyptian wife of Herakhty (Horus).
B
Bastet ( Bast, Ubasti )
Egyptian sun, cat and of the home goddess. As a sun goddess she represents the
warm, life giving power of the sun. A goddess of the home, pregnant women and of
the domestic cat, although she sometimes took on the war-like aspect of a lioness.
Normally said to be the daughter of the sun god Ra, but sometimes her father was
said to be Amun. Bastet was wife of Ptah and mother of the lion-god Mihos. She was
also associated with 'Eye of Ra', as such she was a instrument of the sun god's
vengeance. She was depicted as a cat or in human form with the head of a cat, often
holding the sistrum. Her cult was centered on her sanctuary at Bubastis in the Delta
region. A necropolis has been found there, containing mummified cats.
Bat (Bata)
Cow goddess of fertility and primarily a deity of Upper Egypt. She was depicted as a
cow or in human form with cow's ears and horns.
Beset
Egyptian goddess, a female version of Bes.
Buto ( Edjo, Udjo, Wadjet, Wadjit )
A tutelary goddess of Lower Egypt.
C
Chensit
Egyptian goddess of the twentieth nome of Lower Egypt.
D
E
F
G
H
Hathor (Hethert, Athyr)
Cow goddess. A goddess of love and motherhood, Hathor was the daughter of Nut
and Ra. In early Egyptian mythology she was said to be the mother Horus, but was
later replaced with Isis. After being displaced, Hathor became a protectress of Horus.
The Greeks identified Hathor with Aphrodite.
Her name means "House (or Mansion) of Horus," referring to her role as a sky
goddess. The heavens were often depicted as being a cow with stars on it, thus the
"house." She was often regarded as the mother of the Pharaoh, who called himself
the "son of Hathor." Since the Pharaoh was also considered to be the Living Horus, as
the son of Isis, it is plausible that the phrase "son of Hathor" came from when Hathor
was the mother of Hours.
The snake, the Egyptian rattle known as the sistrum, and the papyrus reed often
symbolized Hathor. Her image could also be used to form the capitals of columns in
Egyptian architecture. Her principal sanctuary was at Dandarah, which may also be
where Hathor got her origins. At Dandarah, she was mainly worshipped in her role as
a goddess of fertility, women and childbirth. At Thebes she was regarded as a
goddess of the dead with the title of "Lady of the West." This associated her with Ra
on his descent below the western horizon and various deaths related gods, such as
Osiris and Anubis. She was depicted either as a cow or in human form wearing a
crown consisting of a sun disk held between the horns of a cow.
Hat-mehyt (Hatmehit)
Fish goddess of Mendes in the Delta and the consort of Banebdjedet. She was
occasionally represented as a woman with a fish on her head.
Hauhet
Goddess of infinity and a member of the Ogdoad. Her consort was Heh
Hedetet
A scorpion goddess.
Heket (Heqet)
A goddess of childbirth and protector of the dead. She is the daughter of Ra and is
sometimes called the 'Eye of Ra' and 'Mother of the gods'. She is shown as a frog, a
symbol of life and fertility (millions of them are born after the annual inundation of
the Nile), or as a woman with a frog's head. Women often wore amulets of her during
childbirth. She is regarded as the consort of Khnum.
Hemsut (Hemuset)
The Egyptian goddess of fate.
Heqet
A frog-goddess of Antinoopolis. She was a helper of women during childbirth. At
Antinoopolis she was associated with Khnum.
Hermouthis
See the goddess Renenutet
Hesat
An Egyptian cow goddess. The ancient Egyptians referred to milk as 'the beer of
Hesat.'
I
Isdes
She was a goddess of Heliopolis whose name means, "she comes who is great." She
was a counterpart to the creator god Atum. Normally depicted wearing a scarab
beetle on her head.
Isis (Aset, Eset, Aat, Menkhet, Hert, Ament, Menhet)
"Throne." Egyptian mother goddess. Isis has many names: "Mistress of Magic,The
Queen of Heaven (similar to Astarte), The Great Lady, the God-Mother, lady of Re-anefer; Isis-Nebuut, Lady of Sekhet; Lady of Besitet; Isis in Per Pakht, the Queen of
Mesen; Isis of Ta-at-nehepet; Isis, dweller in Netru; Isis, Lady of Hebet; Isis in P-sheHert; Isis, Lady of Khebt; Usert-Isis, Giver of Life, Lady of Abaton, Lady of Philae and
Lady of the Countries of the South."
Isis ruled over all matters concerning mothering, life, and sorcery. She was the
daughter of Geb and Nut, according to the Heliopolitan genealogy, sister-wife of
Osiris and, according to most myths, the mother of Horus. As the personification of
the throne, Isis was an important source of the Pharaoh's power. Isis' Latin epithet
was Stella Maris, which means, "star of the sea." Isis was depicted in human form,
crowned either by a throne or by cow horns enclosing a sun disk, occasionally a
vulture was incorporated in her crown. She is also depicted as a kite above the
mummified body of Osiris. She was divinely represented by the Ankh. Isis' cult was
popular throughout Egypt, however, the most important sanctuaries were at Giza and
at Behbeit El-Hagar. During the Late Period, Philae was her main cult-center. Later
on, she had an important cult in the Greco-Roman world, with sanctuaries at Delos
and Pompeii.
Isis is one of the four great protector goddesses, which included Bast, Nephyths, and
Hathor. She guarded coffins and the Canopic jars. In the origin myth of Ra and the
world, Isis found out Ra's name by enchanting a poisonous snake to bite him. When
Ra was close to dying, Isis told him that she could only heal him if she knew Ra's true
name. By knowing Ra's name, she then had power equal to him and was then given
all of her magical power and was forever known as the Divine Sorceress.
Isis and Nephyths were the divine mourners for the dead (Osiris). Isis was the one
who retrieved and reassembled the body of Osiris after his murder and
dismemberment by Set. In this way she took on the role of a goddess of the dead and
funeral rites. Isis impregnated herself from the corpse and gave birth to Horus. She
gave birth in secrecy at Khemmis in the Nile delta and hid the child from Set in the
papyrus swamps. Horus later defeated Set and became the first ruler of a united
Egypt. Isis, as mother of Horus, was by extension regarded as the mother and
protectress of the Pharaohs. This relationship between Isis and Horus may also have
influenced the Christian conception of the relationship between Mary and the infant
Jesus Christ. There is a resemblance to the depiction of the seated Isis holding or
suckling the child Horus and the seated Mary and the baby Jesus.
J
K
Kauket
Goddess of darkness and a member of the Ogdoad. Her consort was Kek.
Kebechet
Goddess who personified the purification through water. Daughter of Anubis,
Kebechet plays an important role in the funeral cult. Her appearance is that of a
snake.
L
M
Ma'at (Maat, Mayet)
"Straight": law and order. Egyptian goddess of cosmic harmony, truth and justice.
Ma'at was depicted as a woman with an ostrich feather on her head, she was
sometimes represented only by the feather. Ma'at was closely associated with Ra
from the beginning and eventually became known as the 'daughter of Ra.' Thoth was
sometimes given as her consort. The Pharaohs were said to derive their authority
from Ma'at and claimed to uphold the cosmic order embodied in her. In the funerary
papyri of the New Kingdom it was Ma'at who sat in judgement at the weighting of the
heart ceremony in the Hall of the Two Truths. The heart of the deceased was weighed
against the image of Ma'at, often represented simply by the ostrich feather. Her only
know sanctuary was in Karnak.
Mafdet
The first deity to be mentioned who is half-cat (domesticate). She appears to be
associated with the protection of the king's chambers. OR Panther Goddess Her
ferocity prevails over snakes and scorpions.
Mekhit (Mechit)
A lion goddess and consort of Anhur
Meret (Mert)
The Egyptian goddess of song and rejoicing.
Meretseger (Mertseger,Meresger)
"She who loves silence." Egyptian cobra goddess and protective deity of the Theban
necropolis. She was believed to live on a mountain overlooking the Valley of the
Kings. Worshiped by the workers at the necropolis, she was believed to poison or
blind anyone who committed a crime. Supposedly, this belief was intended to
reinforce the taboo against desecrating or robbing the tombs. She was depicted as a
coiled cobra or as a cobra with the head of a woman and a single human arm. Her cult
died out when the Theban necropolis was abandoned during the XXI Dynasty.
Mut
Egyptian vulture goddess and chief goddess of Thebes. Also a mother goddess
occasionally referenced to as the queen of all gods. She was depicted in the form of a
vulture or in a human form with a vulture headdress and the combined crowns of
Upper and Lower Egypt. She was usually dressed in a bright red or blue gown. In
Thebes she replaced Amaunet as the consort of the sun god Amun. With their
adoptive son Khonsu, the two formed the Theban triad. Her principal sanctuary was
in Thebes.
N
Naunet
Goddess of the primordial abyss and member of the Ogdoad. Her consort was Nun.
Nebethetepet
A goddess whose name means "mistress of the offering." She is a feminine
counterpart of the male creative principle of Atum. She supposedly was "namely his
Hand with which he brought about the ejaculation that brought the cosmos into
being." A goddess of Heliopolis.
Neith (Neit)
Egyptian creator goddess and of war, the hunt and domestic arts. Her symbol was a
shield bearing crossed arrows. Said to be a self-begotten virgin. She later came to be
identified as the consort of Set and the mother of the crocodile god Sobek. Her
principal sanctuary was at Sais in the Nile Delta, where she originally developed as a
local goddess. After rising to national prominence, a sanctuary was dedicated to her
in Memphis. In the Esna cosmology, Neith was said to have emerged from the
primeval waters to create the world, subsequently following the Nile north to the
delta where she founded Sais. Depicted in the form of a woman wearing the red
crown of Lower Egypt and bearing a shield with crossed arrows.
Nekhbet (Nekhebet, Nechbet)
"She of Nekhbet." Egyptian vulture and tutelary goddess of Upper Egypt. She was
also a protective goddess of childbirth who was depicted as the nurse of the future
monarch during his infancy. In her capacity as protectress of the infant monarch she
was known as the "Great White Cow of Nekheb." She was usually depicted as a
vulture wearing the white crown of Upper Egypt and holding the eternity symbols in
her talons. Her principal sanctuary was in Nekheb (El Kab) in Upper Egypt.
Nephthys (Greek form; Egyptian Neb-hut, Nebthet)
"Mistress/Lady of the House." Egyptian goddess of the dead and daughter of Geb and
Nut. Nephthys was the sister of Isis, Osiris and Set. She was the consort of Set until
Set killed Osiris. According to one tradition, she was also the mother of Anubis by
Osiris. Nephthys' principal sanctuary was in Heliopolis. Along with Isis, she was one
of the guardians of the corpse of Osiris. She is shown in human form wearing a crown
in the form of the hieroglyph for house. Sometimes depicted as a kite guarding the
funeral bier of Osiris.
Nepit
An Egyptian corn goddess. She is the female counterpart of the god Neper.
Nut (Neuth, Nuit)
Egyptian goddess of the sky and the heavens. Daughter of Shu and Tefnut, in the
Heliopolitan genealogy. Originally just a mother goddess who had numerous children.
The hieroglyph of her name is thought to be a womb although a water pot
represented the womb. She was typically depicted as a woman with her elongated
and naked body arching above Shu and the earth god Geb to form the heavens.
Sometimes she appeared in the form of a cow whose body forms the sky and
heavens. Nut was the barrier separating the forces of Chaos form the ordered cosmos
in this world. Her fingers and toes were believed to touch the four cardinal points or
directions. The sun god Ra was to be reborn from her vagina each morning. Nut was
also a goddess of the dead, and the Pharaoh was said to enter her body after death,
from which he would later be resurrected. Her principal sanctuary was in Heliopolis.
O
P
Pachet (Pakhet)
Lioness Goddess of the Eastern Desert and a night huntress.
Q
Qadesh (Qetesh)
A goddess of Syrian origin. Often represented as a woman standing on a lion's back.
R
Renenutet (Ernutet, Renenet)
Egyptian cobra goddess. Depicted either as a hooded cobra or in human form with the
head of a cobra. Her name seems to have the meaning of nurturing or raisin a child,
and she was both a goddess associated with motherhood and the tutelary deity of the
Pharaoh. Her gaze was said to have the power to vanquish all enemies and also to
ensure the fertility of the crops and the bounty of the harvest. She was associated
with the magical properties believed to inhere in the linen bandages that wrapped
the dead and was known at Edfu as the 'mistress of the robes.' She had an important
cult center in the fertile Faiyum region, where she was closely associated with the
local crocodile god Sobek. In the Greco-Roman period she was worshipped as the
goddess Hermouthis, in which form she came to be combined with Isis.
Renpet
The Egyptian goddess of youth and springtime.
Reret
An Egyptian hippopotamus goddess.
S
Satet
Goddess of the inundation of the Nile and fertility
Satis (Greek form, also Sati; Egyptian Satjit or Satet)
An Egyptian goddess whose primary role was that of a guardian of Egypt's southern
(Nubian) frontier and killing the enemies of the Pharaoh with her arrows. As 'Queen
of Elephantine' she figures as the consort of Khnum and the mother of Anuket, the
three sometimes being referred to as the 'Elephantine's triad.' Depicted in human
form wearing the tall conical white crown of Upper Egypt bounded on either side by
plumes or antelope horns, holding a scepter and the Ankh (life) symbol. She had a
major sanctuary on the island of Sahel near Elephantine (Aswan). She was also
associated with the annual inundation of the Nile.
Sekhmet (Sachmet, Sakhmet)
"The Powerful One." Egyptian lioness goddess, daughter of Ra. In Memphis she
formed part of the Memphite triad together with Ptah as her consort and Nefertum
(otherwise the son of Bastet) as her son. Depicted as a lioness or in a human form
with the head of a lioness. She was generally shown crowned by the solar disk,
holding the Ankh (life) symbol or a scepter in the shape of a papyrus reed. In Thebes
Sekhmet came to be combined with Mut, the consort of the Theban sun god Amun.
She had a warlike aspect and was said to breathe fire at the enemies of the Pharaoh.
Like the goddess Hathor, Sekhmet could become the 'eye of Ra,' an agent of the sun
god's punishment. She was believed to be the bearer of plague and pestilence, but in
a more benign aspect she was called upon in spells and amulets to ward of disease.
Selkis (Selkit, Selket, Selkhet, Serqet)
A scorpion-goddess who was identified with the scorching heat of the sun. A
protector goddesses, she guarded coffins and Canopic jars. Sometimes shown as a
woman with a scorpion on her head.
Sentait
A cow goddess.
Serket (Selket, Selkis, Selchis, Selquet; Egyptian Serket-hetyt)
"She who causes the throat to breathe." Egyptian scorpion goddess. Depicted in
human form with a scorpion-shaped headdress or with a scorpion body and a human
head. She was an early tutelary deity of the Egyptian monarchs. Serket was
associated with mortuary rites and helped guard the Canopic jars in which the viscera
of the dead were placed. From this association she came to be a tutelary goddess of
the dead. She was called upon in Egyptian magic to advert venomous bites and
stings.
Seshat (Sesat, Sesheta)
The goddess of writing; the divine keeper of royal annals. Was represented as a
woman.
Shait
An Egyptian goddess of destiny.
Sothis (Greek form; Egyptian Sopdet)
Egyptian goddess who personified the Dog Star, Sirius. The appearance of Sirius at
dawn in July (called the helical rising) heralds the annual inundation of the Nile. She
naturally became associated with fertility and prosperity resulting from the annual
floods. Depicted in human form, wearing the tall conical white crown of Upper Egypt,
surmounted by a star. In a forth century BC papyrus, Isis identifies herself with
Sothis as she laments the death of Osiris and vows to follow him in his manifestation
as the constellation Orion.
T
Tasenetnofret
An ancient Egyptian goddess. She was the consort of Horus when he was Har-wer
("Horus the Elder").
Tawret (Taueret, Taurt, Apet, Opet; Greek Thoueris, Thoeris, Toeris)
"The Great One." Egyptian hippopotamus goddess and protective deity of childbirth,
also protectress of rebirth into the afterlife. She was depicted with the head of a
hippopotamus, the legs and arms of a lion, the tail of a crocodile, human breasts, and
a swollen belly. This appearance was meant to frighten off any spirits that might be
harmful to the child. She was often depicted holding the Sa, amulet symbolizing
protection. As a protective deity of childbirth, she was often depicted in the company
of the dwarf god Bes, who ad a similar function. Taweret was the most popular
among ordinary Egyptians as a protectress. Pregnant women commonly wore
amulets bearing the goddess' image.
Tefnut (Tefnet, Tefenet; Greek Tphenis)
Primeval Egyptian goddess personifying moisture, particularly in the forms of dew,
rains and mist. According to the Heolopolitan cosmology, she was the daughter of
Atum (sun), sister-wife of Shu (air) and the mother of Geb (earth) and Nut (sky).
Tefnut could take on the role of the 'eye of Ra' (Ra being another form of her sun god
father), in which case she was depicted as a lioness or in human form with the head
of a lioness. She could also be depicted as a snake coiled about a scepter. In the
Pyramid Texts she was said to create pure water from her vagina. Her principal
sanctuary was at Heliopolis. Tefnut and Shu were also worshipped as a pair of lions at
Leontopolis in the Nile delta.
Tenenit
The Egyptian goddess of beer.
U
Unut
An Egyptian rabbit-goddess.
W
Wadjet (Buto, Uajyt, Uto)
Cobra and tutelary goddess of Lower Egypt.
Wosyet
The Egyptian protector goddess of the young.
X
Y
Z
Zenenet
The Egyptian goddess of Hermonthis.